The Karankawas were a southwestern Indian tribe that lived in modern-day South Texas when the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in the New World.
It's unclear how they got to this location. Some theories suggest they came to the area through a brief migration wave. This theory is based on their similar traits to the Caribbean people.
This theory has been debated, and there is no way of knowing how they arrived at the location. Today, Karankawa is only a remnant.
See other Native American Tribe in the United States
Research on the history of the Karankawa was hampered because documents about them were written by many tribal enemies.
Karankawa has described as a "cannibal," now believed by many to be a lie initially spread by the Spanish after failing to convert them to Catholicism in the missionary settlements of La Bahía and Refugio.
Origin of Name Karankawa
The origin of the name Karankawa is from the caves of El Paso. Early speculation was that the name of "karankawa" got from their neighboring tribe. The theory is that the name Karankawa comes from the terms "klam" or "glam" meaning dog, and "kawa" means to love or like. So Karankawa can mean dog lover or keeping dogs.
In addition, the Tonkawa people call them "Keles" or "Killis," which means "Wrestlers" because of the expertise of the Karankawa people in the arts. They were also known as the barefooted or those who did not wear moccasins ("Yakokon kapa-i"). Still, this name is also applied to another group known as Tonkawe.
The next theory is that the Centipede Apache refers to Karankawa as "Nda Kun dadehe" which means "one who walks on water," possibly referring to the Karankawa people catch and fish for turtles, or it could be because of their location near the marshy coast.
In particular, the Karankawa people refer to themselves as "Karankawa."
Then, other speculations on their language, their language is still included in the Cariban linguistic stock. Linguistic data show that the name Karankawa comes from the ancient Main Spanish, "Kalina," and the Northern Carib suffix, "kxura," meaning "people;" a compound emerged: Karinxkxura, which means "Caribbean." but this theory is debated, and in the end, the origin of the name "Karankawa" remains unknown.
Origin of the karankawa tribe
based on their physical appearance to the natives of the Caribbean, experts speculate that the Karankawa are descended from a group of Caribbean Indians who arrived by sea from the Caribbean basin. However, neither ethnographic nor archaeological evidence was found to prove this speculation.
According to several contemporary sources, based on linguistic evidence, the linguist Herbert Landar, the Karankawa language, and its people belong to the Carib subgroup. The Carib part to which the Karankawa people belong is still unknown. Although their migration path to the north could be clearer. However, it is theorized that they migrated during the late fifteenth century.
Recent archaeological records indicate that these indigenous groups had been in the area as early as the 5th millennium BC.
Karankawa Tribe Lifestyle
The Karankawa voyaged from place to place on a seasonal base in their dugouts, made from large trees with the bark left intact. They call it a canoe. They traveled in groups of thirty to forty people and stayed in each place for about four weeks.
After contact with Europe, the canoes became of two types called "awa'n": the original dugout and the old boat acquired from the whites. Both are not used for fishing but for transportation, and their travels are limited to waters close to land.
Women, children, and property traveled in the hold while the men stood at the stern and held the mast of the canoe. After landing at their next destination, the women set up wigwams (called ba'ak in their mother tongue), and the men hauled the boats to shore. Their campsites are always close to the shoreline of the nearest body of water.
They built houses out of willow branches and formed them into circles, bending the tops of the branches to the center and locking them in wicker. This webbing is tied with deerskin. On top of this skeleton, Karankawa laid the skins of a deer, wild cat, panther or bear, again tied with a deerskin rope.
In making fire. They used the traditional method of using their fire sticks,
which they always carried in deerskin ropes. and
A fire is always made
in the center of their dwelling and continues to burn day and night.
After contact with Europe, the Karankawa sought matches or tinderboxes from settlers;
They use animal skins and fur for sitting and sleeping in their dwellings. Their household items and utensils include wooden spoons, ceramic vessels, fishbone needles, and fine deer muscle.
Environment
Karankawa will travel to the mountains and the basin region. They hunt and gather food from rivers and mountains.
