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Celtic Radio Community > The Grove > Apache Story


Posted by: Camchak 19-Jun-2004, 06:25 PM
I would like to share a story I found some time ago, enjoy!


Apache Creation Story

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Animals, elements, the solar system, and natural phenomena are revered by the Apaches. That which is beyond their understanding is always ascribed to the supernatural.


In the beginning nothing existed--no earth, no sky, no sun, no moon, only darkness was everywhere.

Suddenly from the darkness emerged a thin disc, one side yellow and the other side white, appearing suspended in midair. Within the disc sat a small bearded man, Creator, the One Who Lives Above. As if waking from a long nap, he rubbed his eyes and face with both hands.

When he looked into the endless darkness, light appeared above. He looked down and it became a sea of light. To the east, he created yellow streaks of dawn. To the west, tints of many colours appeared everywhere. There were also clouds of different colours.

Creator wiped his sweating face and rubbed his hands together, thrusting them downward. Behold! A shining cloud upon which sat a little girl.

"Stand up and tell me where are you going," said Creator. But she did not reply. He rubbed his eyes again and offered his right hand to the Girl-Without-Parents.

"Where did you come from?" she asked, grasping his hand.

"From the east where it is now light," he replied, stepping upon her cloud.

"Where is the earth?" she asked.

"Where is the sky?" he asked, and sang, "I am thinking, thinking, thinking what I shall create next." He sang four times, which was the magic number.

Creator brushed his face with his hands, rubbed them together, then flung them wide open! Before them stood Sun-God. Again Creator rubbed his sweaty brow and from his hands dropped Small- Boy.

All four gods sat in deep thought upon the small cloud.

"What shall we make next?" asked Creator. "This cloud is much too small for us to live upon."

Then he created Tarantula, Big Dipper, Wind, Lightning-Maker, and some western clouds in which to house Lightning-Rumbler, which he just finished.

Creator sang, "Let us make earth. I am thinking of the earth, earth, earth; I am thinking of the earth," he sang four times.

All four gods shook hands. In doing so, their sweat mixed together and Creator rubbed his palms, from which fell a small round, brown ball, not much larger than a bean.

Creator kicked it, and it expanded. Girl-Without-Parents kicked the ball, and it enlarged more. Sun-God and Small-Boy took turns giving it hard kicks, and each time the ball expanded. Creator told Wind to go inside the ball and to blow it up.

Tarantula spun a black cord and, attaching it to the ball, crawled away fast to the east, pulling on the cord with all his strength. Tarantula repeated with a blue cord to the south, a yellow cord to the west, and a white cord to the north. With mighty pulls in each direction, the brown ball stretched to immeasurable size--it became the earth! No hills, mountains, or rivers were visible; only smooth, treeless, brown plains appeared.

Creator scratched his chest and rubbed his fingers together and there appeared Hummingbird.

"Fly north, south, east, and west and tell us what you see," said Creator.

"All is well," reported Hummingbird upon his return. "The earth is most beautiful, with water on the west side."

But the earth kept rolling and dancing up and down. So Creator made four giant posts--black, blue, yellow, and white to support the earth. Wind carried the four posts, placing them beneath the four cardinal points of the earth. The earth sat still.

Creator sang, "World is now made and now sits still," which he repeated four times.

Then he began a song about the sky. None existed, but he thought there should be one. After singing about it four times, twenty- eight people appeared to help make a sky above the earth. Creator chanted about making chiefs for the earth and sky.

He sent Lightning-Maker to encircle the world, and he returned with three uncouth creatures, two girls and a boy found in a turquoise shell. They had no eyes, ears, hair, mouths, noses, or teeth. They had arms and legs, but no fingers or toes.

Sun-God sent for Fly to come and build a sweathouse. Girl- Without-Parents covered it with four heavy clouds. In front of the east doorway she placed a soft, red cloud for a foot-blanket to be used after the sweat.

