*** **[DESCRIPTION]{.underline}**: THROUGH READING AND DISCUSSING AN
ESSAY ABOUT THE APACHE, AND PARTICIPATING IN VARIOUS TRADITIONAL APACHE
ACTIVITIES INCLUDING FOLKTALES, SONGS AND GAMES, STUDENTS WILL GAIN
UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION FOR APACHE HISTORY AND CULTURE.***

*** **[Subjects:]{.underline}***

** S**ocial Studies, Reading, Music.

*** **[Materials:]{.underline}***

* "Why We Have Night and Day*,," pages 2 to 6; "*Story of the Apache
People*," **Master Pages VI - 7 to VI - 11**; cassette player and
cassette recording of Apache songs (if available: see **Encounters
Box**, red section); Moccasins (or cups) and sticks.

*** **[Preparation:]{.underline}***

Review pages VI - 2 through VI - 11; have materials for the Moccasin
game available and the cassette (if available) ready to play. Make
copies of **Master Pages VI - 7 through VI - 10**, "The Story of the
Apache People," and **Master Page VI - 11.**

*** **[Time:]{.underline}***

Part I - one session;

Part II - one session.

***[Vocabulary:]{.underline}***

ancestors, *Nde*, tanning, buckskin, pitch, teepee, *wickiup*, ceremony,
headdress

(Red)

1\. Apache Music (tape)

***[APACHE LIFE]{.underline}***

***[BACKGROUND INFORMATION]{.underline}***

The Apache people and culture are an integral part of the history of the
Pimeria Alta (Upper Pima land). Their role, however, was not one of
friend to the missionaries and O'odham, but one of enemy. Father Kino
recorded his first contact with Apaches when he described them attacking
the O'odham in the San Pedro Valley. From this first contact, until the
surrender of Geronimo in 1886, the history of the Apaches in the Santa
Cruz Valley is full of warfare and violence.

The origins of the Apache Nation come from the northern Athebascan
people who historians believe emmigrated to the Southwest sometime in
the fourteenth or fifteenth century. Little is known about them at this
time and many questions regarding their lifestyle and culture remain,
debated by scholars to this day. By the time of contact with Kino,
however, the Apache culture was one of nomadic hunters, gatherers and
raiders.

Whereas the O'odham invited and welcomed Kino, the Apache did not. Did
the Apaches have unrecorded contact with either the O'odham or the
Spanish prior to Father Kino? Was there already an existing conflict
with the O'odham? Was it aggravated by the arrival of the Spanish?
Whatever the reason, the Apache were bitter enemies of the O'odham,
missionaries and settlers.

The activities in Unit VI are an introduction to the Apache people and
culture with an attempt to look at their attitudes, training and
warfare.

***[ACTIVITY]{.underline}***

**[Part I]{.underline}**

\- Using the story, songs and games from "*Why We Have Night and Day"*,
(below) introduce students to Apache culture. As much as possible, learn
and tell the story as a storyteller would, interweaving the songs, game,
and story as described. If available, play the associated Apache songs
as part of the story. 1

**[Part II]{.underline}**

\- Explore the Apache people and culture in depth by reading aloud with
your students the essay "*The Story of the Apache People"* (**Master
Pages VI - 6 to VI - 9**). Use the worksheet "The People Called Apache"
on **Master Page VI - 10** to stimulate discussion and evaluate
students' comprehension.

***WHY WE HAVE NIGHT AND DAY \****

*A*

* t the very beginning of the world, the sun shone all the time and
there was never any darkness. Yusen, the Creator, kept Night prisoner in
a sack which he gave to Badger to safeguard.*

* One day, while Badger was traveling through the land, Coyote, the
trickster, saw him carrying the large sack in which Night was kept.*

* Coyote, always thinking about food, thought that Badger was carrying
something really good to eat so he started walking along with Badger.
After a while Coyote said, " Old Man Badger, you look pretty tired. Why
don't you let me carry that heavy sack for awhile?"*

* Badger knew Coyote and suspected he was up to no good (as usual) and
replied, "I was given this sack to protect and I can't let anybody open
it or look in it. I know you, Coyote. You're just looking for a free
meal, but there's nothing to eat in the sack."*

