Tonkawas By: Joshua Kim Mr. Born 4

th

grade

Clothing

• • • • The Tonkawa warriors wore protective jackets . The men wore long breechcloths that came down to there knees.

The women wore skirts made of buckisun,or rabbits. In colder times they wore deerskin shirts and buffalo- hide robes kept everybody warm.

Looks

• • Tonkawas paint their bodies ,and have tattoos. They have long cloths they wear sometimes ,and some people wore other things such as skirts,and other cloths.

Hair

• • Both men and women parted their long hair in the middle and let it hang loose.

Often the men braided their hair or tied it with beaver fur to keep it out of their way.

History

The commanches made the Tonkawas move south to get back revenge they destroyed all the near by scared fire temples in 1719.

Population

• • 1690 (estimate)-1,600 1990 (ensues)-20 in Texas

Food.

• The Tonkawas were fishermen, hunters ,and gatherers.

• Because they didn't grow crops,and harvest food to store for later to use they often went hungry in the winter.

• The Tonkawas often moved to search for food.

• They gathered nuts,fruits,and berries for food.

• They also hunted deer,rabbits, turtles,and even snakes.

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Meaning of tribal name

• • The name Tonkawa comes from the Waco word for they all sick together.

`The Tonkawas called themselves the most human of people.

Customs

• • • • Tonkawas appeared out of nowhere they usually just showed up uninvited.

Tonkawa`s bands were the basic units of Tonkawa society.

Individuals lived in family groups, and family groups formed to join a band.

Babies stayed in cradleboards until they were a year ,or two in a half years old

Tools and weapons

• • Some of their most important weapons were war lances that they used to hunt,and bows ,arrows with poison from the juice of mistletoe leaves.

For defense they made shields,jackets,and helmets made out of buffalo hides

language

• They spoke Tonkawan.

Geographic location

• • The Tonkawas lived mainly on the Edwards Plateau near what is today the capital of Texas, Austin.

The Tonkawas didn't`always stay on the Plateau.