These persons are elected by tribal members, who are the supreme governing body of the Comanche Nation. Jointly the elected officials are known as the Comanche Business Committee, or the C.B.C. The Comanche Nation is governed by a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer along with four business committee members. Reservation life began for the Comanches in 1869. In addition, 38.5 million acres (60,000 square miles) were given up for a reservation that contained just over three million acres (4,800 square miles). The tribes, in turn, were to permit railroads to be built through their lands, cease raiding and agree to live on a reservation to be set up for them. The tribes were promised protection from the hunters who were killing off the buffalo and were to be provided schools, churches and annuities. The Treaty of Medicine Lodge was signed in 1867 in Kansas with the Comanche, Kiowa, Apache, Cheyenne and Arapaho. The Treaty of Medicine Lodge, the Battle of Adobe Walls, the Jerome Agreement and the Oklahoma land openings were but a few of these events. (*See more information in "Comanche Bands" section.)įrom the time white men pushed westward towards a new frontier in the 1830s, many events occurred that altered the way of life for this great tribe. They were the Penatʉka, Yaparʉka, Noyʉka, Kwaharʉ and Kuhtsutʉʉka. At one time there may have been as many as thirty five Bands, but during the nineteenth century there were five outstanding bands identified. Spaniards and Europeans were their first outside contact, but that changed by the 1830s when white men pushed westward towards a new frontier.Ĭomanche tribal government was a democratic process, with organized bands, led by Band Chiefs, coming together as needed to discuss important issues. It also enabled them to provide the things necessary for their families - food, shelter and clothing. The introduction of the horse to Comanche people enable them to travel widely, striking terror into the hearts of their farthest enemy. Renowned for their horsemanship, they defended their land from all intruders. The Comanches were rulers of the Great Plains in the 1700s and became known as the Lords of the Southern Plains. The Comanche Nation Complex is located nine miles north of Lawton, Oklahoma, and offers many services for tribal members. The Comanche Nation now numbers more than 16,000 persons, with almost 7800 living in Southwest Oklahoma. The remainder was divided into tracts for the last big land opening in Oklahoma's short history. By June 5, 1901, Indian land allotments were completed and this nomadic tribe of the Plains settled into the life of farmers/ranchers.Įxactly five years later, land-hungry "Boomers" forced the opening of the last remaining land held by the Indians, an area that had come to be known as "The Big Pasture." Before it was opened to white settlement, children born after the allotments of 1901 were given land. Indian leaders involved in the negotiations asked for $2.50 an acre, but in the end they were paid $1.25 per acre. Bitterness resulted in that most of the Indians did not want the Agreement at all. In return the Indians gave up all their lands with the exception of four tracts which contained over a half million acres (862 square miles) and agreed to accept two million dollars for the relinquished land. The Agreement allotted each man, woman and child 160 acres which was to be held in trust for them, free from taxation. The Jerome Agreement of 1892 was signed at Fort Sill between the United States and the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache (KCA) Tribes. By 1880 both the buffalo and a way of life for the Comanches were gone. The battle was disastrous for the Indians. Although the hunters were greatly outnumbered, the Indians were defeated because of the protection offered by the fort itself and the long range buffalo rifles used by the hunters. Comanches, Kiowas and Cheyennes attacked the hunters who were using the abandoned fort in their quest to kill the buffalo for their hides. The Battle of Adobe Walls took place in the panhandle of Texas in 1874.
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