Sijame

Historic Indigenous tribe of Mexico and U.S. (Texas)
Ethnic group
Sijame
Regions with significant populations
southern Texas, U.S.;
Coahuila, Mexico[1]
Languages
Coahuiltecan languages
Religion
Indigenous religion, Roman Catholicism

The Sijame were an Indigenous people of the Americas of the San Antonio, Texas region.[1] Some historians believe they were a band of Tonkawa, but they were likely a Coahuiltecan people.[1]

Name

The name Sijame translates as "fish" and has also been written as Cijame, Hijame, Xixame, and Zihame.[1]

History

Spanish colonists recorded the Sijame as visiting the Santo Nombre de Jesus de Peyotes Mission in 1698. The They Xarame likely originated in the Edwards Plateau between the Nueces River and the Frio River. In 1699, Spanish colonists founded San Juan Bautista Mission in Coahuila to convert four Coahuiltecan bands, including the Xarame.[1] The Spanish established another mission near present-day Eagle Pass, Texas, and some Xarame moved there.[1] Others moved to the San Francisco Solano Mission in Coahuila founded in 1700.[1]

In 1709, Sijame lived by San Pedro Springs near San Antonio.[1]

The San Antonio de Valero mission mentioned the Xarame as last as 1776.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Campbell, Thomas N. "Xarame Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 22 July 2023.


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Federally recognized
tribes
Indigenous languages
Historical Indigenous
peoples of Texas
(Several are in
Oklahoma today)
Related topics
† extinct language / ≠ extinct tribe / >< early, obsolete name of Indigenous tribe / ° people absorbed into other tribe(s) / * headquartered in Oklahoma today