* Right then, Coyote figured there must be something really good to eat
if Badger was trying so hard to hide it from him, but he reassured him,
"No Old Man, I was just offering to help you carry that heavy load since
you looked so tired from traveling. I know there isn't any food in the
sack. Just think about it. You're really looking very tired and need the
rest."*

* Coyote , of course, sounded very sincere. So, as they traveled along
for a while, they sang a traveling song to make the miles go faster:*

* "I live, you live, we all live a good life."*

*A*

*while later, when the sun was at its hottest, Badger finally said,
"Well, Coyote, I guess you're right about how tired I am." He gave his
sack to Coyote. "You guard this carefully and don't let anybody open the
sack. I'm going to lie down and rest awhile over there in the shade."*

* With that, Badger wandered over to some bushes, lay down in the shade
and was soon fast asleep.*

* As soon as he heard Badger snoring soundly, Coyote sat down and said,
"Now I can see about that delicious food Badger tried to hoard for
himself and have something great to eat." Coyote is always hungry.*

* Coyote opened the sack and Night escaped and there was darkness
everywhere. Coyote forgot all about being hungry and scurried off to
hide and think up some story to tell Badger about that sack.*

* Some of the creatures were pleased by the darkness which completely
covered the Earth. These were the four-legged who were predators who
could better sneak up on their prey and capture them. Those with evil
power like Snake, Owl, and other monsters reveled in the advantages
Night gave them over those with good power.*

* The birds and insects feared Night and the new dangers caused by the
darkness. They were afraid they'd be killed by the creatures of
darkness. Finally, they met together to plan how to restore Light.*

* All the animals were called in for a council and the ones preferring
Light told the Night creatures, "You want Night and we want Day. Let's
have a moccasin game and see who wins \-- if we win, it will be Day
forever, but if you win, you can have Dark."*

* All the animals and birds agreed to this and they held the first
moccasin game\--the same type of game still played today. This first
game was held in the winter, at night, and that is when it should still
be played.*

* First, each side made score-keeping sticks out of yucca leaves and
placed these in a pile between the sides. Then, the players buried four
moccasins in the sand and hid a small piece of bone in one of the
moccasins. If the other side could guess which moccasin contained the
bone, it would get one point; if they guessed incorrectly, the hiding
side would get the point. At first, the side winning the point would
take a stick from the middle pile; then, after all sticks were taken,
points won would be taken from each side's pile of scoring sticks. When
all the sticks are taken from one side, the game is over.*

* Well, the game started and the score kept pretty even for a long
while. The teams sang songs and chanted to bring luck and to distract
the other side while the piece of bone was being moved from moccasin to
moccasin.*

*P*

* retty soon, the game was so close that both sides began to cheat.
Gopher was playing for the animals and would burrow down under the
moccasins and see where the bone was hidden. When he saw where it was,
he tunneled back up and told the animals where to "guess." When the
animals had the bone, he would move it quickly to another moccasin every
time the birds guessed correctly so they would lose the point.*

* The birds had a few tricks of their own. To keep the animals from
knowing how many sticks they had left, the birds hid spare sticks up
Turkey's leg so the animals would think they were winning and would be
less cautious. Before the game, Turkey didn't have any tendons on his
legs, but the sticks stretched his legs so much that they now have the
longest legs. When it looked as if the animals would win, the birds
would fool them by pulling more sticks from Turkey's leg.*

* Roadrunner was the best player of all, but he'd been sleeping for most
of the time. The birds and insects woke him up so he could play for them
while they sang more songs with the power to ruin the animals luck.
While they sang these powerful songs, Gopher went blind and couldn't
help the animals any longer. This is why gophers have such tiny eyes
today.*

* Finally, the game got so close that Coyote (who sneaked back in to see
what the excitement was\-- and to look for something good to eat, of
course) got up and left the animals and stood by the fire thinking,
"I'll just help whoever's winning so I'll be ahead no matter what."
Coyote is like that.*

* The animals finally began to lose badly and the Owl-Man Monster got up
and started to run away: "I can't run very fast and the birds will kill
me when they win." As the Birds won more and more points, the Sun began
to rise and start Day. Pretty soon, some birds noticed Owl-Man Monster
running and started to chase him. He got caught in the cholla cactus
thorns and the birds got him there, then started after the other animals
and monsters.*

