KARANKAWA

KARANKAWA INDIANS ARE CALLED AUIRA IN THEIR LANGUAGE. AS A TRIBE THEY ARE NOW EXTINCT THEY HAD FIVE BANDS. THEY INHABITED THE GULF COAST OF TEXAS FROM GALVESTON BAY INTO THE PRESENT DAY OF GREATER HOUSTON AREA. THEY WERE AFFECTED GREATLY BY ANGLO DISEASES AND WAR. BY 1860 THEY WERE VIRTUALLY EXTINCT. THEIR LANGUAGE IS NOT WELL PRESERVED EITHER. KARANKAWA MEANS DOG LOVERS. IN THEIR NOMADIC CULTURE THEY MIGRATED BETWEEN THE MAINLAND AND THE BARRIER ISLANDS. THEY ADAPTED WELL TO FISHING AND HUNTING HERE. MEN WADES FROM THE SHALLOW WATERS TO THE DEEP POOLS WITH LANCES OR BOWS AND ARROWS. CHILDREN HARVESTED WATERS FOR BLUE AND STONE CRABS, OYSTERS, MUSSELS, SEA TURTLES, SHELL FISH, AND CRUSTACIANS. THEY ALSO ATE DEER MEAT AND TURTLES.

THEY WINTERED AROUND THE COASTAL BAYS EATING FISH SPECIES. DURING HOT WEATHER, SHELL FISH, ARE NOT GOOD TO EAT. THE BANDS MIGRATED INLAND TO ESCAPE SUMMER TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES. THEY TRAVELED AT LEAST 100 MILES INLAND. THEY BUILT DUG OUTS AND ROUND HOUSES OF THATCH. THEY HEAPED THEIR CLAM AND OYSTER SHELLS IN BIG MOUNDS. SOME OF THEIR CAMPS HAD SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE. THEIR LONG BOWS WERE THE MOST PRIZED TOOL. ARCHAEOLOGISTS FOUND THEY ATE DEER AND BISON, AND HARVESTED A VARIETY OF ROOTS, BERRIES AND NUTS. THEY PREPARED A CEREMONIAL DRINK WITH YAMPON HOLLY. MEN DRANK MUCH OF IT FOR PSYCHOACTIVE EFFECTS.

THESE FOLKS WERE HEAVILY TATTOOED, PIERCED AND PAINTED AND WERE A NOMADIC TRIBE. THEY WERE POWERFUL ARCHERY EXPERTS AS WELL. THE ANGLOS WROTE THAT THEY WERE STRIKINGLY TALL - 6'7"!

THEY WORE SHELL ORNAMENTS. THEY USED SHARK LIVER OIL TO KEEP OFF MOSQUITOS. THEY PUT THEY PUT CANE IN THEIR BOTTOM LIP. MEN'S HAIR WAS LONG AND TO THEIR WAIST. SOME OF THE MEN WERE BISEXUAL.

THEIR HUTS WERE MADE OUT OF ANIMAL SKINS AND POLES. THEY LIVED NEAR THE MEXICAN BORDER. BY 1793 SOME OF THEM WERE CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY.
THE TRADITIONAL KARANKAWA LIVED WITH LIPAN APACHE. IN 1819 30 KARAKAWA WARRIORS TRIED TO RETRIEVE ONE OF THEIR WOMEN FROM JEAN LAFITTE, A PIRATE. THEY USED CANONS AND WEAPONS, SO THE NATIVES RETREATED. DURING THE TEXAS WAR OF INDEPENDENCE THEIR CHIEF AND 20 WARRIORS WERE KILLED.

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