Extra Reading Diary: Tejas Legends

I really loved all of the Tejas Legends.  Especially Old Quanah's Gift since it's a story about Indian Blanket – Oklahoma's state flower! And now the name Indian Blanket makes sense.  Speaking of names – the name “Quanah” is shared with the prominent Comanche chief: Quanah Parker; he was the first mixed race chief of the Comanche and the last free chief.  The film Dances with Wolves is loosely based off of Parker’s mother, Cynthia Ann Parker.

Cynthia was captured by a Comanche raiding party when she was very young, and held for ransom, however her extended family couldn’t find her so she stayed with the tribe.  The woman whose job it was to look after Cynthia used to beat her until finally, Cynthia had had enough and finally stood up for herself. 

After that, the Comanche – who value strength – named her “Stands with a Fist” and fully accepted her into the tribe.  She married the chief’s son and they had three children together.   The chief’s son loved her so much that he didn’t take another wife which was the custom – Quanah himself would have up to eight wives (most of his descendants seem to live in Lawton) (which is also the location of the Comanche Museum).

Quana Parker by my mom (Rhonda Milia), done with oils on canvas.

The other story that I really loved was The Cottonwood Remembers.  Cottonwood trees are my favorite tree because I love how their fluffy seeds just cover everything (you just have to remember to stay away from them during lightning storms).  Plus one of my favorite songs talks about “Cottonwood fallin’ like snow in July” by the great bard, Luke Bryan.