Ten bears biography

•

Cheif Ten Bears

CHEIF TEN BEARS
PARUA SMAR
1792-1872
YAPARK A BAND

An advokat of peace and known for his eloquent words, Chief Ten Bears worked to negotiate harmony between the United State government and his Comanche people. Tribal members held him in high regard and often chose him as their representative at Peace conferences in the 1800's. He was one of the original signers of the 1867 Medicine stuga Treaty, a series of peace agreements between the government, the Comanche and four other tribes. The treaty was the first step toward "transitioning" the plains Indians and resulted in the Comanche nation's permanent settlement in southwest Oklahoma.

"I was born upon the prärie, where the wind blew free and there was nothing to break the light of the sun. I was born where there were not enclosures and everything drew a free breath. I want to die there and not within walls."

Chief Ten Bears
medicin Lodge Creek Peace Council
October, 1867

•

Ten Bears

Chief Ten Bears ("Padda-Wah-Ser-Man-Oh") - born Paruasemana (ca. 1790-November 23, 1872), became the paraivo or chief of the Ketahto ("Don't Wear Shoes") local group of Native Americans, and later the Principal Chief of the northern Yamparika or "Root Eater" division of the Numunuu Comanche, ca. 1850-60. As Comanche personal names are seldom translated into English, he is commonly known as Paruasemena. In 1865, Paruasemena and two of his sons, Isananaka or 'Wolf's Name' and Hitetetsi or 'Little Crow', along with other Yamparikas and other Comanches, signed the Treaty of the Little Arkansas River in Kansas.…more

[close] Chief Ten Bears ("Padda-Wah-Ser-Man-Oh") - born Paruasemana (ca. 1790-November 23, 1872), became the paraivo or chief of the Ketahto ("Don't Wear Shoes") local group of Native Americans, and later the Principal Chief of the northern Yamparika or "Root Eater" division of the Numunuu Comanche,

•

The Comanche and Kiowa tribes influenced much of the history of north Texas and the southwest. Some leaders such as Quanah Parker are likely somewhat more familiar, but there were several from both tribes who were influential for long periods of time.

Ten Bears

Ten Bears was one of the Comanche and Kiowa leaders who signed the Medicine Lodge Treaty. This treaty signed in October of 1867 near Medicine Lodge, Kansas was intended to settle hostilities between several tribes and the United States. It actually consisted of three treaties: one with the Kiowa and Comanche, another with the Plains Apache, Kiowa and Comanche and yet another with the Arapaho and Cheyenne.

The United States promised, among other provisions, to provide protection and peace from Anglo intrusion in exchange for agreements to relocate to specified lands and to practice peace between the parties. It was ratified by the United States Senate in July of 1868. Article I stated “From this day forward all