Facts About the Jumano Indians

Did You Know?
Spanish explorer Antonio de Espejo has been credited with first using the term 'Jumano' back in 1582, when he came across the natives living at La Junta.
Very few Indian tribes are as mysterious and fascinating for historians and anthropologists alike, as the Jumano Indians. A distinctive tribe (rather, a people) living in what today is Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico, along with the Southern Plains, much is yet to be discovered about the Jumano Indians simply because they were always on the move when the Europeans arrived in the 1500s.

Evening Gowns

If some accounts are to be believed, it is even suggested that there was more than one group of Jumano Indians based upon where they lived, making identification even more difficult. Their nomadic nature and constant shifting from one place to another adds to the confusion. However, there is no doubt that these people played a significant role in shaping the history of the land. Facts about their culture, beliefs, traditions, clothing styles, food, weapons, and homes will be covered in the trailing sections of this Buzzle article.

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History and Origin
Food and Shelter
Clothing
Tools and Weapons
Culture, Traditions, Lifestyle

History and Origin of the Jumano Indians

► There is much speculation and confusion about the origin of the Jumano Indians owing to their nomadic lifestyle and nature. They were known to frequently change their place of inhabitation, and thus it has become very difficult to determine their exact place of origin or homeland.

► Anthropologists and historians, based upon the accounts of European explorers of the time, have divided the Jumano Indians into three distinct groups.

    The group that lived in Texas, Mexico, and New Mexico
    The group that lived in the Southern Plains, and
    The group that was in between these two regions.


► The Jumano Indians adapted a lot to other cultures and traditions, and did not follow any one specific culture. This made determining their origin even more difficult. Some experts account their origin to the Apache tribe, while others relate them to the New Mexico Tompiro Pueblo Indians.

► Though the tribe is now primarily referred to as Jumano, it has been known by a variety of names in the accounts of early European explorers who penned the tribes' names down according to the pronunciation of the name. Hence, it has been known as Jumana, Xoman, Chomana, and Humana, among other names, in various accounts. This has made it difficult to determine the origin and culture of this tribe.

Evening Gowns

► Though this tribe was very large, the language spoken by the people hasn't been determined yet due to incomplete records of the early explorers. Some experts feel they spoke Uto-Aztecan, while others debate whether it was Tanoan or Athabascan.