Apache Indian Woman in flowers in this Colorized Photograph

Apache Indian Woman in flowers in this Colorized Photograph

Apache Indian's Medicine and Charms

Apache Indian's Medicine and Charms

Apache Fetishes

Among the Athapascan Indians the Apaches, both male and female, wear fetishes which they call tzi-daltai, manufactured from lightning-riven wood, generally pine or cedar, or fir from the mountains. These are highly valued, and are never sold. They are shaved very thin, rudely carved in the semblance of the human form, and decorated with incised lines representing the lightning. They are small in size, and few of them are painted. 
Bourke describes one that an Apache chief carried about with him, which was made of a piece of lath, unpainted, having a figure in yellow drawn upon it, with a narrow black band and three snake's heads with white eyes. It was further decorated with pearl buttons and small eagle-down feathers. The reverse and obverse were identical.

Many of the Apaches attached a piece of malachite to their guns and bows to make them shoot accurately. Bourke mentions a class of fetishes which he terms 'phylacteries.' These are pieces of buckskin or other material upon which are inscribed certain characters or symbols of a religious or 'medicine' nature, and they are worn attached to the person who seeks benefit from them. They differ from the ordinary fetish in that they are concealed from the public gaze. These 'phylacteries,' Bourke says, "themselves medicine," may be employed to enwrap other 'medicine,' and "thus augment their own potentialities." He describes several of these objects. One worn by an Indian named Ta-ul-tzu-je "was tightly rolled in at least half a mile of saddler's silk, and when brought to light was found to consist of a small piece of buckskin two inches square, upon which were drawn red and yellow crooked lines, which represented the red and yellow snake. Inside were a piece of malachite and a small cross of lightning-riven pine, and two very small perforated shells. The cross they designated 'the black mind.'" Another 'phylactery' consisted of a tiny bag of hoddentin, holding a small quartz crystal and four feathers of eagle-down. This charm, it was explained by an Indian, contained not merely the 'medicine' of the crystal and the eagle, but also that of the black bear, the white lion, and the yellow snake.

Origin of the Apache Indians

ORIGIN OF THE APACHE INDIANS

In the beginning, the world was covered with darkness. There was no sun, no day. The perpetual night had no moon or stars.

There were, however, all manner of beasts and birds. Among the beasts were many hideous, nameless monsters, as well as dragons, lions, tigers, wolves, foxes, beavers, rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, and all manner of creeping things such as lizards and serpents. Mankind could not prosper under such conditions, for the beasts and serpents destroyed all human offspring.

All creatures had the power of speech and were gifted with reason.

There were two tribes of creatures: the birds or the feathered tribe and the beasts.[Pg 4] The former were organized under their chief, the eagle.

These tribes often held councils, and the birds wanted light admitted. This the beasts repeatedly refused to do. Finally the birds made war against the beasts.

The beasts were armed with clubs, but the eagle had taught his tribe to use bows and arrows. The serpents were so wise that they could not all be killed. One took refuge in a perpendicular cliff of a mountain in Arizona, and his eye (changed into a brilliant stone) may be seen in that rock to this day. The bears, when killed, would each be changed into several other bears, so that the more bears the feathered tribe killed, the more there were. The dragon could not be killed, either, for he was covered with four coats of horny scales, and the arrows would not penetrate these. One of the most hideous, vile monsters (nameless) was proof against arrows, so the eagle flew high up in the air with a round, white[Pg 5] stone, and let it fall on this monster's head, killing him instantly. This was such a good service that the stone was called sacred. (A symbol of this stone is used in the tribal game of Kah. They fought for many days, but at last the birds won the victory.

After this war was over, although some evil beasts remained, the birds were able to control the councils, and light was admitted. Then mankind could live and prosper. The eagle was chief in this good fight: therefore, his feathers were worn by man as emblems of wisdom, justice, and power.

Among the few human beings that were yet alive was a woman who had been blessed with many children, but these had always been destroyed by the beasts. If by any means she succeeded in eluding the others, the dragon, who was very wise and very evil, would come himself and eat her babes.

After many years a son of the rainstorm[Pg 6] was born to her and she dug for him a deep cave. The entrance to this cave she closed and over the spot built a camp fire. This concealed the babe's hiding place and kept him warm. Every day she would remove the fire and descend into the cave, where the child's bed was, to nurse him; then she would return and rebuild the camp fire.

Frequently the dragon would come and question her, but she would say, "I have no more children; you have eaten all of them."

When the child was larger he would not always stay in the cave, for he sometimes wanted to run and play. Once the dragon saw his tracks. Now this perplexed and enraged the old dragon, for he could not find the hiding place of the boy; but he said that he would destroy the mother if she did not reveal the child's hiding place. The poor mother was very much troubled; she could not give up her child, but she knew the power and cunning of the dragon, therefore she lived in constant fear.

