Some historians believe the band referred to the river as Yanaguana, but the Spanish Franciscan priest Damián Massanet recorded this as the name of their village.

Historians have speculated that the band's movements in the Edwards Plateau is an indication that pecans were a substantive protein source to the Payaya.

Massanet described a tribal war dance, their deerskin clothing, and the practice of stealing horses and capturing women from other tribes.

[10] Massanet portrayed the Payaya as having a respectful attitude towards a higher spiritual power and noted they had erected a wooden cross in their village.

Massanet recounted that the day after the Spanish arrived, he and his group observed the Feast of Corpus Christi with a Mass, during which the Payaya were present.