Comanche - Indians of the American plains. History and photos

Who in childhood was not read by the works of F. Cooper, M. Reed and other writers, whose novels were full of exciting adventures, the heroes of which were pale-faced conquerors of the wild West and the red-skinned masters of the prairies. и, получили известность, как наиболее яркие представители этого уникального этноса. Some of them are Comanches (Indians), whose history for 170 years has been associated with the unceasing struggle against the civilized and approaching to them , and have become known as the most outstanding representatives of this unique ethnos.

Aliens from the Rockies

Comanche - Indians, who are the aboriginal inhabitants of the North American continent. They originate from the southern group of Shoshone people, a people who once lived in the eastern part of the present state of Wyoming. Controlled at one time significant land, today they are located mainly in Oklahoma.

It is known that in the 17th-18th century, the result of the active colonization of America by Europeans was the forced relocation of the Comanche tribes from the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains (now the western part of the USA and Canada) to the banks of the North Platte River, flowing through the territories of the modern states of Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado.

Around this time the Comanches learned how to use horses for riding, and this largely pushed them to the beginning of the resettlement. According to some reports, the number of their tribes at the beginning of the XIX century reached 10-12 thousand people.

A people ready to fight

For a long time, scientists can not come to a common opinion about the origin of the Comanche tribe's name. On this score, there are different points of view, but the most common one is that it is derived from the yuto-Aztec word "command", which means "enemies", or, to be more precise, "One who always Ready to fight with me. "

It should be noted, however, that the term yutas denoted generally all of their neighbors with whom they were at enmity. Among them were Kiowis, Cheyenes, Arapaho tribes and other inhabitants of the prairie. But, historically, the main opponents were the Comanche Indians, who expanded their possessions by seizing foreign territories.

Snakes crawling on their own track

It is characteristic, however, that in the expanses of the Southern Plains among other inhabitants, the Comanche were often called "snakes". One of their current leaders is Quana Parker, an old legend tells about this, telling how once in a long time his fellow tribesmen went in search of new hunting grounds. It so happened that on the way of their migration there was a mountain range that should be crossed, but many of the Indians found it reasonable to turn back, because they believed that not everyone will be able to endure the hardships of a long climb.

On the advice of the tribe, the then leader rebuked them in cowardice and dubbed them snakes backing their trail. According to another version, the Indians were forced to turn back numerous flocks of wolves that lived in those parts. In any case, this nickname turned out to be tenacious, and was picked up by many Comanche foes.

Unsurpassed wars

There is an opinion that among the other Indian tribes inhabiting once the territory of the Southern Plains, the most belligerent were Comanche. Since their appearance in these lands, they have constantly feuded with other redskins, as well as pale aliens who appeared a little later.

It is no coincidence that the Comanche went down in history as recognized fighters of the Southern Plains, which for a long time were horrifying to all the settlers who dared to settle in their territories. Relatively late mastered horseback riding, they very soon reached in it an extraordinary skill. Just as quickly the Indians learned to use and fell into their hands French guns, aiming aimlessly and recharging with extraordinary speed.

From the reminiscences of a combat officer

The US Army officer Richard Dodge, who was active in the Indian wars of the second half of the nineteenth century, in his memoirs called them "modern Spartans." About the Comanche Indians, the author writes that they never surrendered and kept the presence of the spirit until death. The same applies, in his words, to women. On the Southern Plains, the Comanche were the only red-skinned tribe who had been able to withstand the expansion of the white colonialists for almost 170 years.

Further, Richard Dodge writes that, preferring death to captivity, the Comanches and themselves never took prisoners with whom they fought. An exception was made only for women and children. Moreover, if the child was still very young, he was adopted by the soldier who captured him, and, growing up in a new family, began to consider him his father. The number of such captive and grown up children determined the status of a tribe member and exalted his combat merits.

According to many, who communicated with the redskins of the Southern Plains, the Comanche-Indians are warriors who are not at the same time devoid of business qualities. An example of this can serve as a widely deployed by them trade in horses, which were in that era the main means of transportation. This is especially noteworthy, since the Indians themselves mastered horse breeding much later than many other peoples.

