The name "Texas" is derived from the Caddo Native American word taysha, which translates to "friends" or "allies." During the late 17th century, Spanish explorers and missionaries in East Texas encountered the Hasinai confederacy, a group of Caddo-speaking tribes. The natives greeted the Spanish with this word to indicate they were friendly and not hostile. The Spanish friar Damián Massanet transliterated the word into Spanish as Tejas, which eventually evolved into the English spelling "Texas." This linguistic origin is the reason why "Friendship" became the official state motto of Texas in 1930. Interestingly, while the "friendship" origin is the most widely accepted historical account, some researchers suggest that the term may have also been used more broadly by the Spanish to refer to a specific region or a sacred tree (the texo or yew tree) common in Spain, but the Caddo connection remains the cornerstone of Texas identity. This history reflects the complex cultural exchange between European settlers and the indigenous peoples who dominated the region long before it became a Republic or a U.S. state.