Transcript Karankawa - Belton Independent School District

Karankawa
By
Madison Farwell and Kaylah
Taylor
I. Location and Government
• For centuries, from west Galveston Bay to Corpus Christi
Bay you would find the Karankawas.
• The Karankawa islands were located on the East Texas
Coast.
• The Karankawas lived by the Coastal Praire.
• The Karankawa people were made up of at least five
groups or bands. Each band had a Chief and it was
always a man.
• It was really difficult for a large nomadic group to feed
themselves, so Karankawa never developed into a tribe.
II. Dress
• The Karankawa dressed in breechcloths made of lots of
different animal skins.
• Women of Karankawa were considered very beautiful.
All of their dresses were made of Spanish Moss and
deerskins.
• Karankawa men and women painted and also tattooed
their bodies.
• Tattooing was considered a symbol of important events
in their lives.
• Karankawa people often covered themselves in alligator
lard and dirt to always keep away mosquitoes.
III. How They Lived
• The Karankawa people were very strong Natives who
could withstand hungriness, thirstiness, coldness, and
harshness of the sun.
• There were many animals that lived in their area but not
enough of any type for everyone to be fed. So the
Karankawas were called nomadic hunter gatherers.
• Many nomadic people traveled in a pattern and always
returned to the same areas to various types of food.
• The Karankawa people always hunted whatever they
could find, which included, deer, buffalo, javelina,
antelope, bear, and small animals. When food ran out
they moved to another area.
IV. Transportation
• Karankawa people are famous because of their dugout
canoes.
• Even La Salle the explorer tried to trade for some
canoes.
• The canoes were made out of hollowed tree trunks
• Every canoe was big enough to carry a whole family and
their stuff.
• The canoes were only used for very short trips because
they were not that sturdy.
• Therefore Karankawa people were expert swimmers.
V. Homes
• When they were not moving, the Karankawa
people lived in huts made of willow poles, woven
mats, and animal skins.
• These materials were used to put together an
oval shaped hut that was anywhere from 10 to
18 feet in diameter.
• Seven or eight people were able to fit inside. It
had a fire in the center for heat and cooking.
• They had skins for sleeping and to sit on.
• The huts were easily taken apart and moved to
their next area by the women.
VI. Tools
• Karankawa pottery goes from jars, globe shaped
vessels, and bowls to possibly bottles.
• Karankawa pottery also included baskets. They
were coated inside and out with asphaltum for
waterproofing.
• They threw oysters into the fire or on coals until
they opened, then they were raked out of the fire
and eaten.
• The milling stones were used to crush seeds
and nuts.
VII. Weapons
• Weapons of Karankawa were often used for
fishing.
• The main weapon was the bow and arrow, the
bows were made with cedar, also the arrows
were made with cane.
• The strings were built of deer sinew.
• People of Karankawa kept lances, clubs, and
tomahawks.
• Karankawa traveled until they reached the North
Caddo Villages.
VIII. Family, Traditions and Beliefs
• The Karankawa loved their children. Each child had two names.
One was a nickname to use in public, and the other was a secret
name.
• When the children went from child to adult, a special ceremony was
performed by the shamon.
• For a certain period of time, the husband gave the wife’s father
everything he hunted or fished. This was called bride service.
• Death was more serious than marriage. They were buried in shallow
graves except for the shamon who were cremated.
• At the end of the year, there was a purification ceremony for the
relatives to stop the mouring period.
• It is believed that the Karankawa people had two main gods called
Pichini and Mel.
• Mitoes were celebrated in their honors to give thanks for a good
hunt fishing trip.
IX. Summary
• With the Coahuiltecans the Gulf Coast
was a challenging place to live in.
• The people of Karankawa tried their best
to survive in their environment.
• All of the families, used every available
resource to make each one or their lives
the best they could, and passed the skills
on to their kids.