Karankawa

1. Karankawa By Arsha Amit

2. Housing The Karankawa tribes lived in huts. The huts were made of willow-tree poles with skins and woven mats draped over the sides. Usually one or two sides were left open. It was easy to move.

3. Natural Resources Some natural resources that were important to them were trees-to make poles, animal skins-for their huts and clothes, mud-as a mosquito repellent, water-to drink and bathe, cane- to make arrows, cedar-to make their bows, and fish-for food.

4. The tomahawk is a small axe that is made of wood, stone, and leather string wrapping. It is used for hunting. The bow is made of cedar and the arrows are made of cane. They sat in canoes that were dugout from trees while they fished with the trotline. The trotline is a long string with many hooks to catch many fish. The tomahawk is also used as a weapon. Tools Weapons

5. Physical Appearance The Karankawa men wore almost no clothing in the Summer and hides in the Winter. They were about 6 ft tall. They pierced their lower lip and chest. The women wore skirts of deer skin or Spanish moss. They also wore shawls of Spanish moss. They were about 5’5” tall. The young boys tattooed their faces. The Karankawa went barefoot.

6. Strange Custom After a battle, the Karankawa ate a part of their dead enemies’ bodies. They thought that they would earn their enemies strength by doing this. To prove one’s strength, they would take ice baths in the Winter and stand in the burning sun in the Summer. Head flattening is a unique custom. A piece of bark is tied to a baby's head for a year. This causes the baby’s head to slope slightly upward.

7. What Happened?Are There Any Left? The Karankawa died out in 1858. We do not know why.

8. Where in Texas? The Karankawa lived on the gulf coast.