[Pg 7]

Soon after this the boy said that he wished to go hunting. The mother would not give her consent. She told him of the dragon, the wolves, and the serpents; but he said, "To-morrow I go."

At the boy's request his uncle (who was the only man then living) made a little bow and some arrows for him, and the two went hunting the next day. They trailed the deer far up the mountain and finally the boy killed a buck. His uncle showed him how to dress the deer and broil the meat. They broiled two hind quarters, one for the child and one for his uncle. When the meat was done they placed it on some bushes to cool. Just then the huge form of the dragon appeared. The child was not afraid, but his uncle was so dumb with fright that he did not speak or move.

The dragon took the boy's parcel of meat and went aside with it. He placed the meat on another bush and seated himself beside it. Then he said, "This is the child I have[Pg 8]been seeking. Boy, you are nice and fat, so when I have eaten this venison I shall eat you." The boy said, "No, you shall not eat me, and you shall not eat that meat." So he walked over to where the dragon sat and took the meat back to his own seat. The dragon said, "I like your courage, but you are foolish; what do you think you could do?" "Well," said the boy, "I can do enough to protect myself, as you may find out." Then the dragon took the meat again, and then the boy retook it. Four times in all the dragon took the meat, and after the fourth time the boy replaced the meat he said, "Dragon, will you fight me?" The dragon said, "Yes, in whatever way you like." The boy said, "I will stand one hundred paces distant from you and you may have four shots at me with your bow and arrows, provided that you will then exchange places with me and give me four shots." "Good," said the dragon. "Stand up."

Then the dragon took his bow, which was made of a large pine tree. He took four arrows from his quiver; they were made of young pine tree saplings, and each arrow was twenty feet in length. He took deliberate aim, but just as the arrow left the bow the boy made a peculiar sound and leaped into the air. Immediately the arrow was shivered into a thousand splinters, and the boy was seen standing on the top of a bright rainbow over the spot where the dragon's aim had been directed. Soon the rainbow was gone and the boy was standing on the ground again. Four times this was repeated, then the boy said, "Dragon, stand here; it is my time to shoot." The dragon said, "All right; your little arrows cannot pierce my first coat of horn, and I have three other coats—shoot away." The boy shot an arrow, striking the dragon just over the heart, and one coat of the great horny scales fell to the ground. The next shot another coat, and then another, and the dragon's heart was[Pg 10] exposed. Then the dragon trembled, but could not move. Before the fourth arrow was shot the boy said, "Uncle, you are dumb with fear; you have not moved; come here or the dragon will fall on you." His uncle ran toward him. Then he sped the fourth arrow with true aim, and it pierced the dragon's heart. With a tremendous roar the dragon rolled down the mountain side—down four precipices into a cañon below.

Immediately storm clouds swept the mountains, lightning flashed, thunder rolled, and the rain poured. When the rainstorm had passed, far down in the cañon below, they could see fragments of the huge body of the dragon lying among the rocks, and the bones of this dragon may still be found there.

This boy's name was Apache. Usen taught him how to prepare herbs for [Pg 11]medicine, how to hunt, and how to fight. He was the first chief of the Indians and wore the eagle's feathers as the sign of justice, wisdom, and power. To him, and to his people, as they were created, Usen gave homes in the land of the west.

Artistic Native American Photographs: Apache Indian by the Sycamore

Apache Indian by The Sycamore 
Native American Art

1903 photo of an Apache Indian entitled, "By the Sycamore"

Native American Art, Apache Indian at the Pool

Native American Art, Apache Indian at the Pool

1906 photo of an Apache Indian at the pool.

The War of Extermination Against the Apaches Indians.

The War of Extermination Against the Apaches Indians.

     In the last two hundred to fifty years have passed no less than nine tenths of the original inhabitants of the present United States of North America from the ground disappeared. Even immediately after the first half of the seventeenth century the Puritan Pilgrim Fathers, the founders of the domination of Anglo-Saxon race in America, entering the bottom of the new world had been with this work of destruction commenced. In the chase and kill the heathen Indians saw these pious men nothing wrong: on the contrary, when the Indians a great slaughter was done right, this fact [174]with the holding of a general think Thanksgiving is celebrated.

     Between the Atlantic and the Mississippi life nowadays only a few thousand Indians, and also in the vast lands between this "Father of Streams" and the Pacific disappears one tribe after another. The newspapers bring us into these days messages from the bloody struggle with the Modoc Indians on the borders of California and Oregon: a struggle with the utter destruction of these Indians must end. But the tribes of the northern prairies are in motion, and various signs appear on an upcoming general struggle to interpret. We see here in the full sense, a struggle for life. The weak zoogoed they can defend themselves, but they are by the stronger, without any excuse or humanity to work, mercilessly destroyed. The weapons with which this cruel war of extermination is conducted, are of different nature: smallpox, syphilis, brandy and gifts of the whites-especially his no less formidable than needle guns or revolvers. The Indians felt like instinct that their days are numbered, that they eventually against the contact with the whites can not withstand. The foreign invaders take over the land in possession, in the prairies, where the wandering nomad in the hunt for the countless herds of bison that once inhabited the immense loneliness, a living place. The bison, further and further reduced, disappear, and with them disappear the Indians, whose life and existence was inseparably linked with theirs.

