HR684 - Honoring Chief Russell Martin of the Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma.

      H.R. No. 684       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Chief Russell Martin of the Tonkawa Tribe of   Oklahoma was welcomed to the State Capitol on February 6, 2025; and          WHEREAS, Based on the Chikaskia River in northern Oklahoma   since the 1880s, the Tonkawa Tribe maintains a strong connection to   its ancestral roots in Central Texas; in its early history, the   tribe was composed of a number of warrior, nomadic subtribes that   shared a distinct language and hunted buffalo and deer across a   region extending west from south Central Texas and western Oklahoma   to eastern New Mexico; called "Tonkaweya," meaning "they all stay   together," by the Waco tribe, they are known in their own tongue as   "Tickanwa-tic," or "real people"; and          WHEREAS, The Tonkawa came into conflict with other tribes but   offered friendship to Anglo settlers in Texas; when Stephen F.   Austin arrived in 1822, he encountered the Tonkawa along the west   bank of the Brazos River, and they began trade relations that   flourished under Chief Plácido; the Tonkawa aided the colonists as   scouts and helped defend the frontier against hostile tribes in the   Cherokee War and other conflicts; during the 1840s, the Tonkawa   camped in the middle of present-day Austin along Shoal Creek, and   they traded with pioneers in Travis County and provided critical   support at a perilous juncture; during the Archives War, as Anglo   families fled for safety, the Tonkawa protected the city's western   edge from Comanche raids; and          WHEREAS, Between 1867 and 1874, Tonkawa scouts and trackers   worked for the U.S. Army and Texas Rangers at Fort Griffin, fending   off the Comanche and Kiowa; despite all their assistance, however,   the Tonkawa were not granted any land in Texas; instead, they were   exiled and sent on a long journey on the Tonkawa Trail of Tears to   Indian Territory in 1884; and          WHEREAS, Only a few Tonkawa members reside in Texas today,   but Chief Martin, who serves as president of the tribe, has worked   tirelessly to strengthen ties to its ancient homeland; in 2023, the   Tonkawa purchased and reclaimed a sacred site, Red Mountain, in   Milam County, northeast of Austin; Chief Martin and his fellow   tribal leaders accepted official acknowledgment of the Tonkawa's   foundational contributions by both Travis County and the City of   Austin at Tonkawa Friendship Day on September 12, 2024; and          WHEREAS, Chief Russell Martin has enriched our knowledge of   Texas history by raising awareness of the vital role played by the   Tonkawa, and it is truly a pleasure to commemorate his visit to the   land of his forebears and pay respect to his people; now, therefore,   be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby honor Chief Russell Martin and extend sincere   best wishes for many more occasions to celebrate the proud heritage   of the Tonkawa Tribe; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for Chief Martin as an expression of high regard by the   Texas House of Representatives.     Hinojosa     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 684 was adopted by the House on April   17, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 133, Nays 7, 2 present, not   voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House