the wea were a miami-illinois-speaking native american tribe. they were in western indiana. they were related to the miami tribe. the name "wea" is used today as the a shortened version of their many recorded names. the wea name for themselves in their own language is "waayaahtanwa". this came from "waayaahtanonki", 'place of the whirlpool', where they were first recorded being seen and where they were living at that time.