Text by Stilianos Kavazis

Cover photo: “Sunset for the Comanche”, by the American painter and illustrator Howard Terpning

The Comanche were one of the fiercest and most ruthless tribes, spreading fear everywhere they went across the “Great Plains.“ Their way of life was characterized by raids to acquire horses and slaves, a lifestyle that kept them in a constant state of war not only against white settlers but also against all neighboring tribes.

The Comanche tribe spread through what is now Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. They never exceeded 20,000 in number and usually were fewer than 10,000. Around the late 17th century, the Comanche learned to ride horses, and this skill revolutionized their culture. The life of the walking tribe rapidly evolved into that of a mounted, well-equipped, and powerful group. The new means allowed them to abandon their mountain dwellings and their Shoshone neighbors, gradually evolving into highly capable mounted warriors who were very difficult to match, at least at that time.

Their clothing and footwear were made from bison and deer hides. The men wore a wide leather belt around the waist, to which a long piece of soft leather was attached, passing between the legs and hanging freely, with separate comfortable leggings for each leg made of deer skin with twisted fringes, and moccasins (a flat shoe of Native Americans of North America, made entirely of a single piece of soft leather, sometimes with a harder leather sole). Except in winter, when they wore thick leather cloaks made from buffalo hides and occasionally coyote, bear, or wolf skins, the men remained uncovered from the waist up. Children up to about nine years old did not wear clothing except when it was very cold.

The women wore deer-hide shawls and dresses with wide, long sleeves decorated with fringes made from leather along the seams and hem. They adorned tunics, leggings, and shoes with fringes, animal or human hair, beads, and various bones or animal teeth arranged in geometric patterns. In winter, their attire was enhanced with cloaks lined with leather and high boots with bison leather soles.

However, it was the horse that defined the Comanche way of life. It enabled them to follow bison herds and gave them the advantage of hunting and fighting on horseback. Horses were a measure of prosperity and a valuable trade good for them. Their exceptional skill as riders was unmatched. Children learned to ride at a young age, and both men and women developed equally notable abilities. The democratic principle was deeply rooted in the social organization of the Comanche. The chief of each clan traditionally exercised the greatest influence among the leaders of its subdivisions, whether these were war-related or civil. He earned this esteemed position because of his abilities or bravery, gained it with the common consent of the group members, and maintained it as long as he continued to have their trust.

The Comanche raiders struck suddenly and unexpectedly, their war cries and face paint instilling fear and terror in their victims. Although they sometimes fought with pistols or shotguns (rifles were very difficult to shoot accurately while riding), the Comanche mainly preferred lances and arrows. Skilled warriors could quickly and accurately shoot arrows at an enemy while hanging below the necks of their horses. Lying horizontally on galloping horses, they were very difficult to hit in battle while being able to strike their enemies with ease. Constantly seeking horses, the Comanche raided new targets at every opportunity. Along with the horses, they also took women and children as captives, while almost always killing the men on the spot.

The Comanche wars against Spanish, Mexican, Texan, and American authorities (as well as against all neighboring tribes) began in the early 1700s and continued from the mid to late 1870s. The last of these wars ended with their final surrender and transfer to captivity in 1875.

The images that most Westerners continue to have of Native Americans (their dress, culture, horsemanship, bravery, and ferocity) primarily come from the Comanche. Fourteen Comanche “code talkers” participated in the D-Day in 1944 and they played a significant role in ensuring secure communication on the battlefield. Their messages could not be deciphered by the enemy, providing the Allies with a strategic advantage.

Despite their crucial contributions, the Comanche code talkers, like other Native American code talkers, did not receive immediate recognition for their efforts. It was only decades later that their contributions were formally acknowledged. In 1989, the French government awarded the Comanche code talkers the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit. In 2001, the U.S. Congress passed the Code Talkers Recognition Act, which honored all Native American code talkers.

Today, there are approximately 15,000 Comanche living in Oklahoma. The flag of their tribe proudly bears the title given to them by those who feared them for centuries: “Lords of the Southern Plains.”

Sources:

S. C. Gwynne, “Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History Paperback”, publ. Scribner, 2011.

Youtube: Dates and Dead Guys/Comanche Raids