SAMA HOOLE: 1800s European settlers averaged 5'5" to 5'6". The "savages" were towering over the "civilised" men by 3-4 inches. What were the Plains Indians eating? Bison. Almost exclusively. Fatty meat, organ meats, bone marrow, pemmican (dried meat mixed with rendered fat).

When European settlers first encountered Plains Indians in the 1800s, they were stunned.

The Lakota, Cheyenne, and other Plains tribes averaged 5'8" to 5'10".

European settlers averaged 5'5" to 5'6".

The "savages" were towering over the "civilised" men by 3-4 inches.

What… pic.twitter.com/ZssIyEzcVB

— Sama Hoole (@SamaHoole) November 25, 2025

When European settlers first encountered Plains Indians in the 1800s, they were stunned. The Lakota, Cheyenne, and other Plains tribes averaged 5'8" to 5'10". European settlers averaged 5'5" to 5'6". The "savages" were towering over the "civilised" men by 3-4 inches. What were the Plains Indians eating? Bison. Almost exclusively. Fatty meat, organ meats, bone marrow, pemmican (dried meat mixed with rendered fat). Zero agriculture. Zero grains. Zero vegetables for most of the year. Pure animal products. What were the Europeans eating? Bread. Porridge. Potatoes. Minimal meat (expensive). The diet recommended by every nutritional authority. The civilisation built on agriculture produced shorter, weaker men than the "primitive" buffalo hunters. The settlers noted this in their journals. Constantly. They were intimidated by the physical presence of Plains Indians. Taller. Stronger. Better teeth. Better bone structure. More muscular. One group ate meat. One group ate grains.  

The results were literally measurable in inches.