Drunkards from the Wild West

Another characteristic feature of the Comanches is their categorical refusal to drink alcohol. The historical fact is that the violation of the dry law was equated with them for the most serious crimes, and the perpetrator was subjected to the strictest punishment, up to and including expulsion. Representatives of other tribes who willingly bought "fiery water" from pale-faced brethren, they simply despised.

In this regard, the question of the famous game show: "From what infirmity did the Comanche Indians use the tincture of the cactus?", Suggesting an answer - from a hangover, loses its meaning and falls into the category of idle fantasies. It is known that the hangover does not threaten a sober person.

Five independent Comanche tribes

In their structure, the Comanche Indians, who were not a single people, but were a set of separate tribes independent of each other, each of which consisted of several communities. Only the most numerous tribal formations had their own permanent names, which enabled them, therefore, to remain on the pages of history.

At the end of the 18th century, the Spaniards, who colonized a significant part of New Mexico, conditionally divided them, according to their areas of residence, into three separate branches - southern, northern and central. In general, the researchers identify the five main tribes that lived in the Southern Plain in the second half of the XIX century and divided into penates, cottages, noconi, yampariki and kvakhadi. It is very interesting to dwell in more detail on each of these tribes.

About the "eaters of honey"

The name of the first of these groups - Penateka - is translated from their native language as "eaters of honey". Today it is difficult to say whether their gastronomic predilections were based on it, or whether it contained only a poetic metaphor. About this tribe it is known that it was the most numerous among all others and was the first to encounter the white colonialists.

As the Penatheks themselves say, once in ancient times their ancestors, migrating through the expanses of the prairies, went so far to the south that they have since lost contact with the other Comanche. By the way, on their reputation there is an indelible mark - in the XIX century, despite all their praised independence, they actively helped the US Army to wage war against its relatives.

Amateurs of bison and their restless neighbors

The next in the above list are the consoles. In contrast to the sweethearts, the Penathecies, they were "bison devils", so at least the name of their tribe is translated. Little is known about these gourmets. Only the data that they lived between the rivers of the Red River and the Rio Pecos are preserved, and their number reached 7-8 thousand people.

Their closest neighbors were the Indians of the Nokoni tribe. In yuto-Aztec language, this means "those who turn." The members of the tribe fully justified their name, because they constantly wandered and, according to all who dealt with them, were very troubled. At one time, the governor of New Mexico wrote that it is possible to meet them, most likely, in the area between the Arkansas and Red River rivers, and that they represent the central branch of the local Comanche.

Two other related tribes

About the tribe yampariki (eaters of the river Yampa) can also be said a little. They lived on the banks of the above river, and like all Comanche, the Indians of this tribe were extremely militant, which caused their constant conflicts with others.

And, finally, the last of these groups is khāhādī. This name translates as "antelope," and it was not accidental, as the tribe wandered across the vast plains, which was a favorite habitat for these animals.

The image of Indians in modern mass culture

Since the period of development by the Americans of the Wild West, its redskins do not descend from the pages of adventure novels. Their permanent characters were apaches, Iroquois, magicians and, of course, Comanche. Indians are also heroes of many adventure films. Among them, a special genre - the western, including plots, where the cowboy and redskins of the wild prairies are indispensable - has emerged and gained considerable popularity. The films about the Indians - "Comanche Moon", "Chingachgook - Big Snake", "Gold McKenna" and many others became very popular.

Warriors of past times

The original photos of the Comanche Indians, placed in the article, are made, mainly at the end of the XIX century and represent these Native Americans in their natural environment. Today, the descendants of the former owners of prairies can be found, as was said at the beginning of the article, on the territory of Oklahoma, where they settle in specially reserved for them reservations. Those of them who could not or did not want to adapt to the conditions of modern civilization, retain the old way of life and earn well, becoming part of the tourism industry.