Ten Bears
Ten Bears Pawʉʉrasʉmʉnurʉ | |
|---|---|
Chief Ten Bears | |
| Comanche leader | |
| In office 1850–1860 | |
| Paraiboo of the Yamparika Comanche | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1790 Comancheria |
| Died | November 23, 1872 Fort Sill, Indian Territory |
| Resting place | Fort Sill Post Cemetery 34°40′9.7674″N 98°23′44.77″W / 34.669379833°N 98.3957694°W |
| Known for | Attempting to negotiate peace between the United States and the Comanche |
Ten Bears (Comanche: Pawʉʉrasʉmʉnurʉ, Anglicized as Parua-wasamen and Parry-wah-say-mer in treaties and older documents) (c. 1790 – November 23, 1872) was the principal chief of the Yamparika or "Root Eater" division of the Comanche from ca. 1860-72. He was the leader of the Ketahto ("The Barefeet") local subgroup of the Yamparika, probably from the late 1840s.
The ethnonym (group name), Yamparika or "Root Eater" Comanche was known to the Spaniards of New Mexico as early as the 1750s, but until about 1790, they were generally north of the Arkansas River and so were seldom specifically mentioned in Spanish documents. After that time, with the advance of Cheyennes (Comanche: paka naboo 'striped arrows'), and Cuampes, likely Arapahos, some Yamparika local groups, including the Ketahto, relocated to the valley of the North Canadian River in New Mexico and Texas.