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Inde (Apache) Literature
The Apache call themselves
N'de, Dišnë, Tišnde, or Inde, `people.'
"The people have prevailed."
History of the Apache
Hon
Dah....
Apache for Welcome
The Apache Indians
are divided into six sub-tribes:
Bedonkohe....Be-don-ko-he
Chieahen....Chi-e-a-hen
Chihenne....Chi-hen-ne,(Ojo Caliente),
(Hot Springs)Apaches
Chokonen....Cho-kon-en,
Chiricahua Apache
Nedni....Nendi
White Mountain Apache
Da go Te'....
An Apache Hello
Apache (probably from ápachu, 'enemy,' the Zuñi name for the Navaho, who were designated "Apaches de Nabaju" by the early Spaniards in New Mexico). A number of tribes forming the most southerly group of the Athapascan family. The name has been applied also to some unrelated Yuman tribes, as the Apache Mohave (Yavapai) and Apache Yuma.
Being a nomadic people, the Apache practiced agriculture only to a limited extent before their permanent establishment on reservations. They subsisted chiefly on the products of the chase and on roots (especially that of the maguey) and berries. Although fish and bear were found in abundance in their country they were not eaten, being tabued as food. They had few arts, but the women attained high skill in making baskets. Their dwellings were shelters of brush, which were easily erected by the women and were well adapted to their arid environment and constant shifting. In physical appearance the Apache vary greatly, but are rather above the medium height. They are good talkers, are not readily deceived, and are honest in protecting property placed in their care, although they formerly obtained their chief support from plunder seized in their forays.
No
group of tribes has caused greater confusion to writers, from the fact that
the popular navies of the tribes are derived from some local or temporary
habitat, owing to their shifting propensities, or were given by the Spaniards
on ac count of some tribal characteristic; hence some of the common names
of apparently different Apache tribes or bands are synonymous, or practically
so; again, as employed by some writers, a name may include much
more or much less than when employed by others.
The
Apache are divided into a number of tribal groups which have been so differently
named and defined that it is sometimes difficult to determine to which branch
writers refer.
The
most commonly accepted divisions are the Querechos or Vaqueros,
consisting of the Mescaleros, Jicarillas, Faraones, Llaneros, and probably
the Lipan; the Chiricahua;
the Pinaleños; the Coyoteros, comprising the White Mountain and Pinal
divisions; the Arivaipa;
the Gila Apache, including the Gilenos, Mimbrenos, and Mogollones; and the
Tontos.
Stories
An
Apache Medicine Dance
A ga-n Becomes
Raven Old Man's Son-in-law
A ga-n Becomes
Raven Old Man's Son-In-Law: The ga-n Disappear
Apache Creation Story
Apache Fox Stories
Apache
Creation
Stories
Apache Creation Story
Apache Medicine Dance (Jicarilla)
Big Owl Chops
off His Manhood
Coyote and Bobcat Scratch Each Other
Coyote Gets
Rich Off The White Men
Coyote Proves
Himself A Cannibal
Death of the
Great Elk TSÄS
How the Buffalo Were Released on Earth
Leader of the Birds
Legend of the Apache Tear
Origin of Fire (Jicarilla)
Origin of the Animals (Jicarilla)
Turkey Makes
Corn
Why the Bat
Hangs Upside Down
Why the Bat
has Short Legs
Yavapai-Apache Creation
Story
Black Knife
Other Stories
Jicarilla Apache
Tales
about Killer-of-Enemies
The Birth of
Killer-of-Enemies
and Child-of-The-Water
The Journey to
The Sun
The Adventure at Owl's Home
The Slaying of The Monsters
Killer-of-Enemies at Picuris
Killer-of-Enemies
at Taos
and His Departure
More Stories
Coyote and the
Creation
Coyote fights a lump of pitch
Coyote Gets Rich Off The White Men
Coyote Proves Himself A Cannibal
Creation Apache 2
Creation Story
Culture Heroes and Owl
Death of the Great Elk TSÄS
Fight With The Enemy On The Arkansas River
Fox and Deer
Fox and Kingfisher
Fox and Mountain Lion
Fox and Porcupine
Fox And Rabbit
Fox and Wildcat
Geronimo's Song
How the Buffalo Were Released on Earth
Humming Bird Lore
Legend of the Apache Tear
Legend of the Apache Tear
Origin of the Animals
The Origin of Fire
Why the Bat Hangs Upside Down
Apache / Chiricahua - A Girl Is Lost
Apache / Chiricahua - A Prayer Addressed to the Mountain Spirits
Apache / Chiricahua - A Visit to the Mountain Spirits
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote and Beetle
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote and the Money Tree
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote and the Rock Rabbit
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote and the Rolling Rock
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote Dances With the Prairie Dogs
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote Holds Up the Sky
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote Hunts Geese
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote Marries his Own Daughter
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote Misses Real Rabbit
