Approximately Karankawa Chiefs
Karankawa is the nominal fame for a troop of tribes that once lived in the Gulf Seaside of Texas, populating the sphere from Galveston Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. By the year 1858 they were considered extinct, so earful approximately this bunch of associated tribes and their chiefs is unable to be confirmed by voguish American Indians identifying themselves as Karankawa. On the contrary, collating firm declared data approximately the cultural rites and social constitution of the Karankawa can maintenance construction a picture that helps answers some questions approximately what such Karankawa chiefs would chalk up taken detail of as members of these Texas groups.
The Karankawa were elementary identified by a Spanish expedition in 1528, on an island west of Galveston, Texas. Although records exist of the relatively peaceable complexion of the Karankawa, they were besides identified as troublesome, in chip thanks to they occupied land that prevented American expansion, most notably in 19th-century Texas. Physically, men and women were reported to be appropriate strong, and the men, among whom we would expect to find chiefs, were exceptionally tall.
The Karankawa were and celebrated to convey via a manner of smoke signals. The prime aspect of government was the depletion of tribal administration, though purposeful gatherings would ensue, and we can assume that any social or political organizations they practised were directed by their nomadic lifestyle. This lifestyle is reflected the Karankawa's division into four of five bands which Everyone had a Manager.
Identification
Features
The features of Karankawa entity included a nomadic lifestyle that did not contain the training of agriculture, nevertheless concentrated most heavily on fishing, very as the hunting of animals and consumption of plants. The features of their talking are far out, due to their extermination, however may be linguistically related to dialects such as the Pakawa or Tonkawa, among other hypotheses.Types
There are recorded To possess been two types of Karankawa chiefs; civil and war. A man could become the former through heredity. Within the aforementioned bands, headed by a chief/leader, groups may have also been further split into various, smaller familial units.
Time Frame
Two noted Karankawa chiefs provide a timeline for the late existence of the Karankawa. After Anglo-American settlers forced the Karankawa to the La Bahía Mission in Texas in 1824, Chief Antonito agreed, on behalf of his people, to stay west of the Lacava River. This armistice between Indians and colonists was renewed three years later by two chiefs; Antonito and Delgado. However, fighting continued, the Karankawa decreased in number, and by 1858 they were extinct.
Significance
Despite their extinction, roughly 100 words of the Karankawa have been preserved, and certain first-hand texts from previous centuries can provide a glimpse into a group that would ultimately lose its people in entirety. Perhaps the greatest significance we can ascribe the Karankawa and their chiefs is the lesson therein about what can occur when a group is considered removable, and their resources are extinguished.
