About Karankawa Religion
The Karankawa Indians, now extinct, were a tribe of Indians that lived along the coast of Texas from Galveston to Corpus Christi for many centuries. What little knowledge there is about Karankawa religion comes from accounts of European explorers and Anglo settlers to the area. Karankawa religion, as understood by non-Indian observers at the time, inspired fear and revulsion due to the Karankawa practice of ceremonial cannibalism.
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Misconceptions
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While Karankawa religion did involve occasional cannibalism, there is a widely held misconception that Karankawas were cannibalistic in general, randomly eating human flesh as part of their diet. This is entirely false. Karankawa diet consisted primarily of fish, shellfish, deer and vegetation gathered by tribal members. The cannibalism element of Karankawa religion was only used on captive enemies with the belief that devouring their enemy's flesh would give the Karankawa the enemy's strength or courage.
Time Frame
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The first recorded evidence of Karankawa religion comes from the first encounter of Europeans with the Texas tribe. Cabeza de Vaca came upon the Karankawa near Galveston in 1528 after his expedition shipwrecked. After that the Karankawa had no European contact until the French arrived in their lands in 1685. Karankawa territory then became a focal point in the desire for land acquisition by the Spanish and French in the area. Eventually, Spain took control of Texas and tried unsuccessfully to bring the Karankawa into missions in an attempt to eradicate the "savage" practices of Karankawa religion. The Karankawa refused to be missionized, clinging to their way of life and religion until they were annihilated by disease and warfare in the 1850s.
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Features
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What is known about Karankawa religion centers around what the Karankawa referred to as "mitotes," or gatherings. These gatherings were held for a variety of different reasons, such as in celebration for bountiful catches of fish or hunts or in preparation for war. It was also recorded by European observers that the Karankawa religion called for these gatherings at every full moon. During these gatherings there was often music, dancing, and the imbibing of a drink made from yaupon leaves that was believed to be intoxicating.
Like many Texas Indian tribes of that era, Karankawa religion did involve ceremonial cannibalism of the tribe's enemies. If the Karankawa captured a particularly strong or courageous member of a rival tribe, they would eat pieces of his flesh to gain his strength and courage.
The Facts
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While abhorrent to European sensibilities at the time, the ceremonial cannibalism of the Karankawa religion played a major role in their cultural traditions. According to a Spanish observer, during these ceremonies the captive enemy was first tied to a stake, and then young male Karankawa would cut off pieces of his flesh, cook it over a fire, and eat it in front of the captive. This custom was common at the time among many Texas and Louisiana tribes and while quite unseemly to European explorers and Texas settlers, it was an important and meaningful aspect of Karankawa religion.
Effects
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Karankawa religion was very feared and misunderstood by settlers to the Texas coast. Most Anglo settlers believed the Karankawa were cannibals who would have no qualms about capturing and devouring their children and themselves. While this may not have been an impossible deduction, it is highly doubtful the Karankawa had any large-scale cannibalistic designs on the settlers to the Gulf Coast of Texas. Nonetheless, fear of the Karankawa as hostile neighbors and of the Karankawa religion with its cannibalistic aspects inspired Texans to eliminate the tribe, resulting in their extinction by the 1850s.
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