Apache / Chiricahua - Coyote Obtains Fire
Apache / Chiricahua - Why the Bat has Short Legs
Apache / Jicarilla - A Captive Woman Attempts To Make Peace
Apache / Jicarilla - A Deer Hunt
Apache / Jicarilla - A Duel Between Scouts
Apache / Jicarilla - A Successful Hunt
Apache / Jicarilla - A Ute Is Saved By His War-Medicine
Apache / Jicarilla - An Apache Medicine Dance
Apache / Jicarilla - An Expedition To The Adobe Walls With Kit Carson
Apache / Jicarilla - An Unsuccessful Expedition Led By Maxwell [2]
Apache / Jicarilla - Antelopes Take Arrows From Coyote
Apache / Jicarilla - Ceremony For Buffalo
Apache / Jicarilla - Corn Mother
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote And Beaver Play Tricks On Each Other
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote And Porcupine Contend For A Buffalo
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote And The Mexicans
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Apes His Hosts
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Deceives A Woman
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Insults The Rock
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Is Disobeyed By Turkey[2]
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Is Revenged On Wildcat
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Is Shot With A Pine Tree
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Kills His Own Child Instead Of The Turkeys
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Kills The Prairie Dogs
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Loses His Eyes
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Marries Under False Pretences
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Proves Himself A Cannibal
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Secures Fire (Second Version.)
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Secures Fire [1]
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Steals A Man's Wife[1]
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Takes Arrows From Owl
Apache / Jicarilla - Coyote Tries To Make His Children Spotted
Apache / Jicarilla - Death of the Great Elk
Apache / Jicarilla - Deer Hunting In The Mescalero Country
Apache / Jicarilla - Flicker Describes Himself
Apache / Jicarilla - Fox and Kingfisher
Apache / Jicarilla - Fox and Mountain Lion
Apache / Jicarilla - Fox and Porcupine
Apache / Jicarilla - Fox and Rabbit
Apache / Jicarilla - Fox and Wildcat
Apache / Jicarilla - Frog Wins From Antelope In A Footrace
Apache / Jicarilla - How Mole Won The Race
Apache / Mescalero -
Apache / Mescalero - Coyote and Beaver
Apache / Mescalero - Coyote and Blue Bunting
Apache / Mescalero - Coyote and Owl
Apache / Mescalero - Coyote and Quail
Apache / Mescalero - Coyote and the Creation
Apache / Mescalero - Coyote and Turtle
Apache / Mescalero - Dahteste - (pronounced ta-DOT-say)
Apache / White Mountain - A ga-n Becomes Raven Old Man's Son-In-Law
Apache / White Mountain - Badger Carries Darkness: Coyote and Bobcat Scratch
Each Other
Apache / White Mountain - Big Owl Chops off His Manhood
Apache / White Mountain - Captured
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote and Bear Cripple and Cure Each Other
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote And Bobcat Trick Each Other: Coyote Carries
Off Beaver
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Brings In Big Owl's Cap: How Deer Horns Became
Hard: The Bear Woman: Coyote Determines Death'
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Gets Rich Off The White Men
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Herds Sheep For A White Man
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Hunts with Bobcat
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Kills His Children
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Races With Frog
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Reads the Letter As He Sits
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Steals Abert Squirrel's Fire
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Steals Sun's Tobacco
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Steals Wheat: Coyote's Faeses Under His Hat
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote Trots Along
Apache / White Mountain - Coyote's Daughter [Becomes] His Wife
Apache / White Mountain - Ga-n Becomes Raven Old Man's Son-In-Law: The ga-n
Disappear From Tse-gots'uk
Apache / White Mountain - Grasshopper loses His Leg: How Gila Monster Got
His Name
Apache / White Mountain - Gray Fox Steals Wheat
Apache / White Mountain - He Fell Down On Bear
Apache / White Mountain - He Goes To His Father
Apache / White Mountain - He Goes To His Father Slaying Of Monsters
Apache / White Mountain - He Releases the Deer
Apache / White Mountain - He Who Became As Antelope
Apache / White Mountain - Her Brother Becomes Her Husband
Apache / White Mountain - How Deer Horns Became Hard
Apache / Yavapai - Creation Story Apache
Myths
The Emergence
The First War
The Culture Heroes and Owl
The Killing of the Monsters.
