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Map with Location of Karankawa Tribes
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Karankawa
The Karankawas were nomadic; they had to migrate during the different seasons for survival. Their diet included fish, shellfish, and turtles as well as seasonal plants. The Karankawas would build canoes for transportation in the water. They would build the canoes out of hollowed out tree trunks. That is why they are called dugout canoes. These canoes were only good for traveling in shallow waters, and they were only big enough to carry one family and their belongings. While they lived near the coastline they would live in small huts. They would use tree limbs that were flexible enough to bend, but still strong. These types of homes were more permanent, because they stayed more in one place during the winter months. During the summer months, the weather was warmer and they could travel more. While the Karankawas lived inland their homes were more temporary. They would just place several sticks together and placed woven mats over it. Inland, they would hunt deer and rabbit, bison and fresh water fish and gather berries and nuts and fruits including the fruit of the cactus called “tunas”. When the Natives would hunt they used long bows made out of red cedar; the bows were as long as the distance from the archer’s foot to his chin. Arrows were made out of canes and were three feet long. Other materials that were used for creating weapons and tools were wood, bone, and sea shells and a type of stone called chert. |
Caddo
The Caddos were a Native American tribe that lived in Northeast Texas along the borders of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. The Caddo tribe was not a warlike people, but would fight when they had to. At first, they welcomed the Spanish and French. They had a complex social and political system. They were part of a native culture known as mound builders. In their larger villages they would build a raised center area for public business-much like a town hall of today. They lived in an agricultural society in the piney forest of East Texas. They would use bows and arrows made from a strong wood called bois de arc. The Caddo had a large trade network with other tribes; some from great distances away. They used clay, stone, wood and shell for tools and implements. They made beautiful ceramic pots and vessels from clay.
Map of the Caddo Village-1692 Spanish/expedition
Credit: Archivo General de Indias, Sevilla, España |
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Click Image to Enlarge |
Coahuiltecans
Coahuiltecans (kay uh weel TAY kahnz) are not actually a single tribe of Native Americans but the name given to many of the small bands of Native Americans that inhabited the South Texas Plain and parts of present day Mexico. At one time it is believed there were over 200 bands of Coahuiltecans. Evidence has been found that the Coahuiltecans were as far north as Galveston Bay and possibly as far west as San Antonio.
They were nomadic, hunter-gathers that traveled throughout the region looking for food. They lived in wickiups, a dome type dwelling made of branches bent over and anchored to create the dome, then covered with grasses or animal skins. This type of shelter is not suitable for longer term habitation. This tells us they would remain in areas for brief periods of time before moving on.
Image:Tribal Women Preparing Bison Meat
Credit: Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History |
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