* Before the birds could kill all the evil animals and monsters, some of
them got away. That is why we still have some like Snake and Owl today.
*

* Because the game never was completely over and some of the animals
escaped, Night still exists for a time each day and is full of danger
for the day birds and good animals.*

*[Playing the Moccasin Game]{.underline}*

* There are many ways to play the Moccasin Game today. A good way to
imitate the first game is to place moccasins (or small cups, etc.) under
a sheet or blanket on the floor to simulate placing the moccasins in the
sand. (For younger students, only two moccasins or cups could be used to
make play more enjoyable.) A small marble or other object is used for
the piece of bone. This object is hidden by the team's player and the
moccasins shuffled around to confuse the other side. The second team
then guesses which moccasin hides the object and wins a point (small
sticks can be used as counters) if correct and then hides the object. If
the guess is incorrect, the first team continues to hide the object
until losing a point.*

* All the time, the teams should sing songs to confuse their game
opponents and increase their enjoyment of recreating this game. Usually,
the "words" to a moccasin game song are just nonsense to add to the
confusion. They also might include fragments of other songs, or the
phrases might be out of order. *

*\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_*

\* The story, game, and songs from "*Why We Have Night and Day*," are
taken directly from **[When The Earth Was Like New]{.underline}** ,
pages 76 - 81, with permission from the authors, Chesley Goseyun Wilson,
Ruth Longcor Wilson and Bryon Burton, World Music Press, Danbury, CT,
1994.

***[RESOURCES AND REFERENCES]{.underline}***

[The Flute Player: An Apache Folktale]{.underline}, Michael Lacapa,
Northland Publishing, Flagstaff, AZ, 1990; [When The Earth Was
New]{.underline}, Chesley Goseyun Wilson, World Music Press, PO Box
2565, Danbury, CT 06813, 1994; [The Apaches: Eagles of the
Southwest]{.underline}, Donald E. Worcester, Univ. of Oklahoma Press,
1979; [The Apache Indians]{.underline}, Nicole Claro, Chelsea House
Publishers, NY, 1992; [Indeh: An Apache Odyssey]{.underline}, Eve Ball,
Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1980; [The People Called Apache]{.underline},
Thomas E. Mails, BDD Books, NY, 1974; [Western Apache Material
Cultural]{.underline}, Alan Ferg, Univ. of Arizona Press, 1987; [Women
of the Apache Nation]{.underline}, H. Henrietta Stockel, Univ. of Nevada
Press, Reno, 1991; Video: [Geronimo\'s last Surrender]{.underline}.

***[Enhancements]{.underline}***

¨ Learn more about Apache culture. There are a wealth of books (see
**Resources and References**) and documentary films. Be cautious of
Hollywood accounts!

¨ Read [The Flute Player: An Apache Folktale.]{.underline}

**[THE STORY OF THE APACHE PEOPLE]{.underline}**

Historians believe that a little before the year 1600, or about 400
years ago, the Athabaskans people came to Arizona. Long before this,
their *ancestors* had lived far north in Canada. They traveled slowly
toward the south through the plains just east of the Rocky Mountains. At
last they arrived in the Southwest. They separated into seven groups and
each group lived in a different place. Many Apaches who still live in
this state are part of the \"Western Apache\" group, descendants of the
Apaches who lived in the Pimeria Alta during Kino\'s time. They are the
people we discuss here.

The Apaches call *themselves \"Nde*\", which means \"People." When they
first arrived in Arizona and New Mexico, they found many people who
spoke different languages living there already. These people were
farmers and hunters. Some of them lived in stone houses that were
grouped together like apartment buildings. One group in New Mexico,
called the Pueblo Indians by the Spaniards, lived in stone houses
grouped closely together like in apartment buildings. Others called the
Pima (Akimel O'odham) and Papago (Tohono O'odham) lived in villages in
the desert and along the rivers of Southern Arizona near places now
called Phoenix and Tucson.

