band—A subdivision of a tribe, sometimes only a few dozen in number.
chief—A leader of a band or tribe. Often a chief was limited to a specific role, such as leadership in war or as a peace chief.
Comanchería—The homeland of the Comanche; it included parts of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, and Colorado.
council—A meeting of the adult males in a tribe. All had the right to express their opinions.
lodge—The Comanche’s home. It was made of buffalo hides stretched over many poles.
medicine man—A Native American priest. Medicine men often combined foretelling with practicing medicine.
reservation—An area set aside by the federal government to be the permanent home of a group of Native Americans.
scouts—Skilled frontiersmen. Scouts served as lookouts, read tracks, found trails, and located game.
Staked Plains—A vast expanse of grasslands in western Texas and eastern New Mexico. It was called Llano Estacado in Spanish.
Sun Dance—A Native American ceremony held in the spring. During the dance the dancers suffered pain as a way of ensuring the blessing of the Great Spirit in the coming year.
treaty—An agreement between two governments. Treaties between Native Americans and whites often dealt with the sale of land.
tribe—A large group of Native Americans who speak a common language, live in the same area, and have a common social organization.
troopers—Another name for mounted soldiers or cavalry.
vision quest—During vision quests, young Comanche men deprived themselves of sleep and food. When exhausted, they fell into a trance. They believed that the spirits spoke to them during these trances.
warrior—An adult Native American fighting man.