Texas IndiansTexas Indians

Western Gulf CultureWestern Gulf Culture

KarankawaKarankawa KarankawaKarankawa were were

hunters and gatherers hunters and gatherers who lived in the area of who lived in the area of Galveston to Corpus Galveston to Corpus Christi. They were Christi. They were nomads. They used dug-nomads. They used dug-out canoes to fish, hunt out canoes to fish, hunt sea turtles and collect sea turtles and collect shells. They also hunted shells. They also hunted deer and small animals. deer and small animals. They lived in wigwams.They lived in wigwams.

The Karankawa did not need much clothing. Their clothes were made out of deerskin or grass. They painted themselves with bright colors. To keep the insects away they rubbed alligator fat and dirt into their skin..

KarankawaKarankawa

KarankawaKarankawa

The Karankawa treated their children with kindness. They gave their children two names, one that was only known to the family.

CoahuiltecanCoahuiltecan

The Coahuiltecan The Coahuiltecan hunted and gathered hunted and gathered food in south Texas. food in south Texas. They were nomadic and They were nomadic and covered large distances covered large distances following buffalo, deer following buffalo, deer and small animals. and small animals.

CoahuiltecansCoahuiltecans

Coahuiltecans also Coahuiltecans also fished and hunted for fished and hunted for wild plants. Their diets wild plants. Their diets included ants, eggs, included ants, eggs, lizards, snakes, spiders lizards, snakes, spiders and worms. and worms.

CoahuiltecanCoahuiltecan

They did not build They did not build permanent homes.permanent homes.

Both men and women Both men and women wore their hair long. wore their hair long. They worked hard but They worked hard but also enjoyed feasting also enjoyed feasting and dancing. and dancing. Wikiup Hut

The Southeastern Culture AreaThe Southeastern Culture Area

CaddoCaddo

The Caddo moved into The Caddo moved into Eastern Texas from Eastern Texas from Arkansas, Louisiana and Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. They Oklahoma. They organized their tribes into organized their tribes into three confederacies They three confederacies They built permanent villages built permanent villages and became expert and became expert farmers. farmers.

CaddoCaddo

The The CaddoCaddo grew beans, corn, squash, sunflower grew beans, corn, squash, sunflower seeds and tobacco. When farming, they practiced seeds and tobacco. When farming, they practiced crop rotation. crop rotation.

The Caddo was a matrilineal society. This means they traced their families through their mother’s side.

Both men and women tattooed and painted their bodies.

CaddoCaddo

Their houses were wooden poles covered with grass. Some may have plastered the outside walls with mud.

WichitaWichita

The Wichita settled along the Red River. They grew beans, corn, melons and squash and used horses to hunt buffalo and deer. They lived in permanent villages. The Wichita tattooed their bodies, but theirs was more extreme than the Caddo.

AtakapaAtakapa Along Gulf of Mexico lived Along Gulf of Mexico lived

the Atakapa Indians. The the Atakapa Indians. The Atakapa Indians didn't do Atakapa Indians didn't do much farming. Instead, they much farming. Instead, they made their livelihood as made their livelihood as hunters and fishermen. Most hunters and fishermen. Most of their diet was fish and of their diet was fish and seafood (including oysters, seafood (including oysters, shrimp, and crabs.) Atakapa shrimp, and crabs.) Atakapa men also hunted big game men also hunted big game like deer, buffalo, and like deer, buffalo, and alligators, and women alligators, and women gathered fruit, nuts, and gathered fruit, nuts, and wild honey. wild honey.

