The Apache Indians are a widely known Indian tribe that came to the United States along time ago. They faced many hardships, but are still here on the Earth to this date. Even though the Indians Wars beat up many of the tribes in the 1800's, the Apache still stand strong.
There are many different views on how the name Apache came onto the Earth. To the Pueblos, Apache was "Apachu"-meaning-"the enemy." But there was a legend that Geronimo, the great Apache chief once told; and it goes like this:
"In a world of darkness, there lived the birds and the beasts. The birds wanted light on the earth, but the beasts didn't. So a war erupted and the birds eventually won, so light was brought onto the earth. Now, there were very few humans living on the earth, and on just happened to be a women. When ever this women had a baby, a dragon (one of the beasts) would eat it to stop the offspring. Once she had a baby boy and hid it in a cave. When the dragon asked for babies, she said she had no more. Eventually, the boy grew up big and strong. His uncle took him hunting and while hunting (with his new bow and arrows) the dragon came. The dragon asked for a fight to the death, the boy accepted. Each one had a bow and four arrows. They took about one hundred steps from each other. The dragon went first by shooting all his arrows. The boy dodged them all. The boy the sot his arrows, hitting the dragon all four times, killing him. Now the women could have babies now! The boys name?......Apache."
The Apache came from north-west Canada in 850 A.D. They were the first Indian tribe to migrate the the U.S. They settled in the Rocky Mountains (at least most of them) because it was closely related to their old home in Canada. Others moved to ether Arizona, Central Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, or New Mexico. The Apache came from and belonged to a southern branch of the Athabascan group. The tribes they had were of the following:
Nedni
White Mountain Apache
Chihenne
Chieaken
Bedonkone
Chokonen
The Apache were made up of bands. A band is three or more big families joined together; this formed a band. Band members would chose a leader. The band leaders would then chose a tribe leader, but there was never any leader higher than that in power. Over about a whopping twenty- two band belonged to the Apache back then, but some aren't band anymore, now days.
The Apache lived in small housing. These small houses were made of ether bush twigs or buffalo hide. They molded the houses into a dome shape. These houses were commonly call wikinps. They were also called many other names, but most tribes used the same design as the Apache, because they copied them, and found it did really well for their houses.
Mostly the Apache Indians were nomadic. They followed the buffalo where ever they went. They used the hide for clothing and things. Click the Buffalo like above to find out more about the use of the buffalo. Sometimes, when there was no buffalo, the settled somewhere and grew crops. Some food they grew were beans, maize, pumpkins, and watermelons.
Apache Indians had a unique religion that is different from other Indian tribes. They believe from myths and legends to explain things in their lives. Their god, Usen, who is the Giver of Life, and is known to be the most powerful being in the world, and no one can hurt it. Anyone who thinks they can hurt Usen, is killed by the people of the tribe.
During ceremonies, males painted their bodies, dressed in kilts, blacks masks, tall wooden headdresses, and carried wooden swords. They did this to imitate the Gans, or Mountain Spirits. They did a dance (in their costumes) to salute the Gans. They also did many other things, that were very similar to other tribes. During the Ghost Dance phase, they still kept with this religion.
The many enemies that the Apache had was one of their biggest problems. The Pueblos are sort of an enemy and an ally. This is because they traded with them for food and animal skins, but they also did other bad things, like raiding them. Actually, the Apache were feared by many other tribes. One U.S. general, George Crook, called them: "Tigers of the human species." They raided tribes because, they were becoming poor with their resources. They were never in many big wars (aside from the Indian Wars), but it is fascinating to learn how the Indian boys became warriors. Click here to find out.
Now days, the Apache are successful business people. They own many business, like the highly popular Sunrise Park Ski Resort. and the Fort Apache Timber Company. Many Apache do other things, like lawyers and doctors. Some Apache still are rich in tradition. A lot of Apache were wiped out during the 1900's, but the Apache are still standing very strong to this date.
Shane Heslet
8th American History
Rossville Jr. High
Plains History Project
2004