Naiyenesgani Rescues the Taos Indians
The Monster Fish
The Monster Fish (Second Version)
Naiyenesgani Removes Certain Dangers
The Killing of the Bear
The Traveling Rock
The Origin of Sheep and Cattle
Naiyenesgani Takes His Leave
Naiyenesgani Takes His Leave (Second Version)
The Winning of Daylight
Coyote Secures Fire
Coyote Secures Fire. (Second Version.)
The Swallowing Monster
The Man Who Helped the Eagles
The Bear-Man
Releasing the Buffalo
Releasing the Buffalo. (Second Version.)
The Origin of Corn and Deer
The Origin of Corn and Deer (Second Version)
The Supernatural Person in the Lake
The Man Who Traveled With the Buffalo
Tales
Coyote Steals
a Man's Wife
Coyote Takes Arrows From Owl
Antelopes Take Arrows From Coyote
Antelopes Take Arrows From Coyote. (Second Version.)
Coyote Tries to Make His Children Spotted
Coyote Kills His Own Child Instead of the Turkeys
Coyote and Porcupine Contend For a Buffalo
Coyote Loses His Eyes
Coyote Kills the Prairie Dogs
Coyote is Revenged on Wildcat
Coyote and Beaver Play Tricks On Each Other
Coyote Apes His Hosts
Coyote is Disobeyed by Turkey
Coyote is Shot With a Pine Tree
Coyote Insults the Rock
Coyote Marries Under False Pretences
Mosquito Marries Under False Pretences
Coyote Deceives a Woman
Coyote and the Mexicans
How Mole Won the Race
Frog Wins From Antelope in a Footrace
When the Birds Were Chiefs
Woodpecker Describes Himself
Flicker Describes Himself
Lewis Woodpecker Describes Himself
Owl Describes Himself
Panther, the Great Hunter
The Governor, Old Woman White Hands
Traditions and Personal Experiences
The War with the Americans
The Horses of the Apache Are Stolen by the Navajo
A Fight With the Enemy on the Arkansas River
A Duel Between Scouts
A Captive Woman Attempts to Make Peace
The Horses of the Ollero are Stolen
An Expedition to the Adobe Walls with Kit Carson
An Unsuccessful Expedition Led by Maxwell
The Apache Meet a Texan
A Ute is Saved by his War-Medicine
Pesita Is Shot
The Arrows Fail on the Hunt
A Successful Hunt
Hunting Elk
A Deer Hunt
Deer Hunting in the Mescalero Country
The Mescalero Beg For Meat
Jicarilla Apache Coyote Stories
Coyote and The
Two Running Rocks
Coyote in The Underworld;
The Origin of The Monsters;
The First Emergence
The Race Around The World
Coyote Obtains Fire
Coyote Dances with the Prairie Dogs
Coyote Visits Buffalo
Coyote As Eye-Juggler
Coyote Loses The Power to Obtain Food
Coyote Marries His Own Daughter
Coyote Burns His Children
Coyote Steals Another Man's Wife
Coyote Plays Tricks on Owl; The Vomit Exchange
Coyote Loses His Bow and Arrows to Antelope
Coyote Visits The Red Ants
Rabbit Scares Coyote Away
Coyote Chases The Rocks
Rabbit Escapes
Rabbit Fools Coyote
Coyote and Beetle
Coyote and The Pitch Baby
Coyote and Beaver
Coyote and His Mother-in-Law
Coyote Comes to Life Four Times
Coyote Kills Deer with His Ceremony
Coyote and The Expanding Meat
Coyote and Yellow Jacket
Coyote Kills His Wife and Carries Her Body
Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache Texts
Myths and tales of the Jicarilla Apache
Apache "Mountain Spirit" Dance
The Mescalero Apaches, descendants of Geronimo and his warriors, perform the Crown Dance, (video)also known as the Mountain Spirit Dance, around the 4th of July.
