THE COMANCHE

TRIBAL SYNONYMY

Bo′dălk̔′iñago—common Kiowa name, signifying “reptile people” or “snake men,” from bo′dal, reptile, insect, and k̔iñago, people.

Cha‛tha—(singular Cha‛), Arapaho name, signifying “enemies.”

Comanche—popular name; of Mexican-Spanish origin and unknown meaning. It occurs as early as 1757, and in the form Cumanche as early as 1720.

Gyai′-ko—the common name given by the Kiowa to the Comanche, signifying “enemies.”

Iatan—the French spelling of the name applied by several of the plains tribes to the Ute Indians, and by extension to the cognate Comanche and Shoshoni. It is a derivative from the name Yuta or Ute, the final n representing a nasalized vowel sound. The nearest approximation is perhaps Iätä-go, the Kiowa (plural) name for the Ute. Variants are L’Iatan, Aliatan, Halitane, Ayutan, Tetau (for Ietau or Ietan), Jetan, Yutan, etc. The form Läitanes occurs as early as 1740 (Margry, vii, 457).

Idahi—Kiowa Apache name; meaning unknown.

Ietan—a name applied by some of the prairie tribes to several Shoshonean tribes, particularly the Shoshoni and the Comanche. It occurs in a number of forms and appears as Läitanes as early as 1740 (Margry, vii, 457).

La Playe—former French trader’s name, perhaps a corruption of Tête Pele′e.

Na′‛lani—Navaho name, signifying “many aliens” or “many enemies,” applied collectively to the southern plains tribes, but more especially to the Comanche.

Na′nita—Kichai name.

Na′tăa′—Wichita name, variously rendered “snakes,” i. e., “enemies” or “dandies.”

Nüma—proper tribal name used by themselves, and signifying “people.” The Shoshoni and Paiute designate themselves by the same name.

Pa′douca—the name given to the Comanche by the Osage, Quapaw, Kansa, Oto, and other Siouan tribes. It has several dialectic forms and is used in this form by Pénicaut as early as 1719. It may perhaps be a contraction of Pe′nä-tĕka, the name of the principal eastern division of the Comanche.

Sänko—obsolete Kiowa name; it may signify “snakes,” from säne, snake.

Sau′hto—Caddo name.

Shĭshino′wĭts-Itäniuw’—Cheyenne name, signifying “snake people.”

Téte Pele′e—a name said to have been applied to the Comanche by the French traders, signifying “bald heads.” The identification seems doubtful, as the Comanche cut their hair only when mourning.

Yä′mpai-ni or Yä′mpai-Rĭ′kani—Shoshoni name, signifying “yampa people,” or “yampa eaters.” It is properly the name of only one division, but is used collectively for the whole tribe. The yampa plant is the Carum gairdneri.

TRIBAL SIGN

The tribal sign for the Comanche is “snakes,” the same as that for the Shoshoni, but with the finger drawn toward the rear instead of thrust forward.

SKETCH OF THE TRIBE

The Comanche are one of the southern tribes of the great Shoshonean stock, and the only one of that group living entirely on the plains. Their language and traditions show that they are a comparatively recent offshoot from the Shoshoni of Wyoming, both tribes speaking practically the same dialect and until very recently keeping up constant and friendly communication. Within the traditionary period the two tribes lived adjacent to each other in southern Wyoming, since which time the Shoshoni have been beaten back into the mountains by the Sioux and other prairie tribes, while the Comanche have been driven steadily southward by the same pressure. In this southern migration the Pe′nätĕka seem to have preceded the rest of the tribe. The Kiowa say that when they themselves moved southward from the Black-hills region, the Arkansas was the northern boundary of the Comanche.

