Who Are the Comanche?
The Comanche (Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "The People") are a Native American nation numbering approximately 17,000 enrolled members of the Comanche Nation, headquartered in Lawton, Oklahoma. They speak Comanche, a Numic language of the Uto-Aztecan family, related to Shoshone. Originally a Shoshone band from the Great Basin, the Comanche acquired horses around 1700 and became the most powerful military force on the Southern Plains. Their territory—Comancheria—dominated present-day Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, and Colorado. Called "Lords of the Southern Plains," they halted Spanish and Mexican expansion northward for over a century.
Horse Culture Revolution
The Comanche transformation from pedestrian Shoshone band to dominant Plains power represents one of history's most rapid cultural revolutions. Acquiring horses from Spanish settlements (early 1700s), they developed unmatched horsemanship—children learned to ride before walking. Comanche warriors could shoot arrows at full gallop, hanging from their horses' sides. They bred and traded horses extensively; Comanche herds numbered in the tens of thousands. This horse culture enabled mobility across vast territory, buffalo hunting efficiency, and military dominance. The Spanish called them "the most ferocious warriors on the continent."
Comancheria Empire
At their height (1750-1850), Comanche controlled Comancheria—an empire larger than France. They raided deep into Mexico, extracting tribute and captives. Spanish, then Mexican expansion halted at Comancheria's borders. Comanche diplomacy balanced warfare with trade; they maintained complex relations with other tribes, Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans. The economy combined buffalo hunting, horse breeding, raiding, and trading (including captives). Population estimates suggest 20,000-40,000 Comanches at peak. This dominance ended only when diseases (especially cholera and smallpox) and buffalo extermination undermined Comanche society in the late 1800s.
Conquest and Aftermath
Texas Rangers and later US Army campaigns targeted Comanche (1830s-1870s). The Red River War (1874-1875) destroyed Comanche horse herds and forced surrender. Quanah Parker—son of Comanche chief Peta Nocona and captive Cynthia Ann Parker—led final resistance, then transition to reservation life. Confined to Oklahoma reservation, Comanche faced poverty, disease, and cultural suppression. Boarding schools removed children. Yet Comanche identity survived. The 20th century brought gradual recovery—tribal government establishment, economic development, and cultural revitalization. Comanche Code Talkers served in WWII, like Navajo counterparts.
Contemporary Comanche
Modern Comanche Nation operates from Lawton, Oklahoma, with tribal enterprises, cultural programs, and services for members. The language, though endangered (fewer than 1,000 speakers), has revitalization programs. The Comanche Nation Fair celebrates culture annually. Traditional crafts, songs, and dances continue. Quanah Parker's legacy is commemorated; the Star House (his residence) is preserved. Comanche descendants serve in military at high rates, honoring warrior tradition. How the Comanche Nation develops economically, preserves language, and maintains identity—transformed from masters of the Southern Plains to modern tribe—shapes this proud people's ongoing story.
References
- Hämäläinen, P. (2008). The Comanche Empire
- Fehrenbach, T. R. (1974). Comanches: The History of a People
- Gwynne, S. C. (2010). Empire of the Summer Moon