Kwahadi Comanche: He Who Fights

#42.2
bronze
14 x 16 x 8 in.
3 available / 30
The Comanche were horsemen without peer. Whereas other Plains tribesmen rode horses to meet their enemy and then dismounted to fight, Comanche warriors always fought from horseback. The Kwahadi (Quahadi) were the most isolated of the five bands of Comanche, living on a treeless, high tableland bordered by steep escarpments near the Pecos River Valley in Texas. These warriors were so fierce they kept an enormous area totally to themselves for more than 150 years. They defeated all other tribes, the Mexicans who came over the border, and the U.S. Cavalry who accompanied the westward bound settlers trying to farm, ranch, and build their homes and towns in this frontier area. This sculpture gives tribute to the Kwahadi Comanches’ amazing horsemanship and determination to protect their lands and way of life. In the Ute language they were called Comanchu, which means, “those who always want to fight.” With speed, persistence, and prowess, they would ride hundreds of miles to execute lightning raids, capturing large numbers of animals and gaining great wealth.