TEXT Native Americans - week 8

Overview of Native American Texans

Native American history in North America represents a complex amalgamation of cultural changes marked by beauty and tragedy.

  • Migration History:

    • First Settlement: Native Americans descended from the first humans migrating from Asia and Europe approximately 30,000 years ago.

    • Presence in Texas: Evidence suggests Native Americans inhabited Texas over 12,000 years ago.

    • Pre-historic Culture: Most groups did not have a written language, relying instead on oral traditions, rock art, and paintings.

  • Terminology:

    • The term "Indians" was coined by Christopher Columbus, who mistakenly believed he had reached Asia.

    • Current accepted terms include "Native Americans, " though many tribes have their own names.

Diversity of Native American Cultures

  • Cultural Areas:

    • Texas was characterized by four cultural regions: Western Gulf, Southeast, Southwest, and Plains.

    • Each region hosted groups with varying cultural practices and languages, linked by trade and competition.

  • Population Estimates:

    • Pre-contact estimates suggest around 45,000 Native Americans in Texas.

    • By the mid-19th century, this number drastically declined.

Regional Cultures in Texas

Western Gulf Natives

  • Resided in northeastern Mexico and the Texas coastal plains.

  • Lifestyle: Mostly hunters and gatherers with minimal possessions, living in small dome-shaped dwellings.

  • The Karankawa were among the first encountered by Europeans.

Southeastern Natives

  • Caddo and Atakapan: Most populous in northeast Texas, known for complex societies.

  • Culture: Developed advanced farming techniques, built structured homes, and established social hierarchies.

  • The word "Texas" likely derives from a Caddo term for 'friends' or 'allies'.

Trans-Pecos Peoples

  • Inhabitants lived near rivers and farmed; influenced by Southwest Pueblo cultures.

  • Building Styles: Some constructed one-story thatched homes; names of groups often uncertain.

  • The term "Jumano" referred to various groups sharing geographical connections.

Plains Indians

  • Covered the Llano Estacado and Edwards Plateau.

  • Lifestyle: Primarily nomadic hunter-gatherers, adopting horses and firearms for warfare.

  • Notable tribes included Apaches, Comanches, and Kiowas, frequently involved in intertribal warfare.

Impact of European Settlement

  • The influence of Spanish and Anglo-American settlers led to significant cultural upheaval and displacement of Native Americans.

    • Spanish Approach: While not wholly effective militarily, they introduced missions to change cultures.

    • Anglo-American Strategy: More aggressive, resulting in either displacement or extermination of native communities, often enforced by the military.

    • Key events including the Mexican and Civil Wars contributed to increased conflicts between settlers and natives.

Modern Native American Texans

  • By the 19th century, many Native groups had either migrated to other areas or faced extermination.

  • Some tribes, like the Alabama-Coushatta and Tigua, persist today, with vibrant cultural practices.

  • Census Data: Over 200,000 people today identify as Native American in Texas, many descendants maintaining their heritage in various capacities.

  • Cultural Continuity: Traditions, crafts, and belief systems are preserved, evolving within contemporary society.

  • Scholarship: Increased understanding of Native history through their own narratives and expressions in art and literature.

Conclusion

The Native American history in Texas is marked by resilience, adaptation, and a continual struggle to preserve identity amidst changes over thousands of years.