Four stones were heated by the fire inside the sweathouse. The three uncouth creatures were placed inside. The others sang songs of healing on the outside, until it was time for the sweat to be finished. Out came the three strangers who stood upon the magic red cloud-blanket. Creator then shook his hands toward them, giving each one fingers, toes, mouths, eyes, ears, noses and hair.

Creator named the boy, Sky-Boy, to be chief of the Sky-People. One girl he named Earth-Daughter, to take charge of the earth and its crops. The other girl he named Pollen-Girl, and gave her charge of health care for all Earth-People.

Since the earth was flat and barren, Creator thought it fun to create animals, birds, trees, and a hill. He sent Pigeon to see how the world looked. Four days later, he returned and reported, "All is beautiful around the world. But four days from now, the water on the other side of the earth will rise and cause a mighty flood."

Creator made a very tall pinon tree. Girl-Without-Parents covered the tree framework with pinon gum, creating a large, tight ball.

In four days, the flood occurred. Creator went up on a cloud, taking his twenty-eight helpers with him. Girl-Without-Parents put the others into the large, hollow ball, closing it tight at the top.

In twelve days, the water receded, leaving the float-ball high on a hilltop. The rushing floodwater changed the plains into mountains, hills, valleys, and rivers. Girl-Without-Parents led the gods out from the float-ball onto the new earth. She took them upon her cloud, drifting upward until they met Creator with his helpers, who had completed their work making the sky during the flood time on earth.

Together the two clouds descended to a valley below. There, Girl- Without-Parents gathered everyone together to listen to Creator.

"I am planning to leave you," he said. "I wish each of you to do your best toward making a perfect, happy world.

"You, Lightning-Rumbler, shall have charge of clouds and water.

"You, Sky-Boy, look after all Sky-People.

"You, Earth-Daughter, take charge of all crops and Earth-People.

"You, Pollen-Girl, care for their health and guide them.

"You, Girl-Without-Parents, I leave you in charge over all."

Creator then turned toward Girl-Without-Parents and together they rubbed their legs with their hands and quickly cast them forcefully downward. Immediately between them arose a great pile of wood, over which Creator waved a hand, creating fire.

Great billowy clouds of smoke at once drifted skyward. Into this cloud, Creator disappeared. The other gods followed him in other clouds of smoke, leaving the twenty-eight workers to people the earth.

Sun-God went east to live and travel with the Sun. Girl-Without- Parents departed westward to live on the far horizon. Small-Boy and Pollen-Girl made cloud homes in the south. Big Dipper can still be seen in the northern sky at night, a reliable guide to all.

Posted by: greenldydragon 20-Jun-2004, 04:12 PM
I've never heard this creation story. Very interesting.

Posted by: urian 20-Jun-2004, 07:34 PM
Native amercian stories have always been so beautiful and spiritual..hmm
maybe someone should start a native american myth thread....*ponders*

Posted by: Camchak 20-Jun-2004, 07:40 PM
I will give you one more for now! cool.gif

How the Buffalo Were Released on Earth

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In the first days a powerful being named Humpback owned all the buffalo. He kept them in a corral in the mountains north of San Juan, where he lived with his young son. Not one buffalo would Humpback release for the people on earth, nor would he share any meat with those who lived near him.

Coyote decided that something should be done to release the buffalo from Humpback's corral. He called the people to a council. "Humpback will not give us any buffalo," Coyote said. "Let us all go over to his corral and make a plan to release them."

They camped in the mountains near Humpback's place, and after dark they made a careful inspection of his buffalo enclosure. The stone walls were too high to climb, and the only entrance was through the back door of Humpback's house.

After four days Coyote summoned the people to another council, and asked them to offer suggestions for releasing the buffalo. "There is no way," said one man. "To release the buffalo we must go into Humpback's house, and he is too powerful a being for us to do that."

"I have a plan," Coyote said. "For four days we have secretly watched Humpback and his young son go about their daily activities. Have you not observed that the boy does not own a pet of any kind?"

