TONKAWA

The Tonkawa originally lived in territory that is now central Texas. They had a reputation as fierce raiders and skilled hunters who roamed the southern plains throughout most of present-day Texas and into eastern New Mexico and southern Oklahoma (see PLAINS INDIANS). Tonkawa, pronounced TAHN-kuh-wuh, is thought to mean “they all stay together.” The language of the Tonkawa, referred to as Tonkawan, is unique. As a result, Tonkawa ancestry and place of origin are uncertain. They might be distant relatives of the COAHUILTEC and the KARANKAWA who once inhabited southern Texas and northern Mexico.

The Tonkawa had early contacts with Spanish explorers, probably both Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in the 1530s and Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in the 1540s. Other than occasional expeditions and a few missions, Spain did little to establish its claim to Texas until France gained a foothold along the lower Mississippi valley after Rene-Robert Cavelier de La Salle’s expedition of 1682. The Spanish then competed with the French for the support of Texas tribes until France lost its territory to Britain in 1763 after the French and Indian wars. It was during the late 17th and early 18th centuries that the Tonkawa acquired horses from the Spanish or from other Indians, which increased their effectiveness as warriors and buffalo hunters.

The Tonkawa were traditional enemies of the APACHE, who lived to their west in New Mexico and Arizona, the two peoples often launching raids against each other. However, an Apache taken as a prisoner by the Tonkawa became a powerful chief among his new people. He was called by the Spanish name El Mocho, meaning “the cropped one,” because he had lost his right ear while fighting the OSAGE.

El Mocho’s dream was to unite the Apache and Tonkawa. In 1782, he organized a great council that was attended by more than 4,000 people of both tribes. He argued for a unified stand against the Spanish. But the two peoples were unable to put aside old grudges, and El Mocho’s dream of alliance was never realized. The Spanish later captured and executed him.

In 1845, Texas became part of the United States. In 1855, the Tonkawa, along with other Texas tribes, were assigned two small reservations on the Brazos River. During that period, the Tonkawa served as scouts with the Texas Rangers against the COMANCHE.

In 1859, because of increased settlement in the area by Anglo-Americans, the Tonkawa were relocated to the Washita River in the Indian Territory. During the Civil War, some of the Tonkawa served as scouts for the Confederate Army. In 1862, other tribes used the Tonkawa involvement in the Civil War as an excuse to settle old scores. CADDO, LENNI LENAPE (DELAWARE), and SHAWNEE warriors raided the Tonkawa camps and killed many. The survivors fled to Texas, where they remained until 1884. At that time, government officials arranged a new home for them in the Indian Territory, farther north, near the PONCA.

Tonkawa descendants live there today in Kay County, Oklahoma, organized as the Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. There is a current effort among them to further the use of the Tonkawan language with tutorial classes being offered. They have also revived traditional ceremonies and sponsor a powwow every June at the town of Tonkawa. Traditional dances include the Buffalo Dance, Deer Dance, Turkey Dance, and Wolf Dance, which celebrates the origins of the tribe.