The Story of Quanah Parker: Bridging a Seemingly Impossible Gap

When we hear stories of the early settlers' communication with, and interactions with, the Native American's; we hear horror stories.

We hear about bloodshed, murder, fear and ignorance.

This was a very transitory time in American History. The early settlers were trying to establish their idea of ownership over a land that was inhabited and controlled by many different tribes of Native Americans.

Many of the Native American tribes were completely unwilling to give up control of their land. They fought the settlers long and hard for control over their lands. But, in the end the Europeans and settlers had stronger, more powerful weapons. The settlers also had experience in using these weapons.

The Native Americans eventually lost this battle; but, there were many Native American leaders that made lasting and significant impressions; despite this historical struggle and loss. One such Native American leader was Quanah Parker.

Quanah Parker was born of Native American and Caucasian decent. His tribe was Comanche. His tribe claimed much of the upper portion of Texas as their land. They called this land Comancheria. Comancheria was tightly guarded by its many distinguished warriors.

Other Native American tribes did not interfere with the dealings of Comancheria, as they were busy protecting their land from its dominance. They called the Comanche, "the Lords of the South Plains." They were very famous for their many military endeavors and raids in which they attacked the Pueblo to the West; the tribes to the East; the Spanish settlers; the Mexicans and the Anglo-settlers. They were a feared tribe.

One major invasion was the raid of the Parker's Fort. This Invasion took place in May 1836. The Parkers were an Anglo-settler family that had no fear of the Comanche people. They built their settlement very close to the Buffalo Range that the Comanche tribe claimed as their own.

Eventually, the Comanche became disgusted with this outright disrespect. They raided the Parker settlement. They killed 5 settlers; abducted 5 settlers and injured 3 settlers. Cynthia Ann Parker was one of the settlers abducted during the raid. She was a child at this time; therefore she adjusted well to the Native American way of life. She accepted their ways of dressing, and their societal laws. She grew up and married a well-respected warrior. They gave birth to 3 children. One of these children was Quanah.

Only a warrior has the ability to move up in Comanche society. Many Native American tribes were like this. Men are required to make bold and blazon displays of their courage and bravery. This was the life that Quanah was born into. He accepted it and excelled in it. He was a natural leader.

In battle he was known to wear black face paint so that he looked like some sort of evil demon. He wore a traditional Native American head dress made of eagle feathers and otter skin. His head dress was as long as his whole body and swept the ground when he walked. It swished violently in the wind when he rode horses.

His mixed-racial background caused him to have very light eyes and some slightly European features. But, his genetic background-and the long days in the sun-caused him to have the dark skin of his Native American counterparts.

He learned to ride horses with amazing skill and agility. This was a requirement for a Comanche warrior. A Comanche warrior had to be a master of the horse.

Comanche warriors also considered dreams and mystical visions to be important elements to take into consideration when it came to battle and leadership. Psychic encounters were held in high regard. Comanche warriors always prepared for battle in the way that their visions told them to prepare.

Eventually though; their psychic visions did not help them in battle against two heavily armed groups of English people during the Red River War; 1874-1875. The first group was a group of buffalo hunters. These hunters were very skilled marksmen who had many strong weapons at their disposal because they were buffalo hunters. Quanah was disabled in the shoulder in battle with the marksmen. The Comanche were trying to protect their buffalo from the buffalo hunters because during this time; the buffalo were the Comanche's mainstay.

The second group of armed Anglo people were military men. It was around this time that the US Military was trying to put all Native Americans on reservations. They put them on reservations with the promise of food and shelter. They told the Native American that they need not worry about their survival. They told the Native Americans that they could just give up their land and that they would be completely cared for by the US government. Many tribes like the Comanche fought this to the end; but the weapons the US military had at its disposal would prove to be too great.

The US Military had also become adept in sneaking up on Native Americans as they began to learn the land and their new country. The Native Americans had this advantage for many years; but an especially driven General named McKenzie turned the tables in this regard. He learned to follow the Native Americans and had a very good working knowledge of their land.

McKenzie was a hard driving general that was disliked by most of his men. The Native Americans called him "bad hand," because he'd had a hand that was destroyed in the Civil War. Though McKenzie had received commendation for his work in the Civil War; he would not give up. He lived to fight in battle-much like the Comanche warrior is trained to do. All of his pleasure and status in life was derived from war.

McKenzie displayed much of the drive and dedication Parker himself showed in battle. Parker refused to surrender to McKenzie and others. He held his identity as a warrior in the highest regard.

McKenzie was leading the battles to try and get the Comanche tribe to move onto the reservations. He wanted them to live with the many other Native American tribes that had already surrendered; or who had been beaten into submission. The Comanche resisted repeatedly.

McKenzie then descended on the tribe that had settled in Paladuro Canyon. This attack completely surprised the Comanche because up until this point; they did not believe the military knew the land. Many of the Native Americans scattered. This surprise attack gave the military the ability to capture the Comanche horses. The horses represented the Comanche fortune and motility in battle.

McKenzie then issued a warning that the Comanche must now come out of hiding and move into the reservations or they will be murdered. Quanah-though prepared to fight until the death-received a vision of a wolf. The wolf in the dream howled and led Quanah to the reservation. He chose to follow his vision.

Quanah felt his vision was a sign that the best thing for his people would be to surrender and get food and shelter at the reservation. Instead of simply being a warrior; he was trying to be a leader and do what was best for the innocent victims involved in this war. Once he arrived at the reservation; he surrendered his weapons to McKenzie and settled into reservation life.

The US military did not keep its promise to provide for the Native Americans living in the reservations.

There was not enough food and many Native Americans were going hungry. Quanah began to pay attention to the culture of the white people that surrounded him, in order to find a way to feed his people.

He noticed that the cattlemen crossed the Native American reservations on a regular basis; and felt that he and the other Native American reservation residents had the right to charge a toll. The US settlers respected this spirit of entrepreneurship and paid the requested tolls without complaint.

Quanah and his people used this money to feed themselves and take care of their needs. They also survived by eating cattle given to them by the cattlemen.

Throughout the many years that followed; Quanah operated as a go-between and well-respected member of both his Native American tribe and of the New US culture. He had relationships with many significant people in US history including Franklin Roosevelt.

He was called "the progressive chief," by many Americans in power.

He considered himself a US citizen and paid taxes. He attended city and railroad dedications; as well as public barbecues and celebrations. He also rode in Roosevelt's inaugural day parade

He still managed to maintain his Native American roots by maintaining his long hair. Long hair was the mark of the warrior. He also was a public member of the Peyote Fellowship. This was a religious group that upheld the ideals of Native American spirituality like atmosphere and land. It also borrowed some concepts from Christianity.

The peyote society took peyote-a hallucinogen-as part of their religious ceremonial activities.

Quanah died in 1911; but not without notice. To this day; Quanah remains a wonderful example of adaptability and growth. He was noble and earned respect in a time where racism, ignorance and violence was everywhere. He was an amazing figure. We don't hear much about positive transitions during this time. Quanah's story can inspire hope in many.

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quanah_Parker