At first, Apache people moved a lot. In the spring and summer, they
camped in the mountains. During that time they hunted deer, rabbits, and
other wild animals. They also started gardens of corn, beans, squash and
tobacco. They gathered many wild plants too. Cactus fruit, acorns,
agave, walnuts, juniper berries, and many other good things could be
found near their mountain camps. The women had to be able to identify
the plants, know where each plant grew, when it would be ripe, what
tools to take to collect it, how to cook it when they go home, and how
to store the leftovers so they wouldn\'t spoil.

As it got colder and snow began to fall, the people moved their camps to
lower country where it would be warmer for winter. The men continued to
hunt and the women spent time *tanning* hides and making them into bags,
clothing, and containers.

In the spring, the people went back to their mountain camps and planted
their gardens again. They also continued to hunt and to collect wild
plants. Toward the end of the summer, if there was extra food, it was
dried so that it could be saved for a long time. Apache women made large
baskets to store this food. Thin sticks of willow, cottonwood, or sumac
were stitched together with split sticks of the same material. The split
pieces became flexible when soaked in water for a while. The black in
the designs was made from the devil\'s claw plant and the red color was
made with the bark of the yucca root.

There were other kinds of baskets, too. For carrying things, they made
twined pack baskets that had *buckskin* fringes and painted designs. For
carrying water, the women made a bottle-shaped basket and then covered
the outside of it with *pitch* (sap) from a tree so that the water
wouldn\'t leak out. You can probably imagine that baskets would be more
useful than pottery for people who moved around a lot. They are not very
heavy and they do not break easily. Today, since Apaches don\'t move
very often and because they have stores, they can buy metal or plastic
containers. They also have cars and pick-up trucks for carrying things.

In addition to the many baskets for carrying things, the Apache had a
bit of pottery for cooking. They made shapes that were just right for
cooking food quickly over a campfire. These pots were dark in color, had
pointed bottoms and slanting sides. They could be placed right in the
fire and could heat the sides as fast as it heated the bottom. This way
it didn\'t take long for the people to get dinner cooked when they were
on a trip.

Babies were put in cradles so that they would be safe and easy to carry.
A long time ago, these cradles were made of wood and deerskin. Some are
still made today, but they are made with yellow canvas instead of
deerskin. A baby is usually happy in his cradle. He feels warm and
comfortable. He has some toys or decorations to look at and he can be
with his mother listening to her sing or talk to him. When his mother
hangs the cradle in a tree he can also watch the people all around him.

Long ago, when the Apache people moved a lot, they had different kinds
of houses. People who lived on the edge of the plains had *teepees* made
of skins and the people who lived in the mountains made grass houses
called \"*gowaa*\" or \"*wickiups*\". Houses in those days were used
mostly for sleeping and storing things. Most of the cooking and other
work was done outside like we do when we camp.

Today, Apaches live in wood or stone houses, however, some people also
build *wickiups*, too. They live in small communities where they have
police stations, post offices, churches, stores and gas stations.
Usually the people live with their families\--mother, father, children
and sometimes an aunt, and uncle or their grandparents. In the old days
bigger families lived together in one place. You can imagine there would
be many people if you lived with your parents, aunts and uncles, your
sisters and their husbands and children, your grandparents, and perhaps
some cousins. A good thing about having this many relatives nearby would
be that you would always have plenty of help to do the work. You would
always have someone to play with as well.

These days, Apache boys and girls go to school and learn the kinds of
things that other children learn. In the summers, boys may help their
fathers with rounding up cattle or farming and harvesting crops. Many
boys still learn how to ride horses.

When a girl is growing up, it is important for her to learn to work hard
and to learn about the things she will do when she is a wife and mother.
Sometimes the Apache people have a *ceremony* to let everyone know that
the girl is becoming an adult and is ready to do the jobs that other
women in the community do. This ceremony is very beautiful and old. All
of the people are very happy when they have it because it brings good
luck to everyone who comes. It also helps the girl to be healthy and
live a long time. This ceremony is usually held in the summer so that
the girls will be home from school. Not every Apache girl has this kind
of ceremony today because it is very expensive and not everyone can
afford it. The costume is very beautiful with lots of fringes and
beadwork. Food is given to everyone who comes and to all the people who
help.

