SKETCH OF THE COMANCHE 



1043 



THE COMANCHE 



TRIBAL SYNONYMY 

 Bo'ddW'inago — common Kiowa name, signifying " reptile people " or -snake men," 



from bo dal, reptile, insect, and Vinago, people. 

 Cha-iha — (singular Cha') Arapaho name, signifying "enemies." 

 Comincfte-popular name; of Mexican-Spanish origin and unknown meaning. It 



occurs as early as 1757, and in the form Cumanche as early as 1720. 

 Gyai'-U- the common name given by the Kiowa to the Comanche, signifying 



" enemies." . 



ratoa-the French spelling of the name applied by several ot the plains tribes to the 

 Ute Indians, and l.y extension to the cognate Comanche and Shoshom. It is 

 , derivative from the name Yuta or Ute, the final n representing a nasalized 

 vowel sound. The nearest approximation is perhaps Iiitii-go, the Kiowa (plural) 

 name for the Ute. Variants are Vlatan, Aliatan, Balitane, Ayutan, Tetau (for 

 Ietau or Man), Jetan, Tutan, etc. The form Laitanes occurs as early as 1740 

 (Margry, vu, 457). 

 lOahi — Kiowa Apache name; meaning unknown. 



letan-a name applied by some of the prairie tribes to several Shoshonean tribes 

 particularly the Shoshoni and the Comanche. It occurs in a number of torms and 

 appears as Liiitanes as early as 1740 (Margry, VII, 457). 

 La mane — former French trader's name, perhaps a corruption oi I&e Pele e. 

 V( , ,,„/,_Xavaho name, signifying " many aliens" or " many enemies." applied col- 

 lectively to the southern plains tribes, but more especially to the Comanche. 

 Xa'nita — Kichai name. . „ 



Y„ Ida- - Wichita name, variously rendered " snakes," i. e., '•enemies or dandies 

 JVBma -proper tribal name used by themselves, and signifying "people. lhe 



Shoshoni and Paiute designate themselves by the same name. 

 ra douca- the name given to the Comanche by the Osage, Qnapaw Kansa, Oto, and 

 other Siouan tribes. It lias several dialectic forms and is used in this form by 

 Penicaut as early as 1719. It may perhaps be a contraction ot Pe'na-Uka, the 

 name of the principal eastern division of the Comanche. 

 Sonfco-obsolete Kiowa name; it may signify " snakes," from seine, snake. 

 Sau'hto — Caddo name. 



Shishino'mts-Itanimo'— Cheyenne name, signifying "snake people. 

 ZVfc Pele'e-a, name said to have been applied to the Comanche by the I rench traders, 

 signifying "bald heads." The identification seems doubtful, as the Comanche 

 cut their hair only when mourning. 

 Ta'mpai-ni or Ta'mpa^M'lcam- Shoshoni name, signifying "yampa people or 

 "yampa eaters." It is properly the nam.- of only one division, but is used col- 

 lectively for the whole tribe. The yampa plant is the Carum gairdnen. 



TRIBAL SIGN 



The tribal sign for the Comanche is -snakes." the same as that for 

 the Shoshoni, but with the finger drawn toward the rear instead of 

 thrnst forward. 



SKETCH OF THE TRIBE 



The Comanche are one of the southern tribes of the great Shosho- 

 nean stock, and the only one of that group living entirely on the 

 plains Their language and traditions show that they are a compara- 

 tively recent offshoot from the Shoshoni of Wyoming, both tribes speak- 

 in" practically the same dialect and until very recently keeping up 



