David Yeagley is the great-great-grandson of Comanche leader Bad Eagle. 
Word has it that there are some 900 full-blood Comanches left, in a tribe that today numbers 15,000. I believe the power is in the blood. Therefore, our nation is weak, and growing weaker. The social organization may continue to operate, but its purpose is amiss.
The purpose of an Indian nation is to preserve itself, to preserve a people, to preserve an ethnicity–a blood line. Our nation is not doing this. Many other Indian nations are not doing this.
Therefore, I make a special appeal to the full-bloods of the Comanche Nation.
White Wolf.
Among Comanche people, we know that there are some members whose CDIB (Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood) states that they are full-blood, but everyone knows they are not, that they have white, old (historical) Mexican blood in them. In some cases, the inaccuracy is dramatic, in others, the blood quantum is perfectly factual. I appeal to those who are factually full-blood.
Help preserve what is left of our blood lines.
Only a full blood should hold tribal office in our nation. Only full bloods should run for elected office. Only full bloods should be allowed to hold any appointed office. No, I am not a full-blood. No, I do not have the same right. And, no, I do not expect that every Comanche will vote for me!
The problem is that too many of our full-bloods are not willing to take tribal responsibility. Some are even shy. Traditionally, the full-bloods are the most reserved, most isolated, most unwilling to relate to the non-Comanche world. Alas, when they die, all their knowledge of our tradition, our language, and our blood, dies with them. This is a lethal influence on our Comanche Nation, indeed. This effects the very life of our people. This impact is tragic.
The modern world demands a new path for our full-bloods. They must arise and save what it left of us all. It is their primary responsibility.
Horse Back.
There is the matter of assimilation, which, though we are all obviously assimilated, many full-bloods seem reluctant to assert themselves upon the rest of us–because they are gracious enough not to offend those who cannot help our birth quantum. The full-bloods don’t want to shame us, or hurt our feelings. Comanches can be wondrously compassionate, despite the notorious ferocity.
During the 2011 General Council, I interviewed a full-blood for Comanche Media (ComancheMedia.com). We spoke of this matter of blood quantum as it relates to leadership. She was vehement. “I don’t want to see anyone but a full-blood up there leading our tribe!” She pointed to the elevated platform and tables behind which sat the Comanche Business Committee. There was more than one thin-blood seated there. I am quite sure than many, if not most, true full-bloods feel exactly as she does.
A day later, she requested that her interview not be published. Before we could upload it to ComancheMedia/UStream, she pleaded that it was a wrong thing to do, to publicize her statements.
Why?
I can only assume it is because she didn’t want to hurt anyone, to exlude anyone. She didn’t want to insult any of her relatives who were not full-blood. She did not want to hurt any of her in-laws, or neices and nephews who were not full-blood.
This, this alone, is the highest evidence of our profound assimilation.
Can you imagine White Wolf, Horse Back, Ten Bears, Ishatai, or Bad EAgle, out on the plains, heading up a band of Comanches, talking about blood quantum? Membership in the tribe today is based on blood quantum, though the little known fact (outside the nation) is that at one point in the 20th century, it was based on land allotment. If you were among the original allotees, you were declared full-blood. This would include two little German captive boys named Fischer, who were enrolled with the warriors!
Perhaps the full-blood Comanche woman I spoke with was thinking of situations like that. There has been a lot of mixing among Comanche people over the years. Perhaps she felt she just could not assert the superiority of being full-bood.
I say, assert it! Now! And be quick about it! We’re on our way to becoming a mere social club, open to anyone who wants to join–who wants to make a baby with a Comanche. This will be the end of the Comanche people. It will be simply a historical society of some kind, nothing more.
Pat Buchanan, the Irish Catholic American patriot was recently fired from MSNBC for his new book, Suicide of a Superpower, in which he declares, again, that immigration–of non-assimilating masses, is destroying America. In 2002, in Death of the West, he’d said the same thing. In fact, he quoted (on pp.155,156) one of my early FrontPageMagazine articles, “What’s Up With White Women?” because I had pointed out the fact that the white American seemed embarrassed by her own history, and was willfully passing out of it.
Ethnicity and nationhood are equated. This is history. This is the story of nations. To ignore this is perilous, and “suicidal,” Buchanan would say.
For the fear of hurting others, shall we sacrifice our nation, Comanche or American? Shall we let others take from us what was given to us by birth? Shall we indulge their envy? Shall our compassion justify their desperation?