     The brown did fit without mercy on the white barbarian to the right of retaliation, and both parties have each other in terms of cruelty and atrocities absolutely nothing to blame. The Redskin, like a wild animal hunted and shot, cheated, robbed and beaten, avenges where and as he can: he puts the harvest on fire, he makes the homes and farms in blazing flames, he skalpeert, murders, abuses without distinction, young and old, women and children.These wars are in full focus race wars, and they can and will not cease before the original inhabitants exterminated, or only here and there in scattered groups remain, which then self-extinction.

     The policy of the Federal Government against these Indians had been very unwise. The men, chance and the caprice of the moment to put Washington at the helm, have repeatedly shown not the slightest understanding of the main truths and principles of ethnographie. This is apparent not only from the by bloody violence by regular slave emancipation and the absurd equation of the half-barbarous negro population with the whites, but also from the onbekookte measures against the Redskins made and ill-tasting, whose failure ahead with certainty was foreseeable. It is simply impossible, the prairie dweller, the rondzwervenden nomad, hunting and fishery, which lives to create a civilized farmer or artisan, who draws upon a certain place and there quietly on his business. Nature itself has given him the inclination and aptitude for such a life remembered: he has a free, unfettered life; him this is impossible, then he goes to ruin. A century long experience has confirmed the truth of this remark.

     Now the American government to the Indians of their ancestral land appear deprived and trapped them inside so-called Reservations : that is, their land designated a certain extent, beyond which they are not allowed. Very often while at least not on their needs in view, and in several reservations they can not live, because the necessary resources to maintenance are lacking. However, the law provides that anyone who crosses boundaries of the designated region, will be regarded as outlaws, whom thus "broken" Indian shoots, commits no murder! The Redskin knows in such a reservation has nothing to start, his whole nature compels him with irresistible power, outside, beyond, in the wide world to go, and where to roam. He follows this impulse, he vogelvrij.-The whites of their hand, however care  not least to the legal provisions on these reservations and rights of the Indians. Do they want land, then they expel the Indians from there. The government in Washington has expressly forbidden it, that a white area of Indians, but of course it bothers one is not, the Redskins are easily dislodged, and through their country one captures railways. The white settlers consider neither law nor justice, nor fairness, they take possession of what they like, and if they were one reason or another, less public violence deem preferable, then they resort to other means. They tease and torment and harass the stimulus bear Indian and bring him to despair, and when it finally to violence is that they themselves have provoked, then once with a great cry an extermination war against these inveterate enemies preached. In Congress and in the government circles, where no one who can have just about enough money, ever in vain helpers and protectors search will find these adventurers and speculators always willing defenders and spokesmen. Recently, openly in Congress proved that $ 600.000 were taken into account for the battle against a tribe of Dakotahs, which does not exist, the swindlers also had the effrontery, the payment of another $ 250.000 to insist for alleged deliveries!

                                                             Apache Indian Reservation

     We now know that the Apaches the boundaries of their designated area have exceeded their vast lands in Arizona and New Mexico  their raids into Sonora extend. They rob, burn and murder, drove them as an evil demon, it is indeed the fury of the [175]despair. Now scream and whine about the Yankees the barbarity of these , bloodthirsty" of all the Redskins, and completely recover their extermination. And the man who currently occupies the presidential chair at Washington, in a truly American message, full of rude and crude presumption, promised that it will meet demand.

     But who bears the blame for the present condition? Who has given rise to, that this terrible Apaches their tomahawks have lifted? The whole take responsibility for the Yankees, who is also here, in their intercourse with the natives of Arizona, their names have covered with shame and dishonor, and their handiwork plain roguery and insolence have driven deception. The following facts provide evidence that that conclusion is not too hard.

When Arizona from Mexico are separated and the United States ceded was, they had a comparison search to find the Apaches, a martial Indian chen strain, since menschenheugenis with the Mexicans in hereditary enmity lived: the bloody war between the two parties rested never. Against the Americans took it, for a long time, a more friendly attitude, they, the wild, free nomads, had themselves locked into a reservation , who, in the southeast seem corner of the territory, near the borders of the mexikaanschen state of Sonora, was designated. It is said that in Arizona and New Mexico remaining Apaches tribes around 60,000 men strong: a task which very probably exaggerated. They obey to different chiefs, whose Kotchise the main one, the others are: the one-eyed Riley, Del Schay, Es-zim-and-sin and Schelter-pau. They are all in the last months enemy occurred, and steal and plunder in northern Sonora. By the boundaries of their designated area to exceed, they forced their course treaty violated: the Yankees declare now that the war of extermination against them with all emphasis will be conducted.

