About Karankawa Weapons

The Karankawa were a tribe of Native American peoples who are now extinct. All that we know about them and their way of life is taken from the diaries of various explorers and missionaries as well as the goods they left behind. From this we get the picture of a very powerful and dangerous group of people, who were not, however, very warlike. The weapon of choice of the Karankawa was the long bow.

Geography

The Karankawa lived on a stretch of land that runs along the southeastern coastline of modern-day Texas. From the records of those neighboring tribes which managed to survive European colonization, we can deduce that they lived on roughly a 400-mile stretch of coastline, preferably in areas where the waters were shallow. This was to allow the gathering of oysters, which, judging by the huge piles of oyster shells found outside of every Karankawa encampment, was a primary source of food.

Time Frame

The first records of the Karankawa were created in 1528 by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, a shipwrecked Spanish explorer who was found and cared for by the Karankawa. He lived with them for several years and generated the most comprehensive records in existence of this Native American people. Their stories explained that the Karankawa had come from much further west in search of better fishing grounds and to escape their enemy, the Comanche. This suggests they were related to the giants of California, backed up by their impressive size and prodigious strength. The average Karankawa man was usually well over 6 feet tall, and some were reputed to top 7 feet. It was during this period between their arrival on the Texan shoreline and the explorer's visitation that they modified their bows to better fit their needs and surroundings. By 1860, the tribe was extinct as a result of disease brought by the encroaching white man.

Features

The Karankawa long bow was a thing to be feared indeed. It was well over 6 feet in length and fired arrows about 3 feet long. The string was made from the sinew of deer, but bear was preferred, as it stood up to the stresses of use better. The bows themselves were reported to have been made of cedar. These were composite bows, made from several strips of cedar sandwiched together. Fresh cedar was springy, so it was used to make the back of the bow closest to the user's hand, while the other two strips were of cedar aged for various periods, which were more rigid. The arrows were not carved, but made from reeds harvested along shores and riverbanks. This means they were sturdy, though very light. The Karankawa never did trade with others enough to benefit from metal, so the arrowheads were made from jagged pieces of flint or chert.

Function

The long bow was used primarily for hunting, though it was a thing to be feared by both white man and the Comanche enemy when they intruded on Karankawa land. As state previously, the Karankawa relied on lakes, rivers and the sea for their food. Rather than make nets, they would skull their shallow-bottomed canoes out over the water and fire an arrow directly into the fish from above. This may seem difficult, but it was a testament to the Karankawa's skill and strength, as this was one of their preferred fishing methods.
They would head inland for the summer and hunt deer and bear. Eyewitness accounts claim that a Karankawa long bow could place an arrow through a black bear and out the other side at a distance of 200 yards. The arrow was fired from a kneeling position, held horizontally rather than vertically. Any target which tried to take cover would end up being bombarded from above. The Karankawa would simply lob an arrow straight up and let it drift back down onto the head of their enemy or quarry.

Evolution

The bow evolved quickly based on the new needs of the Karankawa. The arrows were lengthened, as they were more easily able to pierce the waters in which fish and alligator were hunted. Also, longer arrows have more surface mass, meaning they will float back up to the surface for easy retrieval should a Karankawa miss his shot, which was rare. The size of the bow was believed to have increased over successive generations as the users became stronger and more easily able to handle such a large weapon.
The Karankawa had no horses, so a bow which had to be small enough to use on horseback was not an option. Instead, they went for a weapon which was able to propel an arrow far further than any potential enemy. It also aided them in hunting game on land, which was very flat and had little in the way of cover. They had to be able to hit a target from a distance as their quarry would not let them approach.