The Tonkawa Tribe

Acquisition of Food

• We were big hunters. We hunted buffalo and deer.
• Sometimes we fished.
• They collected roots, nuts, and fruit.
• Corn was also apart of our diet, but we were not farmers. We got corn by trading with other tribes.

Region of Texas

• We lived in the North Central Plains region of Texas.
• Some other tribes that lived in the North Central Plains were the Karankawa, and the Coahuitecan tribes.

Tools and Weapons
Some Weapons that we used were bows and arrows. In war we used bows, but also we fought with war clubs and shields.

Interactions

• We were allied with the Apaches at first then we were ememies later on.
• We were friends the Caddo, Karankawa, Jumono, and Coahuitecan tribe.
• We were also friends with the Anglo-American settlers.

Interactions cont.

• We were also scouts for the Texas Rangers.

Conflicts
Our enemies were the Comanche tribe and the later on the Apache tribe. The Comanches pushed us out of our land. The Apaches pushed us out of our own buffalo fields.

Medicine and Heath

• Yarrow plant- Helps bleeding in the body.
• Sumac plant- Helps eye problems.
• Blackberry fruit- Helps with stomach aches.
• Rosemary flower- Helps with sore joints.
• Humming Bird Blossom- Helps with mouth pain.

Medicine and Heath Cont.

• Wild Ginger plant- Helps with ear infections.
• Lavender flower- Helps with a headache.
• Prickly Pear cactus flower- Helps with wounds, burns, and boils.
• Wild rose- Helps with a cold.

Clothing

• Women wore deer skin skirts, we also wore shawls made out of rabbit fur.
• Men wore painted buffalo robes

Religion
We recognized many deities. We may have engaged in cannibalism. We also smoked psychotropic plants.

Housing

• We lived in large buffalo-hide tents called tepees.
• They were designed to set up and brake down quickly.
• We were ready to move within an hour.

Tribal Roles and Government





When Europeans first contacted us, are clans were organized into bands with each band having a chief and a tribe council made up of all adult men.

ART
Are artists were known for there hide paintings and copper jewelry.

Economics

• We got corn by trading with other tribes
• We also traded goods.

Communication
Our language is a isolate, which means it is unrelated to any other language. ta'en means friend.

Traditions

• Some dances are the Buffalo dance, Wild Hog dance, Turkey dance, Dance of short Steps, and the Notched Stick dance.
• There is also a dance called the Singing All Around" and it later became the "Back and Forth" Dance.

Traditions cont.

• After one of us died our hair was cut and our face was painted yellow.

Fun Facts

• Tonkawa is a Waco term meaning we all stay together.
• Tonkawa also means people of the wolf.
• We would not kill wolves because we believe that the wolves protect us.

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