Now about two years ago, seemed the political pewter makers in Washington anyway to get any sense of the unwise, improper conduct of the government towards the Indians. Sensible, well-disposed men proved with unanswerable clarity, that so far, against all Indians, the ondoelmatigste and ondoordachtste way was to proceed, they showed, how outrageous these original natives of the land by the whites were mistreated, harmed and systematically deceived and deceived. They insisted on, that one simply true test would take a truly peaceful politics. The government gave it to Washington hearing, she justified her some Quakers as agents off to negotiate with the Indians and their interests. These men of peace went with the best will and intentions of the best fruits in the difficult work and they did indeed promote humanity and to the existing injustice to an end:-but all their efforts were in vain. They were a thorn in the side of the white settlers eager for land theft, and of crowds of cheaters and Schacher ass, as raptors wandering by the Territories and in every possible way the natives plundering. All these people have rechtstreeksch interest in a war against the Indians: they take the necessary supplies for the troops and rob the government. These scoundrels have, of course zealous lawyers in Congress and powerful patrons, who make common cause with them in the profits and advantages, as long as it is peace, there can be no question of who profits: thus one or other pretext must be found to war with the Indians to provoke, then go put things her way: and that is for every Yankee ights the one main thing. These people worked the well-intentioned Quakers and the few peaceful and fair planters in every possible way against, and now they onhoudbaren state in life called, by them and their bribed organs loudly proclaimed that "the red cur pests ( reduced ) "No peace is possible, and that, in the interest of civilization and Christianity (!) to be completely eradicated![199]

     From Dakota to the coast of southern Oregon, in the prairies and in the lands of the southwest, across the Indian tribes in motion, they are all the white enemy, because the Yankees against all but the most shameful manner, their word have broken, because all they are abused in a way that really cries out to heaven.

    The Apaches are seriously hurt and grievously deceived. If Kotchise now been twelve years in enmity with the Yankees alive, so he purpose for which reason all the way. It is proven that an officer of the federal troops, Bascom called treacherously, emissaries of Kotchise, with peace proposals had come to him, under an invalid excuse hanged, and that Kotchise itself only scarcely, by a hasty flight, a similar fate escaped. It truly is no wonder that he so far all flattering invitations to the "Great Father" in Washington to come and visit, the hand has pointed out: he knows from experience how the Yankees are false and treacherous. Even the peace negotiators Colyer and Howard, who still honestly believed he was not trusted, but he offered, volunteered in the designated area to retire. In the mountains where he has taken the district, one can do little against him.

In February he wandered with a few thousand of his warriors by the mexikaansche around Sonora province, where the American General Crook could not reach him. Today that region is preferably a "bloody ground," as it once was Arizona. Although even American side on several occasions openly acknowledged that the latter mainly on the side of the whites was, however, still remains the planters, the agents of government, the suppliers of the troops, the miners, in a word all those people who in an Indian war interest, with all their supporters and friends, not on the necessity and the legality of a war of extermination against the "vermin" to proclaim. Whites and Indians, it is said, can not live peacefully side by side, the Apaches are devils, the scourges of the land that must be eradicated. Within their designated lands they do not remain, they always exceed the limits, robbing and looting and damage to focus everywhere.

      It is quite true that the Apaches, when their somewhat but this is possible, their reservations to leave, and to attract the less arid regions, where they are expelled by the white settlers. Moreover, not infrequently, through the fault of both parties to conflict and bloodshed. One can not deny that many Indians "not bad", and that various heads are indeed pains, peace with the whites to maintain. "But white people do not differentiate," writes a message giver of the New York Herald , who apparently existing conditions, as far as possible, truthfully want to draw. The Indians, he says, have much to complain about. They have been forced to leave their old hunting grounds, and within barren reservations to conclude that they do not find enough to eat. They will not starve, not quiet sure that their children perish from want, while in the immediate proximity of fertile land to find that their property was used, and from which they expelled them by force. However, the federal government provides the necessary resources to provide the short coming, but the agents and other people keep a large part of what the Redskins was intended for himself. The white settlers see in it nothing wrong, they think of nothing [200]other than the damage that she has repeatedly through the fault of the Indians have suffered, and keep themselves convinced that there is no peace and security imaginable, as long as the wanted remain in their neighborhood. But the official records in the department of internal affairs in Washington teach beyond dispute, that the Indians of Arizona and New Mexico, since sixteen, earnestly sought peace: and that the agents of the government repeatedly on hot permit of needful resources insisted that the natives in their designated reservations , not destitute perish. Yet in the very last time they gave their desire to know, to the Indian territory, west of Arkansas, to be allowed to withdraw because they are in their designated areas not sufficient to find food. The Apaches were, despite the bad call of special blood lust, which of them went out, friends of the Americans, when they for the first time they came into contact, when they were in 1858 some reservations distributed, they were this pleasure, expressed industrious, intelligent and capable of development and civilization. But since the Yankees the doctrine of the Mexicans were to hold that the ancient natives of the land absolutely no right to the ground and cut should be, since they that theory also diligent in practice have begun to apply, they have of course the Indians to implacable enemies, who are now in every way possible revenge on their oppressors.