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They carry painted yucca swords, with lightening bolts emitting from them and give out loud Hoot Owl cries. the headdresses give rise to the anglo name for the dance, looking much like a large ornate crown. They dance to ward off evil and disease causing spirits from the people and the lands they live on, which are the beautifully pine forested Sacramento mountains of South Central New Mexico.
THE SLAYING OF THE MONSTERS
(An Apache Legend)
Apache mythology describes the adventures of ancient gods, humans and animals to help describe the Creation of the World, and how it operates. Although each Apache tribe has it’s own unique stories, three cultural heroes are common to all Apache mythology: White-painted Woman, Killer of Enemies and Child of the Water. One myth explains how, long ago, Child of the Water made the earth safe by killing four (4) monsters who preyed on human beings. In the beginning, White-painted Woman and Killer of Enemies, who was either her brother or son, lived together on the earth. They were tormented by cruel monsters, especially by Owl-man Giant, who stole the deer meat shot with bow and arrow by Killer of Enemies. One day, when White-painted Woman was praying for the monsters to leave them alone, the spirit known as Life Giver came to her in the form of rain and lightning. Life Giver told her she would have a child, who would be called Child of the Water. Life Giver warned White-painted-Woman that she must protect the child from Owl-man Giant. Through her skill and cunning, White-painted Woman kept the child safe.
One day, while he was still a boy, Child of the Water told his mother that he was ready to leave her to kill the monsters. White-painted Woman fashioned him a wooden bow and grama-grass arrows. She let him venture out to hunt deer with trusted Killer of Enemies. After they had killed their first deer, Owl-man Giant came to steal the meat away. But, Child of the Water refused to give it up! The opponents agreed to a duel. Each would be allowed to shoot four arrows. Owl-man Giant was to shoot first. But before he began, magical lightning flashed all around them. A brilliant blue rock appeared at the feet of Child of the Water. The blue rock spoke, saying that Child of the Water should pick it up, and use it as a protective charm. Child of the Water did and waited for Owl-man Giant to shoot his four dangerous arrows. They were made of sharp, large pointed logs.
The first arrow flew over Child of the Water’s head. The second landed at his feet. The third and fourth arrow missed him on each side. He was still ALIVE! Now, it was Child of the Waters turn! Owl-man Giant wore four coats of flintstone to protect his chest. He also picked up a rock, to try to deflect the arrows, like Child of the Water had done. But, the first three arrows that Child of the Water shot, knocked off the coat of protective flint. The fourth, and fatal, arrow pierced Owl-man Giant’s evil heart. The child warrior was victor! Killer of Enemies and Child of the Water returned victoriously to White-painted Woman, who danced and sang with happiness. Child of the Water went out again on further hunts. He killed the Buffalo Monster. Then, the Eagle Monster. And, finally, the Antelope Monster. The earth was now SAFE! The human population began to grow and prosper. Thus, the Apache regard Child of the Water, with his blue stone (turquoise), as their divine ancestor.
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