AtakapaAtakapa

Atakapa people lived in Atakapa people lived in brush shelters, which were brush shelters, which were small huts made of grass small huts made of grass and reeds built around a and reeds built around a simple wooden framework. simple wooden framework. These brush houses were These brush houses were not large or fancy, but they not large or fancy, but they were easy to build and move were easy to build and move from place to place, so they from place to place, so they fit the Atakapa lifestyle fit the Atakapa lifestyle

The Pueblo Culture AreaThe Pueblo Culture Area

The Puebloan JumanosThe Puebloan Jumanos The The JumanoJumano lived along lived along

the Rio Grande River. the Rio Grande River. They areThey are called Puebloan called Puebloan because the houses and because the houses and buildings they lived in are buildings they lived in are called Pueblos. A Pueblo called Pueblos. A Pueblo is like a big apartment is like a big apartment building. Most have two building. Most have two or more stories. The walls or more stories. The walls are usually made from are usually made from large mud bricks called large mud bricks called adobe bricks. If the right adobe bricks. If the right kind of rock is available, kind of rock is available, many Pueblos would build many Pueblos would build rock walls. The rooms are rock walls. The rooms are small by our modern small by our modern standards. A whole family standards. A whole family would live in one room. would live in one room. All the people in a Pueblo All the people in a Pueblo are like one big family. are like one big family.

The Plains Culture AreaThe Plains Culture Area

The Great Plains stretches from Canada into Southern Texas. The Great Plains stretches from Canada into Southern Texas. Many Native American groups lived along the edges of the Many Native American groups lived along the edges of the Plains to farm and hunt buffalo. When the Spanish arrived, Plains to farm and hunt buffalo. When the Spanish arrived, horses were introduced to the Indian tribes. Many Plains horses were introduced to the Indian tribes. Many Plains Indians became excellent horsemen. Most lived in tepeesIndians became excellent horsemen. Most lived in tepees ..

The TonkawaThe Tonkawa The north-central plains and the southeastern edge of The north-central plains and the southeastern edge of

the Edwards Plateau was home to the Tonkawa. The the Edwards Plateau was home to the Tonkawa. The buffalo was the source for food, clothing and shelter buffalo was the source for food, clothing and shelter for these hunters-gatherers. The for these hunters-gatherers. The Tonkawa Tonkawa were driven were driven from their hunting grounds by the from their hunting grounds by the ApacheApache. .

The ApacheThe Apache

The Apache culture originated in Canada and migrated to the The Apache culture originated in Canada and migrated to the Great Plains. Two ApacheGreat Plains. Two Apache groups, the Lipan and Mescalero, groups, the Lipan and Mescalero, settled in Texas. Apaches were organized into bands that settled in Texas. Apaches were organized into bands that traveled, hunted and fought together. The Apaches were traveled, hunted and fought together. The Apaches were skilled horsemen and often teamed up when hunting buffalo. skilled horsemen and often teamed up when hunting buffalo. Lipan ApachesLipan Apaches were also farmers which was very unusual for were also farmers which was very unusual for ApachesApaches. .

ApachesApaches

Most Apache men cut their hair very short on the left Most Apache men cut their hair very short on the left side but allowed the hair on the right to hang long. side but allowed the hair on the right to hang long. They tied feathers and other decorations to their hair. They tied feathers and other decorations to their hair. The men had no facial hair and the women wore The men had no facial hair and the women wore earrings. Apaches were feared throughout Texas. earrings. Apaches were feared throughout Texas.

ComancheComanche The The ComancheComanche originally lived in the western part of the originally lived in the western part of the

United States. They eventually moved into the Great Plains United States. They eventually moved into the Great Plains once they acquired horses. The once they acquired horses. The ComancheComanche lived in bands lived in bands headed by a peace chief. If you were the best fighter and headed by a peace chief. If you were the best fighter and rider you were the war chief. The rider you were the war chief. The ComancheComanche were skilled were skilled buffalo hunters. Because of the their skills they soon buffalo hunters. Because of the their skills they soon controlled much of the plains including west and northern controlled much of the plains including west and northern Texas. Texas.

KiowaKiowa

The The KiowaKiowa were the last plains group to arrive in Texas. were the last plains group to arrive in Texas. They hunted buffalo, and gathered berries, fruits and nuts. They hunted buffalo, and gathered berries, fruits and nuts. They traded with other groups for what they did not have. They traded with other groups for what they did not have. The hair of the The hair of the KiowaKiowa men was long but over the right ear men was long but over the right ear it was short. The it was short. The KiowaKiowa and the and the ComancheComanche were allies. were allies.