In the year 1871 was a significant number of Indians at Camp Grant in Arizona united. They had no purpose other than peacefully on neighboringreservations to establish and adhere to the authority of government to submit, not a single side of their hostility was committed. One night, when she quietly in their tents were sleeping, they were by a band of whites attacked no less than one hundred to eighteen Indian women and children killed!-A few months later they released again a number of friendly-minded Apaches [201]meeting and once again there was an attempt tried to murder them all. Already had a crowd of citizens from the capital of Arizona-Tucson-accompanied by a band of Mexicans and their related Papayos Indians went on their way to that goal, then Captain Nelson gave notice of their approach, and forbade them to continue their journey. They claimed to want to search for gold: at least they had to cut up the reservation , which is expressly prohibited by law. Nelson had his soldiers march, fire and threatened to give them, when the troop came nearer: seeing that the brave soldier was serious, pulled back the cowardly murderers.

The Apaches complained that in the nocturnal assault at Camp Grant and twenty-seven of their [202]children captives were deported, of which only four have been re-rendered. Very likely the others brought to Mexico and sold there. All the trouble that the Indians gave to their children to find, remained fruitless; may have Kotchise his last trip to Mexico with the aim taken, to them, if possible, to redeem. The Apaches have become suspicious, because they have the most shameful manner deceived them with a white flag of truce approached, and thus misled them suddenly to raid and massacre them to focus.

Deserves the strictest censure, that the Indians, who remain in their designated lands, against the express prohibition of the government in, brandy sells. In drunken state they are capable of anything, true savages. The Mexicans, knowing how the Redskins are fond of strong drink, and the disastrous consequences of their use for them, provide them with their covert way: a company in which the Yankees not stay behind. American traders and vagabonds mexikaansche dishonor the women, cheat and rob the men, carry the children away. To the orders of the federal government cares about anyone. All attempts to expel these evildoers are completely proved vain, knowing that they have a lot of wealthy patrons, that the profits with them parts, they put all the laws in mockery, snood their business unhindered.

The Tolorasa-reservation , at the borders of Sonora, has Kotchise left for the Indians because they are totally unusable. They have been, as is known, against their will, forced to go thither: yet they allowed themselves this pleasure, to them the full truth became known. Now they are complaining that the area in which they had banished them, cold and unhealthy, and that there was no water to get. Nobody can deny that these complaints, in more ways than one, were entirely justified, but it is impossible for the Apaches to their former residence to bring back: because there have established whites, Indians who do not tolerate in their midst. The reservation reigns indisputably lack of water, the white settlers (Rancheros), the countries higher up along the rivers located in repossessed, and use the water to irrigate their fields, so that the fields of the Indians dry and wither, it would be their so little benefits have to till the land, there still not be counted on harvest. It is proved that in one of these reservations , about fifty Apaches within a month's time, due to the bad drinking water, died. In such circumstances, the discontent of the Indians to understand light. And when considering how countless many times the whites, the solemn commitments and promises towards them violated and as nothing, and how one can systematically on their eradication dedicated:-it is also very easy to understand that they are not much trust in a government that such scandals do not want or can not prevent.

The correspondent of the New York Herald wisely conceals his name and residence: it will make him only too well aware what a fate anyone who dares tell the truth, the white bandits ahead. He relates further that for a short time about two hundred Mormons to Arizona came, and there in the region along the 35 ° width situated where the railway is constructed, the Southern Pacific from California to the Atlantic and Pacific track should connect. He notes also very easy to right, the Mormons always and to this day still on good terms with the Indians lived. Then why others are not equally successful on peaceful terms with them to pervert?

The troops of the United States at this moment also get wrapped up with another chief, called the one-eyed Riley. The leader of the Apaches had for some time a parley with the captain Dudley, where he told him that he would like with his men to the designated reservation wanted to go, they were all staying in caves and jungles, the wanderings in the rugged hill country where life for women and children too tiring and burdensome was very faint, even the drinking water had to be there for hours to get far. Moreover, they were everywhere like wild animals hunted and persecuted, the hares and rabbits had a bearable life than they. "We are hungry, we should steal or perish from want. Your soldiers have driven us from our corn fields, the wild is rare, and we dare not to hunt, because we know that one of us lurks. Ye have slain four of my children-the tears from her eyes to him here,-but I want a big fat peace, and then roll a rock, and my side of the peace faithfully kept, until the rain rock is washed away. "Riley then asked five days, with his men, with Del-Schay and other chiefs to consult. The captain Dudley explains that during his seventeen years service in the area of the Indians, never at a Redskin had found so much common sense as they eenoogigen Riley.