In 1719 the Comanche are mentioned under their Siouan name of Pa′douca as living in what now is western Kansas. It must be remembered that from 500 to 800 miles was an ordinary range for a prairie tribe, and that the Comanche were equally at home on the Platte and in the Bolson de Mapimi of Chihuahua. As late as 1805 the North Platte was still known as Padouca fork. At that time they roamed over the country about the heads of the Arkansas, Red, Trinity, and Brazos rivers, in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. For nearly two hundred years they were at war with the Spaniards of Mexico and extended their raids far down into Durango. They were friendly to the Americans generally, but became bitter enemies of the Texans, by whom they were dispossessed of their best hunting grounds, and carried on a relentless war against them for nearly forty years. They have been close confederates of the Kiowa for perhaps one hundred and fifty years. In 1835 they made their first treaty with the government, and by the treaty of Medicine Lodge in 1867 agreed to go on their present reservation, situated between Washita and Red rivers, in the southwestern part of Oklahoma; but it was not until after the last outbreak of the southern prairie tribes in 1874–75 that they and their allies, the Kiowa and Apache, finally settled on it. They were probably never a large tribe, although supposed to be populous on account of their wide range. Within the last fifty years they have been terribly wasted by war and disease. They numbered 1,512 in 1893.

The gentile system seems to be unknown among the Comanche. They have, or still remember, thirteen recognized divisions or bands, and may have had others in former times. Of these all but five are practically extinct. The Kwă′hări and Pe′nätĕka are the most important. Following in alphabetic order is the complete list as given by their leading chiefs:

1. Detsăna′yuka or No′koni. This band, to which the present head chief Quanah Parker belongs, was formerly called No′koni, “wanderers,” but on the death of Quanah’s father, whose name was also No′koni, the name was tabued, according to Comanche custom, and the division took the name of Detsăna′yuka, “bad campers,” intended to convey the same idea of wandering.

2. Ditsä′kăna, Wĭ′dyu, Yäpä, or Yä′mpäri′ka. This division was formerly known as Wĭ′dyu, “awl,” but for a reason similar to that just mentioned the name was changed to Ditsä′kăna, “sewers,” which conveys the same idea, an awl being the substitute for a needle. They are equally well known as Yäpä, the Comanche name of the root of the Carum gairdneri, known to the Shoshoni and Bannock as yampa, or sometimes as Yämpä-ri′ka, a dialectic form signifying “yampa eaters.” The whole Comanche tribe is known to the Shoshoni under the name of Yä′mpaini or Yämpai-rĭ′kani, “yampa people” or “yampa eaters.” The Yäpä are sometimes known also as Etsitü′biwat, “northerners,” or “people of the cold country,” from having usually ranged along the northern frontier of the tribal territory; a fact which may account for the Shoshoni having designated the whole tribe by their name.

3. Kewa′tsăna. “No ribs;” extinct.

4. Kotsa′i. Extinct.

5. Ko′tso-tĕ′ka. “Buffalo eaters,” from ko′tso, buffalo, and tĕ′ka, the root of the verb “to eat.”

6. Kwa′hări or Kwa′hădi. “Antelopes.” This division was one of the most important of the tribe, and was so called because its members frequented the prairie country and the staked plains, while the Pe′nätĕka and others ranged farther east on the edge of the timber region. They were the last to come in after the surrender in 1874. The Kwa′hări, Ditsä′kana, and Detsăna′yuka were sometimes designated together by the whites as northern Comanche as distinguished from the Pe′nätĕka, who were known as eastern or southern Comanche.

7. Motsai′. Perhaps from pä-motsan, “a loop in a stream.” These and the Tĕna′wa were practically exterminated in a battle with the Mexicans about 1845.

8. Pä′gatsû. “Head of the stream” (pä, a stream); extinct.

9. Pe′nätĕka, or Penä′nde. “Honey eaters.” These and the Kwa′hări were the two most important divisions in the tribe. They lived on the edge of the timber country in eastern Texas, and hence were frequently known to the whites as eastern or southern Comanche. They had but a loose alliance with their western kinsmen, and sometimes joined the Texans against them. Other Comanche names for them are Te′yuwĭt, “hospitable;” Tĕ′‛kăpwai, “no meat,” and Ku′baratpat, “steep climbers.”

10. Po′hoi. “Wild-sage people,” i. e., Shoshoni. This is not properly the name of a Comanche division, but of some immigrant Shoshoni from the north incorporated with the Comanche.

