Comcaac

The Comcáac, known in Spanish as the Seri, inhabit the desert coast and islands of the Gulf of California. Their homeland encompasses Tiburón Island and stretches of the Sonoran mainland, where different groups moved between coastal and inland camps. Fishing, hunting and gathering provided food in a country of scant fresh water.

Spanish colonization brought conflict as well as attempts to draw the Comcáac into missions. In 1740 some Seri joined an uprising involving Yaqui and Mayo communities. Warfare continued in the following decades, and Spanish efforts to establish a permanent mission system among the Seri broke down. The coast and islands remained central to Comcáac life throughout these struggles. The sea and islands provided refuge and routes between communities during the prolonged conflict.