The Hainai (

Caddo The Caddo people comprise the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Binger, Oklahoma. They speak the Caddo language. The Caddo Confederacy was a network of Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, wh ...

: Háynay) were a Native American tribe that lived in what is now east

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. The Hainai (also sometimes called Aynais, Aynay, Ainai, Ioni, Huawni and Ayonai) were the leading group in the

Hasinai The Hasinai Confederacy (Caddo: ) was a large confederation of Caddo-speaking Native Americans who occupied territory between the Sabine and Trinity rivers in eastern Texas. Today, their descendants are enrolled in the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma an ...

confederacy. They were a part of the

Caddo Nation The Caddo people comprise the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Binger, Oklahoma. They speak the Caddo language. The Caddo Confederacy was a network of Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, wh ...

, and traditionally lived on the Neches and Angelina rivers to the west of present-day

Nacogdoches Nacogdoches ( ) is a small city in East Texas and the county seat of Nacogdoches County, Texas, United States. The 2020 U.S. census recorded the city's population at 32,147. Nacogdoches is a sister city of the smaller, similarly named Natchitoch ...

. In 1805, the group was reported to consist of 80 warriors by Dr. John Sibley, the Indian agent of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Natchitoches, Louisiana Natchitoches ( ; french: link=no, Les Natchitoches) is a small city and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named ...

. In 1837 the Republic of Texas makes reference to the Hainai in connection with

Yowani Choctaws The Yowani were a historical group of Choctaw people who lived in Texas. Yowani was also the name of a preremoval Choctaw village. When this area became part of the United States under the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, many of the resident Indian ...

living on

Attoyac Bayou The Attoyac River ( ) is a river in eastern Texas. It flows through Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Shelby and Rusk counties of east Texas. It is a tributary to the Angelina River which it enters within the Sam Rayburn Reservoir. See also *List of ...

in what is now southeastern

Rusk County, Texas Rusk County is a county located in Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 52,214. Its county seat is Henderson. The county is named for Thomas Jefferson Rusk, a secretary of war of the Republic of Texas. Rusk County is part of th ...

. Part of this group was later associated with a Native community in east Texas known as th
Mount Tabor Indian Community
The historian Mooney also noted the

Yowani The Yowani were a historical group of Choctaw people who lived in Texas. Yowani was also the name of a preremoval Choctaw village. When this area became part of the United States under the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, many of the resident Indian ...

as a part of the Caddo Confederacy. The direct connection, aside from Texas references between the Hainai and the

is unknown. One theory from the late historian/genealogist Cecil Lee Pinkston-Vinson was that Choctaw Tom, an influential Caddo leader who was a

married to a Caddo woman, had his encampment attacked by forces led by Captain Peter Garland just off the Brazos Reservation. The attackers were a vigilante force from

Erath County, Texas Erath County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the United States Census bureau its population was 42,545 in 2020. The county seat is Stephenville. The county is named for George Bernard Erath, an early surveyor a ...

resulting in the death of twenty-eight Indians. Choctaw Tom was believed to be the son of

leader Atahobia. His descendants are believed to have traveled north to the present

. Today, the Hainai Caddo descendants are enrolled citizens of the

Caddo Nation of Oklahoma The Caddo people comprise the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Binger, Oklahoma. They speak the Caddo language. The Caddo Confederacy was a network of Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, wh ...

with its headquarters in

Binger, Oklahoma Binger is a town in Caddo County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 672 at the 2010 census. It is the headquarters of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, who were settled in the area during the 1870s.

. The

Mount Tabor Indian Community The Mount Tabor Indian Community (also Texas Cherokees and Associate Bands of the Mount Tabor Indian Community) is a cultural heritage group located in Rusk County, Texas. There was a historical Mount Tabor Indian Community dating from the 19th c ...

is currently recognized by the State of Texas and not the federal government with its headquarters in

Kilgore, Texas Kilgore is a city in Gregg and Rusk counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United Sta ...

Notes

References

*Edmonds, Randlett. ''Nusht'uhtitiʔ Hasinay: Caddo Phrasebook.'' Richardson, TX: Various Indian Peoples Publishing, 2003. . *Hodge, Frederick Webb, ed. ''Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico.'' Washington: GPO, 1907.

External links

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture: Hainai
Caddoan peoples Native American history of Texas Native American tribes in Oklahoma Native American tribes in Texas {{NorthAm-native-stub