The people did not understand what this had to do with releasing the buffalo, but they knew that Coyote was a great schemer and they waited for him to explain. "I shall change myself into a killdeer," Coyote said. "In the morning when Humpback's son goes down to the spring to get water, he will find a killdeer with a broken wing. He will want this bird for a pet and will take it back into the house. Once I am in the house I can fly into the corral, and the cries of a killdeer will frighten the buffalo into a stampede. They will come charging out through Humpback's house and be released upon the earth."

The people thought this was a good plan, and the next Morning when Humpback's son came down the path to the spring he found a killdeer with a crippled wing. As Coyote had foreseen, the boy picked up the bird and carried it into the house.

"Look here," the boy cried. "This is a very good bird!"

"It is good for nothing!" Humpback shouted. "All the birds and animals and people are rascals and schemers." Above his fierce nose Humpback wore a blue mask, and through its slits his eyes glittered. His basket headdress was shaped like a cloud and was painted black with a zig-zag streak of yellow to represent lightning. Buffalo horns protruded from the sides.

"It is a very good bird," the boy repeated.

"Take it back where you found it!" roared Humpback, and his frightened son did as he was told.

As soon as the killdeer was released it returned to where the people were camped and changed back to Coyote. "I have failed," he said, "but that makes no difference. I will try again in the morning. Perhaps a small animal will be better than a bird."

The next morning when Humpback's son went to the spring, he found a small dog there, lapping at the water. The boy picked up the dog at once and hurried back into the house. "Look here!" he cried. "What a nice pet I have."

"How foolish you are, boy!" Humpback growled. "A dog is good for nothing. I'll kill it with my club."

The boy held tight to the dog, and started to run away crying.

"Oh, very well," Humpback said. "But first let me test that animal to make certain it is a dog. All animals in the world are schemers." He took a coal of fire from the hearth and brought it closer and closer to the dog's eyes until it gave three rapid barks. "It is a real dog," Humpback declared. "You may keep it in the buffalo corral, but not in the house."

This of course was exactly what Coyote wanted. As soon as darkness fell and Humpback and his son went to sleep, Coyote opened the back door of the house. Then he ran among the buffalo, barking as loud as he could. The buffalo were badly frightened because they had never before heard a dog bark. When Coyote ran nipping at their heels, they stampeded toward Humpback's house and entered the rear door. The pounding of their hooves awakened Humpback, and although he jumped out of bed and tried to stop them, the buffalo smashed down his front door and escaped.

After the last of the shaggy animals had galloped away, Humpback's son could not find his small dog. "Where is my pet?" he cried. "Where is my little dog?"

"That was no dog," Humpback said sadly. "That was Coyote the Trickster. He has turned loose all our buffalo."

Thus it was that the buffalo were released to scatter over all the earth.


Posted by: greenldydragon 23-Jun-2004, 10:51 AM
Humpback? Like the whale? rolleyes.gif

Posted by: Camchak 23-Jun-2004, 11:21 AM
Humpback is a term Native American's sometimes use for Buffalo.

Posted by: freekenny 11-Jul-2004, 07:32 PM
QUOTE (Camchak @ 23-Jun-2004, 12:21 PM)
Humpback is a term Native American's sometimes use for Buffalo.

As is 'Tantunka'..... biggrin.gif Interesting stories you shared Cam...

Posted by: greenldydragon 12-Jul-2004, 07:03 AM
Tantunka????? What???

Posted by: gaberlunzie 15-Jul-2004, 01:43 PM
QUOTE (greenldydragon @ 12-Jul-2004, 08:03 AM)
Tantunka????? What???

A "buffalo" word as well...as "Tatanka Yotanka"...you all know him, it's Sitting Bull, famous Sioux War Chief...

Posted by: Camchak 16-Jul-2004, 10:26 PM
Cochise
"Hardwood"
(in the Chiracahua Apache language)

(b. 1812, d. June 8, 1874)


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"You must speak straight so that your words may go as sunlight into our hearts.
Speak Americans.. I will not lie to you; do not lie to me."

