Karankawas
Cannibalism at it's finest
Region
The Karankawas mostly lived in the coastal plains near the very edge or the coast of Texas.
Food
- The karankawas mostly ate nuts and berries for fruits they found because they couldn't grow their own food. For meat they ate shellfish or fish since they lived near the coast by the ocean.
obtaining food
They usually either gathered fruit or berries or fished to obtain their food.
Lived
The karankawas usually lived in huts made of animal skins and willow saplings. The Karankawas were also nomadic.
Weapons/Tools
The main weapon the Karankawa used was a longbows. They used very powerful and long bows and arrows. Long arrows are better for hunting fish under the water, that is mostly the reason they used such long arrow. They made and used many tools including knives, scrapers, and spear points.
Special traditions/Religions
The Karankawa practiced ritual cannibalism of blood enemies. They say this tradition is to prevent the victim from having a second or third life. The Karankawa believed that eating the victim transferred the courage and fighting skill from the victim to the person eating the victim.
organizations of Leadership
The social political organization was determined by their nomadic lifestyle. They traveled in small bands headed by a chief.
What happened or what became of them
In 1685, explorer La Salle led a French expedition in search of the Mississippi River, but they landed in the middle of Karankawan territory.The explorer established an outpost near Matagorda Bay, and the Karankawas were not happy about this. So they captured a french man and sliced the the skin then ate meat off his body. So they slowly got killed off by white people and their diseases.
Unique fact
The karankawa were very tall and athletic.