The Anxau people (sometimes spelled "Xauno" and "Xana")[1] were a hunter-gatherer tribe of the Coahuiltecan.[2] The Anxau inhabited the area south of San Antonio,[3] largely near the Medina River between present-day Medina and Bexar counties.[4][5] The Anxau are believed to have been affiliated with the Pastia people.[6][7]
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| southeastern Tejas, near Medina River | |
| Languages | |
| Coahuilteco variant | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Coahuiltecan, Pampopa, Payaya |
History
editIn 1690,[8] early Spanish explorers and missionaries (including Damián Massanet)[9] encountered a number of ethnically distinct bands of aboriginal peoples near the Medina River who spoke a common Coahuiltecan dialect.[10][6][11] These tribes also shared similar societal values and traditions.[10] This group included the Anxau, Pampopa, Pastia, Payaya, and others.[11][12][13]
The Anxau people were largely extinct by the eighteenth century.[14]
Legacy
editThe tribe was cited in an archaeological survey of the land of Lackland Air Force Base.[15]
In 2010, a sculpture was unveiled at the Texas State Capitol which included the Anxau among a list of extinct tribes.[16]
References
edit- ^ Campbell, Thomas Nolan (1985). Indian Groups Associated with Spanish Missions of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: T.N. Campbell and T.J. Campbell. Center for Archaeological Research, University of Texas at San Antonio.
- ^ Baird, Bill. "A trek through the Medina River Valley is a journey into San Antonio's rich past". San Antonio Current. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
- ^ "Heritage South Sector Plan" (PDF). City of San Antonio. September 16, 2010. p. B-34.
- ^ Kenmotsu, Nancy A.; Wade, Mariah F. (2002). "American Indian Tribal Affiliation Study, Phase I: Ethnohistoric Literature Review". National Park Service. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
- ^ The History of Rancho de las Cabras (PDF). U.S. Department of Interior. 1998.
- ^ a b Campbell, Thomas N. "Pastia Indians". The Handbook of Texas. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ Naylor, Thomas H. (1986). The Presidio And Militia On The Northern Frontier Of New Spain. University of Arizona Press.
- ^ Foster, William C. (2010-01-01). Spanish Expeditions into Texas, 1689–1768. Univ of TX + ORM. ISBN 978-0-292-76250-3.
- ^ "Indian Groups Associated with Spanish Missions of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Indian Groups and Mission San Jose)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
- ^ a b Jennifer L., Logan. "Reassessing Cultural Extinction: Change and Survival at Mission San Juan Capistrano, Texas". Coahuiltecan Language. NPS.gov. Archived from the original on November 10, 2004. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ a b "Historic Camps and Crossings on the Medina and San Antonio Rivers". Beyond Texas History.com. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ "Who Were the "Coahuiltecans"?". BeyondTexasHistory.com. 2006-09-18.
- ^ Clark, Patricia Roberts (2009-10-21). Tribal Names of the Americas: Spelling Variants and Alternative Forms, Cross-Referenced. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5169-2.
- ^ Miller, Char (2000-12-08). "Afterword". The Texas Observer. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
- ^ Bousman, Britt. "Archaeological Survey of Lackland Air Force Base, Bexar County, Texas". Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State.
- ^ Dean, Rob (2010). Santa Fe: Its 400th Year : Exploring the Past, Defining the Future. Sunstone Press. ISBN 978-0-86534-795-3.