In January 1873, an Apache gang by a division of the fifth regiment of cavalry attacked and while another gang was in the mountains almost completely eradicated. The latter belonged to the followers of Riley and Del-Schay. Jackson had a meeting in November 1871 with Colyer, who came on the peace negotiations, and said to him: "It pleases me no longer in the mountains to wander, I want an enduring peace and keep my word, the stones melt. God created the white man, and he also created the Apache, and Apache has as much right to this country as the white man. When I conclude a treaty, then I trust that I was wheat, pumpkin and melon seed will give, I will then sow near the old Fort Reno. When the convention closed, [203]and the commanding officer's word does not keep his word and I will hide in a hole and cover it with dirt. I promise that after the conclusion of the treaty, the white people and the soldiers their horses and mules left in the field can be, and when still a single animal is stolen by the Apaches, I want to cut his neck. However, when the Americans break the treaty, it will have no further consequences, then they go their way and I'm the mines. "

Against all Apaches, who were their reservations have left, became restless get fed; white volunteers and Indian allies, as the Pimos of the Rio Gila and the Papayos, joined the American soldiers. In September 1872, four Indian army raided places, forty Apaches slain, many wounded, the women and children time not killed but taken prisoner. A few days later by a roving gang of seventeen armed Apaches killed, in January of this year, again more than a hundred have been killed.

    "We, Americans, the war in Arizona, passed during the last twelve years, thousands of people and cost about forty million dollars: and yet it is the goal, the complete extermination of the Apaches, not yet realized. Henceforth the war much bloodier, and over a greater expanse of land spread. The insurance policies and promises of Kotchise and the other heads is no longer responsible. The white settlers urge to act decisively, and doubtless a number of Mexicans coming across the borders to fight against their hereditary enemies. The peaceful policy failed. "

   We have correspondence from the New York Herald reported extensively, because it most clearly appears from these details, how things really are, and what value they attach to Hebbe the loud declamations of the Yankees against the "wild vermin." The true "vermin" are the white thugs, thieves and land thieves, in the regions inhabited by Indians their awful craft afloat. The whole white population in the vast territory Arizona, no less than 5358 German square miles covers, amounts to scarcely ten thousand souls; the census of 1870 gives a figure of only 9658 souls.

    It is not in the least our intention, the Apaches to exonerate from all guilt, and them, in a sense, a kind of idyllic ideal-men to make, we wished to emphasize that only the white, Christian barbarians , who wear their civilization fame, in no way better than the heathen Indians, who for their part make no claim to civilization. These Indians will be the fate can not escape that they inevitably wait, and that already so countless many Indian tribes struck, nature itself has their ability Remember, another way of life to take, their steppes and prairies to say goodbye, and to in villages or cities in agriculture or handicrafts to focus. The civilization, which distinguishes them is gradually applied and are in them selves develops, but suddenly and is of her worst side of them insist,-they can not assume, in the shock one such contact about inevitably cause must, the weaker irretrievably destroyed. This can not justify the outrageous conduct of the whites, not that of their majority, in every respect, so horrific abuse; and instead of according to ability to attempt this disastrous tribes to save and preserve what is still conserved, with all possible means of hastening their demise.

The Apaches are two large groups, which again in many smaller clans or tribes split, each have their own chief. They are very widespread in the southwestern United States and in the northern regions of Mexico. The Apaches, to the east of the Rio del Norte are resident Mescaleros , named after one of the main constituents of their diet, the mescal , which is baked root of the maguey, the agave americana . The large group is more numerous, who said river to the west of the stops, especially in Arizona. They call them Coyoteros because it primarily from the flesh of the jackal of the prairies, the coyote , life. All Apaches were nomads, for a good part of robbery and plunder life, they carry their tents with them, and only in recent years some have, to urge the audience of strangers giving, devoted themselves to agriculture. Those tests are as a rule failed because a resistant, sustained efficacy with their whole nature is contrary: they can not arrange it.

With the Mexicans they live, as we have said, traditionally in enmity, they were always and still are the greatest enemies of the planters, whose herds they continually rob, they themselves have neither sense nor talent for farming. They extend their incursions to Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango and even to be as follows: for all these frontier countries these Apaches become a veritable scourge. The persecutions and abuse which they had undergone the Mexicans, finally have the result that the whole vast region of New Mexico to Durango, through them, to become a wilderness. They can not and will not starve, and therefore they can not continually live in peace.