Chewing Elk
I call on all true full-blood Comanches to rise up and take control over our diluted, crumbling Comanche Nation. You owe the Comanches that much. And you are all we have! Come forward. Take command. Do what needs to be done.
We shall all be forever grateful.
(You shouldn’t have to campaign for office. Leadership is yours, naturally. The rest of us should be thrilled to see you assume your purpose for our people. Forget the Quanah Parker precedent. We are at a different point in history now. We need you more than ever.)
10 responses so far ↓
1 Prayer Warrior // Jan 28, 2012 at 8:38 am
“The problem is that too many of our full-bloods are not willing to take tribal responsibility. Some are even shy. Traditionally, the full-bloods are the most reserved, most isolated, most unwilling to relate to the non-Comanche world. Alas, when they die, all their knowledge of our tradition, our language, and our blood, dies with them.” – Dr. David Yeagley
Since you seem to genuinely care about preserving the history and traditions of your people, you should take the initiative and record the memories and stories of the full-blooded Comanches. You ought to use your media company to produce a documentary, to record a series of interviews with your tribal elders about their life experiences and the traditional way of life of the Comanche people, and perhaps even write a follow-up book about their experiences and yours as their film biographer. Just a suggestion!
2 David Yeagley // Jan 28, 2012 at 7:45 pm
We appreciate your advise. These things have long been purposed. I’m sorry to say it is much more complicated than you might imagine. We continue to work toward the same purposes.
(I could give at least two major reasons why this has never happened, even though it has been a conscious purpose among the people for years. These reasons, I’m afraid, will not be understood–except by Comanche people. By understood, I mean appreciated, and valued with sympathetic attitude.)
Thank you again for your concerns.
3 Prayer Warrior // Jan 28, 2012 at 8:04 pm
You might be surprised that there are people who would be very interested in learning about the old Comanche ways. I caught your program, “Comanche Warriors” on The History Channel several years ago. I thought the elders who spoke-the great granddaughter of Ten Bears- made the program most interesting. I always believe that the best stories are real life stories and that recording what our elders tell us not only preserves the past, but is good advice and inspiration for succeeding generations.
4 David Yeagley // Jan 28, 2012 at 8:18 pm
I agree with you.
We may have to settle for less than professional recordings. It takes money to do things right. Volunteerism can accomplish only so much.
But, there are other issues, as I said, which are impossible to resolve by any present means.
Personally, I think the right amount of money would solve much of this.
5 zephyr // Jan 28, 2012 at 9:05 pm
And there’s always the touchy issue of ancestry . . . who did what, who said what to whom, etc. How many wounds do you want to re-open?
6 David Yeagley // Jan 28, 2012 at 9:22 pm
Maybe we should hire professionals! The Jews have always been expert in record keeping, interviewing subjects for history, etc. Archiving.
When I attended Iranian Studies conventions, there were different sessions about Persian ancestry and most of that was being conducted by Persian Jews. They are so wise and understanding about interviewing people, old people, “historical” people.
Nah. The old Comanches, the real Comanches, don’t talk to anyone but Comanches. The ones that talk to white people often tell very jaded stories…
This is often the case among American Indians…
7 David Yeagley // Jan 29, 2012 at 9:50 pm
I think the factual full-bloods should simply rise to be our leaders. They have the authority. They needn’t feel that their hurting anyone’s feelings. Let feelings be hurt–nonetheless! Full-blood is full-blood. This is what we should all honor. This is the last of our tribe.
8 whitetrash // Jan 30, 2012 at 7:46 am
Interesting that Liberals are keen to save various species of animals, but not so interested in saving a unique and remarkable race of people.
Only 900 full blooded Comanche left in the world? The math suggests that the race is dying, and that is no small matter. The American Indian, not the Negro, has always been the soul of America. For decades Whites have pampered the preening Negro and ignored and dismissed the significance of a proud and fierce people who shaped our national identity as much as the Founders.
I suppose it’s more than coincidence that as goes the American Indian Full Blood… so goes America.
9 David Yeagley // Jan 30, 2012 at 10:26 am
My point exactly.
Strong words, WT. Always appreciated
10 Thrasymachus // Feb 2, 2012 at 5:13 am
Comanche full-bloods:
Out of a sense of honor to your ancestors and to yourselves, and of love for the Creator, have babies — now! Double and treble your numbers. Please do not let the Comanche race and nation perish. That would be a great tragedy. You are one of our national treasures and we need you!
– Θρασύμαχος
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