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Cochise was a tall man, six feet, with broad shoulders and a commanding appearance. He never met a man his equal with a lance, and, like Crazy Horse, was never photographed. They both were buried in secret locations on their homeland.

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Quotes from Cochise
"When I was young I walked all over this country, east and west, and saw no other people than the Apaches. After many summers I walked again and found another race of people had come to take it. How is it?

We were once a large people covering these mountains. We lived well: we were at peace. One day my best friend was seized by an officer of the white men and treacherously killed. At last your soldiers did me a very great wrong, and I and my people went to war with them.

The worst place of all is Apache Pass. There my brother and nephews were murdered. Their bodies were hung up and kept there till they were skeletons. Now Americans and Mexicans kill an Apache on sight. I have retaliated with all my might.

My people have killed Americans and Mexicans and taken their property. Their losses have been greater than mine. I have killed ten white men for every Indian slain, but I know that the whites are many and the Indians are few. Apaches are growing less every day.

Why is it that the Apaches wait to die -- That they carry their lives on their fingernails? They roam over the hills and plains and want the heavens to fall on them. The Apaches were once a great nation; they are now but few, and because of this they want to die and so carry their lives on their fingernails.

I am alone in the world. I want to live in these mountains; I do not want to go to Tularosa. That is a long way off. I have drunk of the waters of the Dragoon Mountains and they have cooled me: I do not want to leave here.

Nobody wants peace more than I do. Why shut me up on a reservation? We will make peace; we will keep it faithfully. But let us go around free as Americans do. Let us go wherever we please."


Posted by: Camchak 16-Jul-2004, 10:31 PM
Geronimo's Song
by Geronimo (Goyathlay)


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"The song that I will sing is an old song, so old that none knows who made it. It has been handed down through generations and was taught to me when I was but a little lad. It is now my own song. It belongs to me. This is a holy song (medicine-song), and great is its power. The song tells how, as I sing, I go through the air to a holy place where Yusun (The Supreme Being) will give me power to do wonderful things. I am surrounded by little clouds, and as I go through the air I change, becoming spirit only.

Geronimo's changed form is symbolized by a circle, and this is surrounded by a mystic aureole. The holy place is symbolized by the sun, which is decorated with a horned head-dress emblematic of divine power. This is the insignia of the Holy Man.


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MEDICINE-SONG


Sung by Geronimo


O, ha le
O, ha le!
Awbizhaye
Shichl hadahiyago niniya
O, ha le
O, ha le
Tsago degi naleya
Ah--yu whi ye!
O, ha le
O, ha le!


O, ha le
O, ha le!
Through the air
I fly upon the air
Towards the sky, far, far, far,
O, ha le
O, ha le!
There to find the holy place,
Ah, now the change comes o're me!
O, ha le
O, ha le!



Posted by: greenldydragon 17-Jul-2004, 01:02 PM
Interesting.

Posted by: freekenny 23-Jul-2004, 02:04 PM
O'siyo Camchak,
Ni Ya We for sharing Geronimo's Song as well as the Apache Story on Creation~~ It is refreshing to see a forum with such diversity in cultures thumbs_up.gif
I have heard Geronimo's song sung before at the Green Corn Festival in South Dakota last September~~Many songs are sung at festivals/pow-wow's asking the Great Spirit to provide a bountiful crop in the upcoming season ~~
Many phrases in the Native American tongue are also sung, more like a chant of sorts..I will try to dig into some boxes I have with chants/songs and post them biggrin.gif I get pleasure out of sharing my culture with others..I feel it important not to let any of our 'cultures' fade out~~
~~ Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Posted by: gaberlunzie 23-Jul-2004, 02:59 PM
QUOTE (freekenny @ 23-Jul-2004, 03:04 PM)
..I will try to dig into some boxes I have with chants/songs and post them biggrin.gif I get pleasure out of sharing my culture with others..I feel it important not to let any of our 'cultures' fade out~~
~~ Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Please do so. freekenny. I would love so much to learn as much as possible. Thank you for all your wonderful posts ...and to you, too, Camchak!
May you always walk in peace.

