Living Off the Land

Indigenous peoples of the Rio Grande Valley, like the Coahuiltecan and Lipan Apache, thrived by hunting, fishing, and gathering from the land. They primarily hunted deer, rabbits, javelinas, and other small animals. Both tribes fished in the Rio Grande and local rivers using spears, harpoons, and nets, catching species like catfish, bass, and sunfish. They gathered mesquite beans, prickly pear cactus, and yucca for food, while also using these plants for tools, shelter, and clothing. For medicine, the toothache tree (Hercules’ club) was used for its numbing bark, and plants like creosote and yarrow helped treat colds and wounds. Both tribes crafted tools from flint, chert, and bone, shaping sharp-edged arrowheads, knives, and scrapers for hunting and daily tasks. The Lipan Apache built wickiups, dome-shaped shelters made from brush, wood, and animal hides, which provided protection from the harsh sun and rain. The Coahuiltecan had a more semi-nomadic lifestyle, constructing temporary shelters from brush and wood, which they could easily move as they traveled in search of food and water.