Cochise's Moral/Spiritual Training

Cochise’s spiritual/moral training came through Creation Stories centering on White Painted Lady and her twins: Child of Water and Killer of Enemies. Child of Water was particularly significant as it was he who freed Apacheria of the four monsters: Giant, Antelope, Eagle and Buffalo who prevented the Tinneh from flourishing. Cochise like many others would identify with the heroic Child of Water who through intelligence, cunning, courage and study was able to free the land of these monsters. Many aspects of the Creation Story had become ritualized. The moccasin ceremony was one which Cochise vaguely remember, as it had occurred long ago as a toddler, in which he took his first steps to honor the Sacred Four Directions as had Child of Water after slaying his enemies to the trilling/clapping of the women who applauded his first steps as had White Painted Lady. (Cf. Aleshire, C, pp.20-21.) This tribal ritual of honoring their warrior heroes became a standard practice. Whenever Cochise returned home from a raid the women would light the fires and the people in a reverential cadence would announce” here they come”, and “he rides before them” and is name is, “Cochise/Cochise/Cochise”. Cochise was always out in front of his warriors showing no fear for his safety. His exploits were legendary explaining why so many followed him. Cochise too was raised on the “Coyote Tales’ which were morality tales highlighting Apache strengths and weaknesses. His favorite tales were those that emphasized the importance of identity, respect for nature and his enemies’ weakness. Wanting to be something one is not as embodied in “Coyote /Mountain Lion Changing Appearances” reinforced Cochise’s belief that one must be true to self, that there is a play of destiny in existence. The “walking rock” tale taught Cochise that all of nature, even the stone people, must be respected or else terrible consequences can occur because of the law of reciprocity. The Apaches unlike their Pindah counterparts left a light carbon imprint. Another story entitled the “Money Tree” was often told around the campfires as it reflected American greed as Coyote sold a worthless tree for everything that the Americans possess. (Cf. Opler, Myths, pp. 28-58.)