Posted by: freekenny 23-Jul-2004, 03:38 PM
O'siyo gaberlunzie,
Ni Ya We for your kind words~~ biggrin.gif ..and indeed I will post some of my favorite songs/chants~~
Speaking of songs/music I just read this today and thought I would share~~

' Music is the universal language--a link between people who have no other form of communication. It even helps us to understand ourselves when it brings out an emotion that was too deeply buried. Music was meant to be an integral part of our lives. A familiar tune can sweep us back to another time or another place that we thought was lost. It is the harmony that helps us blend the old with the new and dilutes a bitter memory. Few important events are without music. Bands have rallied us to partiotism, hymns have helped us to be reverent, and the sweet song of a small child can cause a tenderness to come on the hardest heart. The Cherokee call it di ka no gi dv, the music of the spirit-- in the turtledove, in the mockingbird, in the gurgling stream.' ~A Cherokee Feast of Days; Daily Meditations~

~~ Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Posted by: Shadows 08-Aug-2004, 06:19 PM
This story is one of my favorite creation stories ( follow the link below ) , you see the creator seemed to think through what he was doing and created over time:

http://www.walksinshadows.com/spots.htm

Posted by: freekenny 15-Aug-2004, 11:37 AM
QUOTE (greenldydragon @ 12-Jul-2004, 08:03 AM)
Tantunka????? What???

O'siyo (hello/welcome),
Tantunka is what some Native American tribes used/called the Bison/Buffalo smile.gif
Sty-U (stay strong)
~~seeker red_bandana.gif

Posted by: freekenny 15-Aug-2004, 11:48 AM
O'siyo,
I so enjoy sharing my culture with anyone who wishes to take the time to read my posts here in this forum and, who wishes to take the time to learn of various cultures that have made up this wonderful place called Mother Earth~~ smile.gif Afterall, Mitayuke Oyasani' (we are all related)~~ biggrin.gif
~~Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Oh Great Spirit...

Whose voice I hear in the winds,

Whose breath gives life to the world, hear me...

I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom.

May I walk in beauty.

Make my eyes behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made

and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may know

the things you have taught your children,

the lessons you have written in every leaf and rock.

Make me strong, not to be superior to my brothers,

but to fight my greatest enemy--myself.

-- Chief Yellow Lark, Lakota



Posted by: freekenny 15-Aug-2004, 11:51 AM
QUOTE (Shadows @ 15-Aug-2004, 12:45 PM)
QUOTE (freekenny @ 15-Aug-2004, 12:37 PM)
O'siyo (hello/welcome),
Tantunka is what some Native American tribes used/called the Bison/Buffalo smile.gif
Sty-U (stay strong)
~~seeker red_bandana.gif

"Wakan Tanka"

O'siyo Shadow,
Indeed another term used for the Bison/Buffalo ~~ smile.gif
~~Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Posted by: Shadows 15-Aug-2004, 11:53 AM
wanishi for your input here freekenny... Native culture is one of my passions!

The dilect I follow is "Lenne Lanape" - Delaware, I study Eastern Woodland tribes.

Posted by: freekenny 15-Aug-2004, 12:20 PM
O'siyo,
Here is a chant and prayer that some of you may enjoy~~ biggrin.gif Have a blessed and peaceful day~~
~~Sty-U red_bandana.gif


Grandfather:
A voice I am going to send!
Hear me,
All over the Universe:
A voice I am going to send!
Hear me,

Grandfather:
I will live!
Now I have said it.
-- Lakota tribe



The first man holds it in his hands
He holds the sun in his hands
In the center of the sky, he holds it in his hands
As he holds it in his hands, it starts upward.
The first woman holds it in her hands
She holds the moon in her hands
In the center of the sky, she holds it in her hands
As she holds it in her hands, it starts upward.
-- Navajo chant




