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Cheyenne are a Native American nation of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of three united tribes, the Masikota, the Só'taa'e (more commonly as Sutai) and the Tsé-tsêhéstâhese (singular: Tsêhéstáno; more commonly as the Tsitsistas), which translates to "Like Hearted People". The name Cheyenne derives from Dakota Sioux Šahíyena, meaning "little Šahíya". Though the identity of the Šahíya is not known, many Great Plains tribes assume it means Cree or some other people that spoke an Algonquian language related to the Cree and the Cheyenne.[What is the origin of the word "Cheyenne"?. Cheyenne Language Web Site (March 03, 2002). Retrieved on September 21, 2007.][The Cheyenne word for Ojibwa is "Sáhea'eo'o," a word that sounds similar to the Dakota word "Šahíya."] However, the common folk etymology for "Cheyenne" is "bit like the [people of an] alien speech" (literally, "little red-talker").[Bright, William (2004). Native American Place Names of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pg. 95]
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