11. Tänĭ′ma. “Liver eaters,” from nĭm or nüm, liver. This band is extinct, only one old man being known to survive.

12. Tĕna′wa or Te′nähwĭt. From tĕ′näw’, “down stream.” Extinct. See Motsai′ above.

13. Wa-ai′h. “Maggot.” Extinct.

The Comanche were nomad buffalo hunters, constantly on the move, cultivating nothing from the ground, and living in skin tipis. Excepting that they are now confined to a reservation and forced to depend on government rations, they are but little changed from their original condition. They are still for the most part living in tipis of canvas, and are dressed in buckskin. They were long noted as the finest horsemen of the plains, and bore a reputation for dash and courage. They have a high sense of honor, and hold themselves superior to the other tribes with which they are associated. In person they are well built and rather corpulent. Their language is the trade language of the region, and is more or less understood by all the neighboring tribes. It is sonorous and flowing, its chief characteristic being a rolling r. It has no l. The language has several dialects, and is practically the same as that of the Shoshoni in the north. Their present head chief is Quanah Parker, an able man, whose mother was an American captive. His name, Kwäna or Kwai′na, signifies a sweet smell.

Having taken but little part in the Ghost dance, the Comanche have but few songs in their own language, but these are particularly pleasing for their martial ring or soothing softness. They call the dance A′p-Anĕ‛ka′ra, “the father’s dance” (from a′pă, father; nĕ‛ka′ra, a dance), or by another name which signifies the “dance with joined hands.”

SONGS OF THE COMANCHE

1. Heyo′hänä Häe′yo

[[audio/mpeg]] [MusicXML]]

He′e′yo′!

Heyo′hänä′ Häe′yo!

Te′äyä′ torä′bi ai′‛-gi′na—He′e′yo′!

Te′äyä′ toa′hä tä′bi wo′n‛gin—Ăhi′ni′yo′!

Translation

He′e′yo′!

Heyo′hänä′ Häe′yo!

The sun’s beams are running out—He′e′yo′!

The sun’s yellow rays are running out—Ähi′ni′yo′!

This song was probably sung at daylight, when the first rays of the sun shone in the east, after the dancers had been dancing all night. The introductory part is a suggestion from the songs of the mescal rite, to which the Comanche are so much attached. Although the words convey but little meaning, the tune is unique and one of the best of all the ghost songs on account of its sprightly measure.

Te′äyä refers to the sun’s rays or beams; torä′bi, a possessive form of tä′bi, sun; (mû′ä, moon); toa′hä, from a′häp, yellow; ai′‛-gi′na and wo′n‛gin or wa′n‛gin, running out, streaming out.

2. Ya′hi′yû′niva′hu

Ya′hi′yû′niva′hu

Hi′yû′niva′hi′yû′niva′hu

Ya′hi′yû′niva′hi′na′he′ne′na′

Hi′ya′hi′nahi′ni′na′

Hi′yû′niva′hu

Hi′yû′niva′hi′yû′niva′hu

Ya′hi′yû′niva′hi′ya′he′ne′na′.

This song has no meaning, but is of the lullaby order, with a sweet, soothing effect.

3. Yani′tsini′hawa′na

Yani′tsini′hawa′na!

Hi′niswa′vita′ki′nĭ,

Hi′niswa′vita′ki′nĭ.

Translation

Yani′tsini′hawa′na!

We shall live again,

We shall live again.

The term hi′niswa′vita′ki′nĭ signifies “we are coming to life again,” or “we shall live again;” from nüswa′vitaki′nĭ, “I am beginning to be alive again.”

4. Ni′nini′tuwi′na

Ni′nini′tuwi′na hu′hu

Wäta′tsina′na hu′hu

Ni′hima′tsi asi′si

Ni′hima′tsi asi′si.

This is the Arapaho closing song ([Arapaho song 52]), as adopted by the Comanche, to whom, of course, it has no real meaning. It is given here as an example of the change which comes to an Indian song when adopted by an alien tribe.