The Comanche, Lipan, Mescalero, Tonkawa, and Kiowa tribes adapted to European contact by incorporating horses, metal weapons, and other materials into their cultures. The Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867 resulted in a shift to more sedentary lifestyles, with governmental support for education and agriculture. Cultural identity persisted through practices such as the Kiowa's song and dance.
The Comanche, Lipan, Mescalero, Tonkawa, Kiowa tribes adapted to the changes brought on by European contact and colonization in various ways. The Comanche, for example, became skilled horseback riders using Spanish horses and incorporated metal weaponry, which significantly enhanced their hunting capabilities and military prowess. These adaptations made them a dominant force capable of negotiating with European powers such as the Spanish, British, and French.
Under the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867, Plains tribes were relocated to reservations and began receiving governmental support for the development of schools and farms. This marked a transition from their traditional nomadic lifestyles to a more sedentary one, which involved farming and ranching. Furthermore, the Kiowa tribe maintained its cultural identity through song and dance practices as studied by anthropologist Luke E. Lassiter.
Through trade and warfare, Indigenous tribes often adopted practices that were deemed better or more efficient than their own. Even after facing the brutalities of colonization, some Indigenous groups managed to persist by integrating European materials such as firearms and metal tools into their cultures. This integration shows the resilience and adaptability of these tribes under changing circumstances.