In the region inhabited Karankawa, many small bits of asphaltum has been found along the coast from oil seeps under the Gulf of Mexico. This cut is used to fasten an arrow to its axis; as a coating for pottery such as ollas, jars, and bowls; and as a way to make waterproof wicker baskets.
Cuisine
like normal humans, They eat meat such as deer, rabbits, poultry, fish, oysters and shellfish, turtles, and others.
They also eat fruits and vegetables collected from nature, such as persimmons, berries, wild grapes, seabird eggs, tuna and nopales (prickly pear cactus), and nuts. They boil it in ceramic pots or grill and season their dishes with chilies.
After contact with Europe, Karankawa made wheat flour with water, laid the dough on a flat stone, and baked it over an open fire. They also enjoy imported sweet coffee.
Karankawa is also very good at getting pure and fresh water.
The characteristic appearance of the karankawa tribe
Physical Character
The man was very tall, of athletic build, and with coarse black hair. While the women are described as more innocent, shorter than men, and fatter than men.
The average man has hair up to his waist. Their foreheads are primarily low and broad, and their heads are larger than most white people's. While the women have flexible bodies and slender hands and feet. Their skin tone is said to be lighter and closer to the color of cinnamon. Both men and women are renowned for their spectacular white teeth, even to the elderly.
Dresses and ornaments
Men wear cloth covering the chest, while women wear deerskin skirts. They
don't wear head coverings or shoes.
Some of the women of the tribe
sometimes obtained clothing from Europeans but would only rip it off or
wear it temporarily.
Both men and women wore small bracelets of deerskin that were not clothed. Children in warm climates do not wear clothes until they are about ten years old.
Karankawa has distinctive tattoos, most notably, a blue circle tattoo on
each cheekbone, one horizontal blue line from the outer corner of the eye
towards the ear, three perpendicular parallel lines across the chin from
the center of the lower lip down, and two others.
The line runs down
from under each corner of the mouth. In addition, the Karankawa people are
said to have labret or stick piercings on the lower lip, nose, and other
body parts.
The women never braid their hair or comb it regularly. While the men wore
necklaces of tiny shells, glass beads, pistachios, and thin metal discs
around their necks (never on their chests). Men also wear jewelry. Men's
long hair is braided in three strands. They insert bright items (such as
colored ribbon or flannel). Rings are also worn by men on their
fingers.
While the women do not wear jewelry,
Karankawa tribal culture
Religion and rituals
Little is known about the rituals of the Karankawa tribe, as the Karankawas never express their beliefs. When Joutel, an explorer, questioned their religious beliefs, the Karankawas pointed to the sky.
language
They have a characteristic very hoarse voice. Their syllable structure is a vowel, double vowels, and consonants. Also, they often extend sentences beyond the breath they can supply. Besides, They have a habit of shortening words and speaking softly.
In addition to spoken language, They also have sign language to talk to people from other Native American tribes.
Smoke signal
Karankawa is well known for his skill in communicating over long distances
using smoke.
They can make small smoke flames rise into the sky with
their technique, which is significant that the signal can be understood by
people from their tribe, even from a long distance. While the method is
still unknown.
The manners and customs of the karankawa tribe---
Karankawa has a unique way of speaking. They carefully held their breath as they spoke; at the end of their sentences, they exhaled heavily, releasing the air they were holding in a while speaking.
It is also said, They do not have a regular sleep schedule but sleep whenever they want.
Karankawa never communicated their real names to white people. However, uniquely they all adopted English or Spanish words. Many men adopt American military nicknames and Christian names and change them frequently.
Arts, athletics, and recreation
Karankawa have at least three musical instruments: a large gourd filled with stones shaken to produce sound, a fluted piece of wood that Karankawa pierces with a stick to make sound, and a blown flute gently.
Karankawa practiced ax throwing, recreational knife fights, ball games, and wrestling matches. Karankawa is also noted for their extraordinary physical feats, such as continuing to fight after being injured in battle, breaking the ice with their bodies, and swimming in icy water.
