It was the Waco Indians who gave the first Europeans the name Tonkawa which meant to then “they all stay together” and the name we use today. They called themselves Tickanwa•tic which to them meant “the most human people”
(have everyone pronounce the name correctly and that is what they will be referred to from this point forward.)
The Tickanwa•tic were not primarily warring American Indians. They were like other tribes, hunter and gathers but unlike many Central Texas Indians raiding other peoples was not a large part of their culture. Yes, they had trained warriors, but it was not their way of life like the Comanche and Apache. It did not take long for this small group of indigenous of Americans to become extinct. First estimates by Spanish explorers were that they had 300 warriors with a group total of 1000. The first big hit to the tribe was smallpox. Half the tribe disappeared within one year of their friendship with the Spaniards.
But even after the Tickanwa•tic were allies to the settlers and explorers often fighting with them against the more violent tribes. They had red pieces of cloth tied around their arms so the Texians would be able to identify them as allies.
In Texas when settlers had gatherings some Tickanwa•tic would always join to observe. They were a curious people.
These Tickanwa•tic covered every part of what is now the 90 acre Pioneer Farms. These were the first humans to inhabit this land and according to many visions and sounds – still are. We hope by gathering, as they are curious, they will gather with us and as we talk about them communicate.
Who were these people? Art was not external. They used their bodies to express art with tattoos, painting, hair braiding and intricate clothing. They once depended on buffalo and when they were gone other native animals. Tickanwa•tic always set up camp near rivers and creeks. Right now, we are next to Walnut Creek. We have evidence of what they ate and dressed like but who were they as people? The answer is we can never really know what they were like before Europeans, Mexicans and settlers from the East arrived because the small group was changed forever. And even after, their existence was so short lived.
We know they had families that included all generations who stayed together and were referred to as clans. Like us my clan name is (your last name) their clan’s had names like Wolf, Bear or words the meaning of which we do not know. Like the Greeks, some Jewish people and many Asian groups they were matriarchal peoples. Ancestral descent is traced through mother instead of the father. All children born to a couple were part of the mother’s clan. Children of son’s also belonged to the mother’s family. This implies that likely women and men were treated as equals.
Few Europeans wrote anything of the Tonkawa’s day-to-day life, so fairly little is known. Their elaborate funeral rites, however, are an exception. When a member of the tribe was believed to be near death, friends and relatives gathered in a circle around that person the closest putting their hands on the dying person. A circle of people put their hands on that person’s shoulders and so on going back to as many people were available.
(Have the group stand up and create this procedure)
They would talk, chant or sing until the person died. After death, the deceased person’s hair was cut, their face painted yellow, and the body wrapped. The deceased’s possessions were buried with the body and what was not buried was burned. Tickanwa•tic believed in spirits returning and if a spirit did return it would not want its possessions used by others. For three days, the tribe mourned and were mostly silent. Those closest to the deceased, who missed the person the most, openly expressed their grief by crying out load. After the days of mourning had passed, a smoking ceremony was performed the head of the clan would say a few words and never again would their name be spoken. It was believed that to do so would summon the spirit. Which apparently was not wanted. Maybe it spooked them? The only name I could find was a great and wise Chief Campo he was a peace maker. Tonight, though we summon the Tickanwa•tic spirits.
Because we have so little knowledge of the Tickanwa•tic their spiritual beliefs are no exception. We do think that they believed the human spirit, consciousness traveled west. Therefore the dead were buried with their head facing west and the living slept with their feet facing west so their spirit would not commence its journey prematurely. Souls of women were thoughts to go happily to their new home in the west. Souls of men however tended to hang around watching and calling to their relatives. If not buried correctly the soul would remain and haunt often taking the form of owls and wolves. Certain places were avoided particularly at night…