At night during this ceremony there is a mountain spirit dance in which
dancers wear masks and large *headdresses*. They dance to drive away any
evil powers and bring good luck to all the people. The \"*Gans,*\" or
mountain spirits, sometimes dance at other times when they are needed to
cure sickness or keep away disease.

Sometimes Apache people remember the old ways with stories. They tell
about how certain things in the world came to be and sometimes give
lessons on how to behave. You can read some of these stories and maybe
you can think of some that you already know. Here is a story about how
coyote helped get fire for the people:

*A long time ago there were people living here on earth. Coyotes, birds
and other animals were all people. Many of these people didn\'t have any
fire. The martens (long, thin animals that look like mink or weasels)
lived in the tops of tall pine trees\--they were the only ones who had
fire. The people living below them got together to figure out how to get
fire. They decided to play a game and invited everyone to come. They
called the martens to come down and bring some fire because they were
going to play "hide the ball". They came down and brought fire with
them, but they stood in a circle around the fire so no one could run off
with it. None of the people who didn\'t have fire were in the middle of
the circle.*

*Coyote said he would get the fire and run with it. Everyone was playing
and the people who had fire were winning. They began to dance. Coyote
made a torch by tying bark under his tail. He went up to those who were
dancing and said he was going to join them. They were dancing and having
a good time. It was nearly daylight. Coyote danced in near the fire,
bending and turning, until he switched his tail into the fire, assuring
them that it wouldn\'t burn.*

*As daylight broke, coyote stuck his tail in the fire again and it
caught fire. \"Your tail is burning,\" they called to him. He jumped
over the four lines of dancers who were in circles around the fire and
ran off. The people who were stingy with fire ran after him. Coyote
became winded and could hardly run. The People caught him, but he passed
the fire on to Night Hawk, who kept on flying and jumping with it. Soon
he was nearly exhausted and he gave it to Roadrunner. Roadrunner kept on
for a long time, but the people chased him and almost caught him. He
gave the fire to Buzzard. Buzzard was almost worn out when the people
caught up with him and they pulled all of the hair out of his head. But
Buzzard had already passed the fire on to Hummingbird. So when the
people looked up, they saw the smoke of a fire rising in the distance
from the top of a mountain. It was Hummingbird who had set the fire.
There was a fire too on the top of another mountain which stood far away
on the opposite side. A little way from that there was a fire on another
mountain. Everywhere fires were burning. It was Hummingbird who had
accomplished this. Those who had owned fire turned back saying it was
now impossible to recover their fire. Everyone who had been without fire
now had it. The people all thanked Coyote for his trick to get fire for
them.*

Now that you have read a story and some other things about Apache
people, perhaps you will understand them a little better. Remember that
the things you see in the movies about Apaches are not always true.
Apache people see these movies too. What do you suppose the Apache
people think about Hollywood films?

There are many Apaches living in Arizona today. A lot of their land has
forests, lakes and meadows. Many people go there for vacation. Perhaps
sometime you might get a chance to visit Apache lands and towns and talk
with the people.

*Adapted with permission from the Arizona State Museum (Apache
curriculum); *

*Story credit: Myths and Tales from the San Carlos Apache, Pliny Earle
Goddard,*

*American Musium of Natural History, NY*~.~**[ THE PEOPLE CALLED
APACHE]{.underline}**

1\. What part of North America did the Apaches come from before arriving
in Arizona?

2\. When did they come to Arizona?

3\. What route did they take?

4\. What happened to them when they got to Arizona?

5\. What did the Apaches call themselves? What does it mean?

6\. Who was living in Arizona when the Apaches arrived? How were these
people living?

7\. What is a pueblo?

8\. How did the Apaches survive during the spring and the summer? How
about the fall and winter?

9\. The women made large colorful baskets to store their food. What
materials were used to make the baskets? How did they make the baskets
red? Black?

10\. What are the advantages of using baskets as compared to pottery?

11\. Describe an Apache cooking pot.

12\. How did the Apaches care for their babies?

13\. Compare the way Apaches lived long ago versus the way we live
today: (Housing? Cooking? Communities? Schooling? Boys? Girls?
Entertainment? Ceremonies?)