Famous for his skill in archery
The Karankawa tribe is known for its excellent archery skills. While their skills with bows were fantastic, their bow was unique. After they made contact with the Europeans and acquired metal, their bows became even more deadly.
Their bows were made of red cedar wood, which they made according to each archer's height, from the feet to the chin or eyes.
Bows are always kept in perfect condition. The arrow was about a yard long, tipped with steel, and feathered with the feathers of a wild goose.
Karankawa is engaged in archery for hunting and as a recreational activity. They often shoot at targets or shoot arrows perpendicular to the sky.
The shooting match they held was lively and lively. Many youths could split the previous arrow at the target in half from a distance of at least 80 feet.
Spain and France were the first to make contact
In 1528, one of the two barges held together by survivors of Pánfilo de Narváez's failed expedition to Florida ran aground on Galveston Island. The survivors, including Cabeza de Vaca, were cared for by the Capoque group from Karankawa.
Henri Joutel, companion of Robert Cavelier de La Salle on his last expedition in 1687, noted several tribes living in the coastal areas, including the Karankawa. He described them as a peaceful tribe that would back up de Vaca's claims.
The Karankawa tribe eventually became hostile only after an ambush from Spain that killed 19 people.
Conflict With Europeans
The Karankawa tribe had lived in peace for several years since the Europeans arrived, but slowly everything was eroding.
One of their first conflicts was with the pirate Jean Lafitte, who kidnapped one of their women. In response, Karankawa launched 300 soldiers to attack Lafitte. Lafitte and 200 men with cannons fought the tribe and forced them to retreat.
Texas settlers started to enter, and soon there would be a conflict.
Karankawa attempted to hinder their progress by killing the immigrants
guarding John Motley's ship and stealing their supplies.
In 1825, the
settlers united to attack Karankawa. Stephen Austin assigns Captain
Kuykendall to lead volunteers to drive them out of the area, which extends
to the Lavaca river.
They chased Karankawa to Manahila Creek, where a Spanish missionary intervened on their behalf and made them promise never to go east again to Lavaca.
This promise was broken, however, and was met with violence by the Texas colonists.
The Disappearance of the Karankawa Tribe
During the Texas-Mexico war, several Karankawas served in the Mexican Army. They suffered greatly at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and the Texans took revenge for their services.
Walupe, Chief Jose Maria's 19-year-old son, was captured and killed by the Mexicans. His father came aboard a Texas settler and announced his intention to take revenge.
However, he and most of his men were killed.
Antonio, who claimed to be Jose Maria's brother, became chief of the tribe after that. During his reign and afterward, the population of Karankawa was significantly reduced by disease, conflict with Europeans, and infighting.
In the 1840s, the Karankawas consisted of two groups: one settled on Padre Island. At the same time, the other dropped in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. After being exiled from their homeland, the latter group reportedly looted and stole; the Mexican government ordered troops to subdue them.
General Avalos was ordered to transfer Karankawa to the borders of Tamaulipas and Nuevo León. The two states clashed over Karankawa and were eventually returned to Reynosa. After the robbery continued, Karankawa was transferred from Texas.
In 1858, the magistrate of Rosario, Mexico, messaged the mayor of Reynosa that he had tried to arrest the Karankawas. Still, they were moving north of the American border outside his jurisdiction. He added that Mexicans and Americans should work together for Karankawa's arrest.
Later that year, Juan Cortina made a surprise attack on the recently returned Karankawa and exterminated what, at the time, was believed to be the last member of the tribe.
In a study on Karankawa published in 1888, one interviewee "thought that some (Karankawa) might still be around, but don't know where."
The Karankawa became extinct as a distinct tribe in the late 19th century.
Contemporary heritage group
In 2021, a group claimed descent from the Karankawa people and formed the Karankawa Kadla. They volunteer to help preserve the Corpus Christi Bay archaeological site from oil development, develop educational programs, and are also interested in reviving the Karankawa language.
Members of this group have family stories linking them to the Karankawas amid the forced assimilation between Mexicans and white Texans and separation from other Karankawas. But this Organization is unknown. They are not federally recognized tribes or state-recognized tribes.