Andele, or the Mexican-Kiowa Captive

"Andele, or the Mexican-Kiowa Captive" is a poignant and detailed biographical account that chronicles the life of Andrés Martínez, a young Mexican boy captured by the Mescalero Apaches and later traded to the Kiowas in 1866. This narrative, recorded by J. J. Methvin, provides an intimate perspective on Martínez's transformation into Andele, a member of the Kiowa tribe. The work serves as a significant primary source for understanding the social structures, religious practices, and daily life of the Kiowa people during a period of immense change on the Southern Plains.

Through the lens of Andele's experiences, the book explores the complexities of identity, the realities of the American frontier, and the historical interplay between Mexican and Indigenous cultures. It follows his journey from a captive youth to a warrior, and eventually to his later life as a Christian missionary among the people who had adopted him. This account remains a vital contribution to the genre of captivity narratives and offers valuable insights for readers interested in Native American history, regional Southwest history, and the enduring human capacity for adaptation and resilience.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.