Karankawa
 |
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (a tribe, Unknown number of descendants.) |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Texas) |
|
| Languages | |
| Karankawa language | |
| Religion | |
| traditional tribal religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| possibly Atakapa and Island Caribs |
Karankawa (also Karankawan, Comanches, Cocos, and called in their language Auia) are a tribe of Native Americans, now a restored nation, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history.
The term Karankawa persisted and has been popularly applied to a group of Native American tribes who have a common dialect and culture. These people can be more specifically identified as the Capoques (Cocos), Kohanis, Kopanes, Kronks, and Karankawa (Carancaquacas) bands. They inhabited the Gulf Coast of Texas from Galveston Bay in the present-day Greater Houston area, then south toward Corpus Christi Bay. Exposure to new infectious diseases, annexation of territory, conflict with the newly arrived Europeans, and war forced them to intermarry or relocate to missions before 1860.
The Sankara language, of which only about a hundred words are preserved, cannot be classified, as so little is known of languages in this region. The meaning of the name Karankawa is not certain. It is believed to mean "dog-lovers" or "dog-helpers." That rendering seems credible, since the Karankawas had dogs,which were a fox or coyote-like species. In a nomadic-type culture, the people seasonally migrated between the mainland and the barrier islands.
The indigenous peoples who lived along the Texas Coast from Galveston Island to a location southward past Corpus Christi, Texas endured much hardship from the elements, but they also adapted well to the rich fishing and hunting. The bays, back bays, lagoons and bayous along the Texas Coast were the tribal hunting and harvesting grounds. Men waded from the shallow waters in the bays to the deep pools with lances or bows and arrows, to spear fish. Older men, women and children harvested waters for blue and stone crabs, oysters, mussels, sea turtles, shellfish, and other edible crustaceans.
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