Child of Water

    Today I focused on  the hero, Child of Water,who had to rid the world of mammoth animals, Eagle, Buffalo and Antelope, and who dominated the Earth and made it impossible for the “People” to thrive. Child of Water despite his age will ultimately free the world of these monsters through ingenuity, discipline, courage and the help of animal people: gopher and lizard. Gopher teaches Child of Water to burrow underground and lizard concealment. From these Cochise and others Apaches learned that the landscape/camouflage/deception can overcome numbers and technology. Cleverness is superior to brawn as is humility over pride and that planning; having at least 4 rendezvous points is a better way to protect the band from sudden attack than only one or two. Later however “Child of Water” and “Killer of Enemies” split into adversaries: “Child of Water” would be creative force for Apaches and “Killer of Enemies” for the Pindah. The Apaches chose bow /arrows and were to live close to land “on yucca fruit, pinon nuts, and all other wild plants”, whereas whites the gun and to live on corn and wealth. This cultural divide symbolize by bow/rifle represented a significant cultural/paradigm clash between Apache/Pindah about man’s life and relationship to Nature that would deepen the conflict between them.

April 6 White Painted Lady

           Apache Creation Tale/White Painted Lady: According to the Apaches the “Giver of Life” Ussen warned  White Painted Lady of a coming deluge and directed her to take refuge in  a floating abalone shell which came to rest after the waters receded at White Sands , New Mexico, birth place of the Apache people. There she gave birth to 2 boys: “Child of Water” and “Killer of Enemies”. White Painted Lady is viewed by Morris Edward Opler (Myths and Tales of the Chiricahua Apache Indians, Univ. Nebraska Press, 1994) as a cultural archetype of life, fertility and renewal. She taught the people how to rid the world of evil represented by giant, eagle, buffalo and antelope by “making” for her children, especially Child of Water, a bow and arrows which he used to slay the Giant. Upon slaying these “Dragons” then the world came into existence with people, animals, and flora. Later however “Child of Water” and “Killer of Enemies” broke into different people: “Child of Water” would be creative force for Apaches and “Killer of Enemies” for the Pindah. The Apaches were to live “on yucca fruit, pinon nuts, and all other wild plants”, whereas whites on corn and wealth, which later represented a significant cultural/paradigm divide between tribal and modern thinking about life and man’s relationship to Nature.

Origins of Apache/Migration./Destination/Bands

 Over the last two weeks I have been writing about the Canadian origins of the Apaches, tracing their migration to  the southwest, and discussing how they  received the name "Apache", Pueblo word for "stranger" or"enemy", whereas they saw themselves simply as "Tinneh" or the "People". They finally settled in southwest Texas, New Mexico and Arizona and because of geography they established different Bands. The Chiricahuas were a western group consisting of 4 Bands one of which was led by Cochise. The name Chiricahua means "Mountains of Wild Turkeys" as they were essentially people of the Mountains. Cochise's territory, southeastern Arizona, encompassed about 7000 square miles centering on Dragoon/Chiricahua Mountains which provided him great protection and were his respective Strong holds. The Chiricahuas/Dragoon Mountains were the meeting point of three major eco systems: Rockies,Sierra Madres and Sonorian Desert. Landscape was very important to Apaches.Legend has it that all Apaches came from Whitesands New Mexico where White Painted Lady was miraculously saved in Abalone Shell after  a great flood.

Trapped At Fronteras/ July 1858

Today I discussed Cochise's defeat at Fronteras in 1858 during Moon of Ripening. Though cautious, Cochise nevertheless took a calculated gamble only to have it blow up in his face leading to the death of several Chokonen warrior leaders as well as the capture of women and children who ended up in slavery. Cochise, the cunning leader that he was, although having a retreat plan nevertheless misjudged the situation as Sonora Officials were redoubling their efforts against the Apaches and used the ruse of peace and  mescal to trap his Band.  Mescal/alcohol were a form of chemical warfare used by the Mexicans to weaken the drunken Apaches in order to rob, slay ot kill them. The Apaches had a genetic weakness to alcohol and alcohol became part of the war between the two peoples as was scalp taking and bounty hunting which had been initiated by the Mexicans.

Cochise Sweat Reflection With Coyuntura

Today I narrated a meeting that Cochise and his brother Coyuntura had in a Sweat to reflect on Chokonen's relations with Mexico , especially Sonora. In it  details of Sweat Ceremony are expressed revolving around 4 elements of earth, air, fire and water. Cochise inside the Sweat seeks insight/guidance from the Spirit World, the Grandfathers, about how to handle Mexicans and Americans. The successful Raid to avenge the death of Mangas sons has consequences which can jeopardize  Apache - Mexican trade relations which are vital to his people's well being. He struggles over how to  reconcile with state of Sonora which boarders his lands and decides to return to Fronteras only to fall into a trap which brings about serious losses but will catapult him to undisputed leader of his Band.

Cochise/Mangas/Mexicans

Today I wrote an account that touches on Cochise's relationships with Mexicans. Historically they were enemies but practically the Apaches needed them for trade, commerce, especially horses/guns and population as they often captured young Mexicans and brought them back to camps to raise them as Apache. This relationship with Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua became even more critical after Apacheria passed to United States in 1853 with Gadsden Purchase. What triggers the matter is that Cochise joins Mangas to avenge death of his two sons in1858.