Teyas Indians facts for kids

The Teyas were a group of Native American people. They lived near what is now Lubbock, Texas. Europeans first met them in 1541. This happened when Francisco Vásquez de Coronado explored the area. We don't know for sure what language the Teyas spoke. Many experts think they spoke a Caddoan language. They might have been related to the Wichita tribe. The Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande region called them "Teyas."

Who Were the Teyas?

Experts have different ideas about who the Teyas were. They also wonder what language the Teyas spoke. Some historians think they were Apache people. Others believe they were linked to the Rio Grande Pueblos. They might have spoken a Tanoan language.

The Teyas had strong trade ties with the Pueblos. But Coronado heard that in the 1520s, the Teyas destroyed several Pueblo villages. These villages were near Santa Fe, New Mexico. This suggests the Teyas were a large and powerful group. It also shows they were involved in Pueblo politics. This makes some think they were Tanoans.

However, most experts believe the Teyas spoke a Caddoan language. They think the Teyas were related to the Wichita peoples. Coronado met the Wichita in central Kansas, in a place called Quivira.

The Teyas might not have been full-time nomads. They may have also lived in farming villages further east. Tribes in this area often went onto the plains. They did this for long buffalo hunts. Archaeologists have found old farming villages. These villages are near the Washita River in southwestern Oklahoma. These findings suggest a link to the Teyas. The Teyas were described as painted and tattooed. This also points to them being Caddoans. The Wichita were called "Raccoon People." This was because they tattooed around their eyes. The Teyas shared this custom.

The name "Teyas" likely came from a Pueblo word. But it sounds a lot like "Tejas." "Tejas" is a Caddoan word meaning "friend." This word is where the name "Texas" comes from.

Some think the Teyas might have been a Coahuiltecan or Tonkawa group. Most of these tribes lived in southern and central Texas. An old man told Coronado he had met Spaniards before. He was probably talking about Cabeza de Vaca. This story supports the idea of a southern origin for the Teyas.

We may never know for sure who the Teyas were. But finding out would help us understand the early history of the Southern Plains. Later groups like the Escanjaque Indians, Aguacane, and Iscani might be descendants of the Teyas.

Europeans Meet the Teyas

In 1541, a Spanish leader named Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led a trip. He went onto the Great Plains from the Rio Grande pueblos. Coronado wanted to find a rich land called Quivira.

Coronado traveled through the Texas panhandle. He met two groups of Native Americans. These were the Querechos and the Teyas. The Querechos were nomadic buffalo hunters. They were almost certainly Apaches. They lived on the Llano Estacado. The Teyas lived in the canyons below the Llano's eastern edge. The Querechos and Teyas were enemies.

Spanish items have been found at a site near Lubbock. This suggests Blanco Canyon was where Coronado first met many Teyas. This canyon is near the start of the Brazos River.

Teyas Culture and Daily Life

The Teyas were described as nomadic buffalo hunters. They lived in tents. But they also had other resources. The canyons had trees and flowing streams. The Teyas grew or found beans. However, Coronado's records say they did not "sow corn, nor eat bread." Instead, they ate raw meat. The Spanish saw mulberries, roses, grapes, nuts (likely pecans), and plums.

After this first meeting, Coronado traveled four more days. He found a settlement called Cona. It stretched for three days along a small river. This river was in a canyon two or three miles wide. It is not clear if Coronado followed the Brazos River. Or if he went to a different canyon to visit Cona.

Coronado's writers said, "The country was well occupied."

The Teyas were described as smart and skilled archers. One Teyas person shot an arrow. It went through both shoulders of a bison. This was called "a good shot for a musket." The women dressed well and were modest. They covered their whole bodies. They wore a petticoat under a fringed cloak with sleeves. One woman was "as white as a Castillian lady." But she had her chin painted like a Moorish woman. Coronado noted that they "tattoo their bodies and faces." He also said they were "large people of very fine appearance."

Coronado met an old blind, bearded man among the Teyas. Beards were rare among Native Americans. This man said he had met four Spaniards far to the south. He was probably talking about Cabeza de Vaca. Cabeza de Vaca and three shipmates crossed southern Texas. This happened almost ten years before Coronado's visit.

What Happened to the Teyas?

The Teyas, or at least their name, disappeared from history. This happened soon after Coronado met them. They were likely pushed out of their west Texas home. This was due to the Apache people moving into the area. If their descendants were met later by Spaniards, they were not recognized. They were not seen as the same people Coronado had encountered.