They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana.
Comanche indians full#
Comanche boys became adept bareback riders by age six full Comanche braves were considered the best horsemen who ever rode. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches.Īlthough readers may be more familiar with the tribal names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined just how and when the American West opened up. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. Gwynne’s Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. Courtesy Wikipedia.In the tradition of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, a stunningly vivid historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West, centering on Quanah, the greatest Comanche chief of them all. Distribution of Comanche tribes, 1740-1850. It is a complex language to learn, making it the perfect choice for “Code Talkers”. This assured that the Germans could not understand any intercepted message, since the Comanche language only exists in North America. The US army used Comanches during World War II to relay messages in their native tongue. However, attempts are being made to resuscitate the language.
Few Comanches can now speak the language, and most of them are elderly. The Comanche language was almost destroyed by the white man’s boarding school and restrictive policies are natives. The women were responsible for skinning the animals, cooking, rearing children, and moving and transporting the camp from one location to another. They began to ride at an early age, and were respected horsemen. Once the war was over, so was the war chief’s authority.Ĭomanche men were responsible for fighting wars, protecting the band, and hunting. The war chief was obeyed by all the warriors, and was responsible for leading them into battle. Decisions about war, alliances, and hunting parties were made by a council. It wasn’t until 1875 that the last of the Comanches, led by warrior Quanah Parker, surrendered and moved onto the reservation.Ĭomanche groups each had their own leader there was never a single leader of all the Comanches. This was a far cry from the 60,000 square miles taken by the government. The American government signed treaties, moving Apaches, Cheyennes, Arapahos, Comanches, and more to a 5000 square-mile reservation. Buffalo hunters were destroying the herds, and food was scarce. However, outbreaks of disease like cholera and smallpox reduced their population to only a few thousand by the 1870s. The Comanches successfully maintained their independence long after other tribes had been relegated to reservations. Comanches were valuable trading partners, yet were feared for the ferocity of their raids. The Comanches and settlers had an uneasy relationship. Since most of these raids took place at night under a full moon, the phrase “Comanche Moon” entered common parlance. This often lead to war between tribes, as well as with Spanish and American settlers. They became respected horse traders and feared course and cattle thieves. Horses may have been introduced to other native cultures by the Comanches. The horse was central to Comanche culture.
While they shared the same language and culture, they were just as likely to fight as to cooperate. Interestingly, they never formed a single unit – they were often divided into several different groups. It is believed that up to 20,000 Comanches were living in the area at this time. Buffalo were abundant, and their population increased. They acquired horsemanship skills, increasing their mobility and allowing them more success in the hunt. The Comanche Indians were part of the Shoshone people until the late 17th century. Today, a majority lived in Oklahoma, though a few are scattered throughout Texas, California, and New Mexico. Their range (the Comancheria) once covered parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Southern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Comanche tribe is an Indian ethnic group.