Eagle as symbol of divine messageĪccording to Parker family tradition, while pondering the decision as to whether or not to surrender, Quanah (whose original name may have been 'Kwihnai', meaning eagle) went in search of a vision or a sign as to what he should do. Second, it demonstrated that the raiders had the power to do damage. This sent a dual message: first, it damaged the mobility of whoever had his or her horses stolen, making it difficult to hunt or to even find water. As a preliminary warning, it was customary among rival Indian tribes for young men to sneak up and steal their enemies' horses. So long as the Comanche had their horses, they could fight, retreat, or move their camp elsewhere at will.Ī Comanche tribesman's wealth was measured in horses. The horse, therefore, symbolized Comanche power but also Comanche freedom. With an attack range of four hundred miles, a relatively small group of Comanche raiders were able to terrorize settlers over a vast area, exercising far more control over the territory than their numbers would ordinarily suggest. The key to the military successes of the Comanche tribes was the ability to travel long distances quickly and unpredictably. Horse as symbol of Comanche power and freedom

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Empire of a summer moon