    All Indians of the prairies on this side and beyond the Rocky Mountains, are now for the whites, and in the first place through the fault of the whites themselves, implacable foes and intolerable wrong. They have repeatedly raided and plundered whole wagon trains, and whole divisions of troops to flee.Homicide goes its course unhindered, and it gives one party of the other nothing. Then, now about five and twenty years ago, the United States at war [204]were in Mexico, came the Apaches everywhere in motion, they flooded the whole State Zacatecas, marched through the gates of the capital city and  some whites in the middle of the market. Sonora was entirely in their power, in the city Oputo they brought in one day one hundred to two thirty-whites to sustain life; the Yaquis stormed the port Guaymas on the Gulf of California; the Opatas overpowered Hermosillo, and had himself Pimos Los Ures nested. In the east appeared the rider bands of the Comanches in the city of Austin in Texas, and put their raids continued until the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, everywhere plundering, blazing and fierce, while at the same ferocious war cry of other Indian bands on the prairies north resounded from the Arkansas River.

    The extermination of these savages is no easy task, the experience has only now have learned regarding the little tribe of Modocs, which the Yankees just became treacherous and poorly treated. Enemies, those thousands of riders in the field can bring and, on their swift horses sat in flying parties run fifty miles a day on the grassy plains of the prairie or arid steppe accountable, are not easy to achieve and even harder to beat. The initiated war of extermination will have many a sacrifice progress and streams of blood to flow, will lead to unprecedented atrocities and appalling wickedness lead, the American republic, by many who did not know, so unwisely praised a new, heavy blood debt to loading; -yet the result is not doubtful. The Indians can be in the new states by the continued reduction of civilization, or at least that what is ahead, become inevitable, not to settle, they can their nature that no changes, therefore they will also, as already so many of their brethren and fellow tribesmen, irretrievably destroyed.

Apache Indian's Spiritual Ceremonies Gallery

Apache Indian's Spiritual Ceremonies Gallery

Apache Indian Dancers

Apache Indian Spirituality Feast March Ceremony

Apache Indian Medicine Cap

Apache Indian Color Photos and Prints Depicting Their Life, History and Culture.

Apache Indian Color Photos and Prints Depicting Their Life, History and Culture.


Apache Native American Indian Tribe in Color

Apache Indian colorized print of Buffalo Calf

Apache Indian Village in Texas

Apache Indian women drying corn in Texas.

Apache Indians performing the Devil Dance.

Photo from the 1950s of Apache Indians performing the Devil Dance

Southwest Apache Indian warrior

Apache Indian baby

Western Native American Indian Houses

Western Native American Indian Houses

Mesquite Indian house

Apache Indian house

Apache Mojave Indian house

Pima Indian house

Yuma Indian house

Mojave Indian house under construction.

About Native American Dances And Ceremonials

About Native American Dances And Ceremonials

    The dances of Indians are sometimes, like our own, simply social and for pleasure. They are more frequently religious or for some important purpose.

They are always accompanied by music. Indian music is in perfect swing or time. Most Indian musical instruments are simply time beaters. The commonest is the rattle. This varies with place and tribe. Among Northwest Coast tribes it is of wood, elaborately carved, both in form and decoration. A common rattle in that district is cut into the form of a bird—the raven. Some of the old rattles, made and used by Shamans a hundred years ago, are still in existence: they were probably carved with knives and chisels of stone, but they are better done than most of the modern ones, which have been cut out with metal tools. Some of the Plains tribes had leather rattles,—balls of dried skin fastened over the end of a little wooden handle. Many tribes used gourds for rattles. Some of these are round, about the size of an apple; such were pierced and a wooden handle thrust through. Others are flask or bottle shaped; such need no handle beyond the one supplied by nature.

Drums and tambourines of various kinds are used in time beating. The beaters usually take no other part in the dance, but sit by themselves at one side. Frequently each dancer has a rattle. Sometimes a stick notched across with deep notches is used. Across these notches a thin bone, usually a shoulder-blade, is rubbed with a good deal of force. Such rubbed sticks are very good time beaters. They are used by Apaches, Pueblos, and Tonkaways. Among the old Aztecs, they had a similar instrument, but made of a long bone instead of from a stick.

Indians prepare for dances with much care. The hair is combed and arranged. The face and body are painted. A special dance dress is frequently worn. This dress is often of ancient form and decoration. Sometimes all this preparation is just to make the dancers look pretty; more frequently, however, the dress and decoration have some meaning, and often they mimic some creature or copy the dress worn by some great person of their legends. Thus in the buffalo and the bear dances, skins of buffalo, with the head, skin, and horns attached, or the skins of bears, were put on, to make the dancers look like these animals.

The meaning and uses of dances differ greatly. The war dance, in which the men are painted as if for war and have about them everything that can make them think of war, is intended to influence them for battle. The music, songs, movements, prayers, and offerings all relate to the coming conflict. The scalp dance is in celebration of victory. The buffalo dance is magical and is to compel the coming of herds of that animal. At some dances the story told by the tribe in regard to the creation of the world and how man learned things is all acted out; the dancers are dressed to represent the spirits, or beings who made, helped, or taught the tribe, and the dance is a real drama. Among the Pueblos and some other southwestern tribes, many dances are prayers for rain; the songs sung and the movements made all have reference to the rain so much desired.

