“…Geographically close numunahkahnis formed bands whose members were allied under the direction of a popular leader referred to as a paraibo (Kavanagh, 1986; Kavanagh, 1999: 36). These bands ranged in size from one large extended group, in which each nuclear family occupied a single tipi, up to three or four extended families (Kavanagh, 1989: 100–101). Figure 3.Proportion of the Gorge rock art comprised of multi-tipi rock art panels.…”
Section: The Logic and Logistics Of Comanche Imperialismmentioning
Over the past 20 years, scholars have expanded upon subsistence-driven models of indigenous labor and exchange by tracing out the dynamic social, economic, and political systems created by Native people. While current research has highlighted indigenous agency, especially in response to Western colonialism, these approaches have largely ignored the cultural and linguistic meanings behind key economic concepts. Through a case study of the Comanche, this article develops a culturally grounded approach to nomadic economics. The Comanche offer a compelling case for indigenous empire building, a case which points to the need to develop a revised understanding of imperialism. Drawing on documentary and archaeological evidence, this article traces the logic and logistics of Comanche imperialism in New Mexico. Specifically, I argue that during the 18th and early 19th centuries, Comanche people created a nomadic empire rooted in decentralized political power, kinship, and inter- and intra-ethnic exchange. This case study provides a glimpse into the priorities and practices of Comanche entrepreneurs and points to the important role of internal social dynamics in structuring indigenous forms of imperialism.
“…Geographically close numunahkahnis formed bands whose members were allied under the direction of a popular leader referred to as a paraibo (Kavanagh, 1986; Kavanagh, 1999: 36). These bands ranged in size from one large extended group, in which each nuclear family occupied a single tipi, up to three or four extended families (Kavanagh, 1989: 100–101). Figure 3.Proportion of the Gorge rock art comprised of multi-tipi rock art panels.…”
Section: The Logic and Logistics Of Comanche Imperialismmentioning
Over the past 20 years, scholars have expanded upon subsistence-driven models of indigenous labor and exchange by tracing out the dynamic social, economic, and political systems created by Native people. While current research has highlighted indigenous agency, especially in response to Western colonialism, these approaches have largely ignored the cultural and linguistic meanings behind key economic concepts. Through a case study of the Comanche, this article develops a culturally grounded approach to nomadic economics. The Comanche offer a compelling case for indigenous empire building, a case which points to the need to develop a revised understanding of imperialism. Drawing on documentary and archaeological evidence, this article traces the logic and logistics of Comanche imperialism in New Mexico. Specifically, I argue that during the 18th and early 19th centuries, Comanche people created a nomadic empire rooted in decentralized political power, kinship, and inter- and intra-ethnic exchange. This case study provides a glimpse into the priorities and practices of Comanche entrepreneurs and points to the important role of internal social dynamics in structuring indigenous forms of imperialism.
“…Ordinarily, ownership of land would confer an advantage in child survival. In addition, there is evidence that some tribes, such as the Comanche, tended to disperse from traditional bands after being allotted, potentially decreasing the risk of contracting infectious diseases (Kavanagh, 1989). On the other hand, dispersion of the population may have disrupted traditional social support networks, potential resulting in poorer childcare and reduced capacity to manage economic stress.…”
Section: All Else Being Equal We Would Expect That Mother's Literacymentioning
Under the urging of late nineteenth-century humanitarian reformers, U.S. policy toward American Indians shifted from removal and relocation efforts to state-sponsored attempts to "civilize" Indians through allotment of tribal lands, citizenship, and forced education. There is little consensus, however, whether and to what extent federal assimilation efforts played a role in the stabilization and recovery of the American Indian population in the twentieth century. In this paper, we rely on a new IPUMS sample of the 1900 census of American Indians and census-based estimation methods to investigate the impact of federal assimilation policies on childhood mortality. We use children ever born and children surviving data included in the censuses to estimate childhood mortality and [responses to] several questions unique to the Indian enumeration [including tribal affiliation, degree of "white blood", type of dwelling, ability to speak English, and whether a citizen by allotment] to construct multivariate models of child mortality. The results suggest that mortality among American Indians in the late nineteenth century was very high -approximately 62% [standardize as % or percent throughout] higher than that for the white population. The impact of assimilation policies was mixed. Increased ability to speak English was associated with lower child mortality, while allotment of land in severalty was associated with higher mortality. The combined effect was a very modest four percent [as above] decline in mortality. As of 1900, the government campaign to assimilate Indians had yet to result in a significant decline in Indian mortality while incurring substantial economic and cultural costs.
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