The Indians of Texas: From Prehistoric to Modern Times

W.W. Newcomb, Jr.'s book "The Indians of Texas" (10th printing in 1993) brings and responsible and informed voice to Native American studies. This University of Texas printing provides 13-pages of photos, several drawing (including a figure about arrowheads/spearheads entitled "projectile points"), and a thorough 12-page bibliography. Even with 404-pages (paperback) one feels Newcomb's frustration with the scant facts and sources available for the Indians of Texas. His research and presentation take the reader from prehistoric times (about 5,000 BC) to the period he entitles "the era of extermination" (of the late 1890s). With precision, and an eye to detail, he explains native tribal life through the centuries. By dividing geographically Texas' Indian populations he categorizes each native group and tribal confederation. One learns language groups persisted, through the centuries, among the various tribal groups (i.e. Mexican Coahuiltecans spoke similarly to the Texas coastal Karankawas and Tonkawas while the northern Athapaskan shared their language with the west and central Texas Apaches and the western and central Texas Comanche were linguistic relatives of the western Utes). Newcomb suggests that much of the pre European arrival warfare and confederations among the tribes were based in language groups. Newcomb carefully delineates tribal alliances as he speaks to ancient Texas Indian warfare. He explains that with the 16th century European encroachment the tribal way of life became only more difficult. The French (aided with the Comanche, Utes and Wichita/Pawnee) fought the Spanish (who were allies with the Apache, Jicarilla, Lipan, and Kiowa) for control of Texas and northern New Spain. Spain ultimately won and many Texas Indians died in land hungry Europeans' wars. Even Spanish abolishment of slavery in Louisiana in 1769 did not shield the natives from disastrous futures. Newcomb also speaks to native life. He informs about tribal societal expectations, religions, farming techniques, male and female power positions, family and marriage requirements, and management of individuals' age advancement. He offers an entire chapter on the Caddo Confederacy (many tribes including the Caddo, Nacona, Anadarko, Neches and Nacogdoches, and the distantly related linguistically Pawnee) suggesting to one's mind that these well established tribes were likely Texas' greatest, and most advanced, Native American culture. Newcomb closes his book by tracing each trail that tribes took into the history of Texas. Some (like the Apache, Comanche, and Ute) were exterminated by warfare. Others (the Wichita) were relocated to distant "reservations". Still others (like most of the Caddo) simply disappeared (perhaps being absorbed into the European society around them). It seems certain that this book will assist in positioning the various tribes of Texas into history's permanent memory. General and specialty readers will find it inter

Newcomb does, it is true, use the words "savage" and "barbaric." However, in his forward, he explicitly says that these words refer to levels of technological development only and are not a moral assessment. That said, this book provides a great overview of all the Indian tribes of a large and diverse state, not just headline grabbing Comanches or Apaches. Relatively peaceful Caddoans and Wichitans are here, as are bloodthirsty Karankawa. The other way this book is dated is simply the passage of 40-plus years. A number of archaeological studies, plus linguistic analysis, have provided new information on Texas Indians since this was written. But, especially used, this is still a great buy.

This book is a long-needed survey of the ethnography of the Indian tribes who lived in Texas since the beginning of recorded history. Newcomb's work is a scholarly and authoritative account covering all the tribes in Texas and is an invaluable reference for students of Texas history, cultures, and Indian lore. Newcomb is a professor of anthropology at the University of Texas and former director of the Texas Memorial Museum.

Using the basic cultural aspects of each tribe, Newcomb provides the definitive reference on the Indians of Texas. Each chapter uses parallel structure providing ease of use...food, clothing, housing, warfare, social structure, religion, education, transportation---, and the information is dependable. This book should be considered a standard purchase for every school in Texas, 7 up,or a must for any Native American collection!