In one of these dances the drummers make curious, beckoning gestures to bring up the rain clouds. In some the dancers carry sticks curiously jointed together so as to open and shut in zigzag movements, which are meant to look like lightning and are believed to bring it; other dancers imitate the thunder. Sometimes the dancers and others are drenched with water thrown upon them, in order that the town and its fields may be drenched with rain.

Many dances are only a part of some great religious ceremonial. Thus the sun dance follows several days of fasting and prayer, and the snake dance is but a small part of a nine days' ceremonial. Indian religion abounds in such long ceremonials with a vast number of minute details. The songs, prayers, and significant actions used in some of them must number many hundreds.

In order that the desired result of ceremonials should be secured, it was necessary that the persons performing it should be pure. There were many ways to purify or cleanse oneself. Sometimes a sweat bath was taken, after which the body was rubbed with sweet-smelling plants. The person might sit in smoke that came from burning some sacred herb or wood. He might fast for several days. He might refuse to touch or come into contact with his friends, or with the objects he was in the habit of using. Many times it was thought necessary that the objects which he was to use in the ceremony must be new, or must be purified by being held in sacred smoke.

In ceremonies, much attention is paid to sacred numbers. The number most often sacred is four. Four men are often concerned in one act; four drums may be used; the men may fast four days; an action may be repeated four times. If a thing is done sixteen times, four times four, it might be still better. In the snake-dance ceremonial there are sixteen sacred songs, which are sung at one sitting.

Seven is a sacred number among the Cherokees; it is less important than four, but the two may be combined, and twenty-eight often occurs. Thus the scratcher used upon the ball-players has seven teeth and is drawn four times, making twenty-eight scratches.

Connected with the sacred number four, the Indians give much importance to the cardinal points—north, west, south, and east. They always pay attention to these when they dance and pray. Some tribes recognize more than four world's points, adding the up and the down, or the above and the below, making six in all. A few think of the place where they themselves are, and speak of seven points; so the Zuñi have the north, west, south, east, above, below, and the center. When they prepared their medicine lodge for the sun dance, the Mandans put one of their curious, turtle-shaped, skin water-drums at each of the four world quarters. Usually in ceremonials, Indians pray to each of these quarters, and make an offering toward it.

One of the commonest offerings made in ceremonials is the smoke of tobacco. Gods and spirits are believed to be fond of it. In smoking to their honor, a puff is blown in turn to each of the four points, and then perhaps up, and possibly down. In the Pueblos, every religious act is accompanied by the scattering of sacred meal. This sacred meal is a mixture of corn meal and pounded sea-shells. It is sprinkled everywhere to secure kindly spirit influence. A pinch of it is thrown to the north, west, south, east, up and down. Frank Cushing once took a party of Zuñi Indians to the Atlantic Ocean to get sea-water for certain ceremonials. On the way, the Indians saw many novel and strange things which they did not understand. When they saw such, they sprinkled sacred meal to render them harmless and kindly.

Prayer sticks are much used among the Pueblos. They are bits of stick to which feathers are attached. They are set up wherever it is desired to have the good will of spirit powers. For several days before the Moki snake dance, messengers are sent out with prayer sticks to be set up near springs and sacred places. Such prayer sticks are put up near fields where corn is planted, or buried in the earth in corrals where ponies or burros are kept. Other offerings are made at especially sacred spots. In mountain caves there are often masses of prayer sticks, miniature bows and arrows, and other tiny things meant as gifts to the gods.

Each of the cardinal points may have a color that is proper to it. The use of sacred colors for the cardinal points is found among the Pueblos, Navajo, many Siouan tribes, the Pani, and others. It was the custom also among the old Aztecs in Mexico. A curious example of the use of these colors is found in the sand altars of the Pueblos and Navajo. They are made in many ceremonials. They are made of different colored sands produced by pounding up rocks. The sand altars are rectangular in form, and are made on the floor. A layer of one color of sand may be spread out for a foundation; upon it may be put a sheet of sand of a different color and of smaller size, so that the margin of the first serves as a border of the second; additional layers may be added, each bordering the one that follows it. Finally, upon the topmost layer, curious and interesting designs may be made. One sand altar in the Moki snake dance had an outer broad border of brownish yellow sand; then followed broad borders of white and black; upon this black border were four snakes in red, green, yellow, and blue, one on each side of the square; then came narrower borders of white, red, green, yellow, one within the other; within these was a central square of green, upon which was a yellow mountain lion.

You see that Indian ceremonials are often very complex, with many dances, decorations, purifyings, prayers, gifts, and altars.