History Karankawa people

1 history

1.1 speculation on origins
1.2 encounters spanish
1.3 encounters jean lafitte
1.4 texas

history
speculation on origins

scholars have speculated karankawa descended group of carib indians arrived sea caribbean basin in seventeenth century. based on physical appearance: karankawa reported taller other indians in region , similar in appearance carib. shared cultural practices, such cannibalism. unsupported linguistic studies suggest connection. no ethnographic or archaeological evidence has been found support speculation.

encounters spanish

karankawa indian campsite , burial ground historical marker located in jamaica beach on west end of galveston island

in 1528, 1 of 2 barges put survivors of failed pánfilo de narváez expedition florida struck aground @ galveston island. survivors, including cabeza de vaca, cared capoque band of karankawa. ultimately, cabeza de vaca , 3 companions survived years of travel rejoin spanish in mexico city.

the spanish later started colonize area, constructing missions converting natives christianity , developing agriculture. 1793, of karankawa converted christianity , lived @ mission nostra señora del refugio. had been built in 1791 @ mouth of mission river. karankawa practiced traditions lived among lipan apache.

encounters jean lafitte

during time when pirate jean lafitte based on island of galveston followers, had @ least 1 altercation native karankawa. in 1819, 300 karankawa warriors tried retrieve 1 of women captivity @ lafitte s settlement. lafitte had 200 pirates defenders , used 2 cannons against natives, causing numerous casualties , deaths. karankawa had retreat.

texas

soon after arriving in galveston, american settler stephen f. austin had peaceful meeting coco indians. warned him against going karankawa lived. later night, austin wrote in diary these indians have exterminated . despite warnings, in 1823, austin founded settlement in karankawan territory. settlers exterminated karankawa, incidents including skull creek massacre , dressing point massacre. tribe sided mexico in texas war of independence. in war, karankawa chief jose maria , of 20 warriors killed.

in year 1840, observers claimed 100 karakawa remained. in 1858, rumored last of karankawa known bands had been killed in attack of settlers led juan nepomuceno cortina. has been disputed historians.

on september 7, 2009, brownsville herald reported enrique gonzalez, 65-year-old man brownsville, texas, claimed last descendant of karankawa people. claimed descent band had retreated secluded area called el gato, south of alamo , donna, texas. said both maternal grandfather , paternal grandmother full-blooded karankawa. experts said unlikely karankawa, although of native american descent.