Posted by: freekenny 15-Aug-2004, 12:58 PM
O'siyo,
Forgive me for I am addicted in sharing my culture with others ~smile~ If my posts are too many please let me know and I will cease posting ~smile~
May all of you be blessed with all that Mother Earth has to offer on this day and all those to follow..Be safe, be kind and be happy~~
~~Sty-U red_bandana.gif

May the Great Spirit send his choicest gifts to you,
May the Sun Father and the Moon Mother shed their softest beams on you,
May the Four Winds of the World blow gently upon you and
Upon those with whom you share your heart and home.
-- Coahuila blessing



My words are tied in one with the great mountains,
with the great rocks, with the great trees.
In one with my body and my heart.
-- Yokuts prayer



Look, I see the Sun...
He is my father
He is my beginning.
Look, I see the Moon...
She is my Grandmother, my guardian keeper.
Look, I see the stars...
They are my friends, my relatives.
Look, I see the universe...
I see myself.
-- High Eagle, Osage/Cherokee



The mountains, I become part of it...
The herbs, the fir tree, I become part of it.
The morning mists, the clouds, the gathering waters,
I become part of it.
The wilderness, the dew drops, the pollen...
I become part of it.
-- Navajo chant



The wise man who meditates on the goodness of all that exists in the sky, in the earth,
in the lakes, and in the sea becomes whole.
-- Mayan saying



Posted by: Camchak 15-Aug-2004, 05:08 PM
Origin of Fire

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Long, long ago, animals and trees talked with each other, but there was no fire at that time.

Fox was most clever and he tried to think of a way to create fire for the world. One day, he decided to visit the Geese, te-tl, whose cry he wished to learn how to imitate. They promised to teach him if he would fly with them. So they contrived a way to attach wings to Fox, but cautioned him never to open his eyes while flying.

Whenever the Geese arose in flight, Fox also flew along with them to practice their cry. On one such adventure, darkness descended suddenly as they flew over the village of the fireflies, ko-na- tcic-a. In midflight, the glare from the flickering fireflies caused Fox to forget and he opened his eyes--instantly his wings collapsed! His fall was uncontrollable. He landed within the walled area of the firefly village, where a fire constantly burned in the centre.

Two kind fireflies came to see fallen Fox, who gave each one a necklace of juniper berries, katl-te-i-tse.

Fox hoped to persuade the two fireflies to tell him where he could find a way over the wall to the outside. They led him to a cedar tree, which they explained would bend down upon command and catapult him over the wall if he so desired.

That evening, Fox found the spring where fireflies obtained their water. There also, he discovered coloured earth, which when mixed with water made paint. He decided to give himself a coat of white. Upon returning to the village, Fox suggested to the fireflies, "Let's have a festival where we can dance and I will produce the music."

They all agreed that would be fun and helped to gather wood to build up a greater fire. Secretly, Fox tied a piece of cedar bark to his tail. Then he made a drum, probably the first one ever constructed, and beat it vigorously with a stick for the dancing fireflies. Gradually, he moved closer and closer to the fire.

Fox pretended to tire from beating the drum. He gave it to some fireflies who wanted to help make the music. Fox quickly thrust his tail into the fire, lighting the bark, and exclaimed, "It is too warm here for me, I must find a cooler place."

Straight to the cedar tree Fox ran, calling, "Bend down to me, my cedar tree, bend down!"

Down bent the cedar tree for Fox to catch hold, then up it carried him far over the wall. On and on he ran, with the fireflies in pursuit.

As Fox ran along, brush and wood on either side of his path were ignited from the sparks dropping from the burning bark tied to his tail.

Fox finally tired and gave the burning bark to Hawk, i-tsarl-tsu- i, who carried it to brown Crane, tsi-nes-tso-l. He flew far southward, scattering fire sparks everywhere. This is how fire first spread over the earth.

Fireflies continued chasing Fox all the way to his burrow and declared, "Forever after, Wily Fox, your punishment for stealing our fire will be that you can never make use of it for yourself."

For the Apache nation, this too was the beginning of fire for them. Soon they learned to use it for cooking their food and to keep themselves warm in cold weather.


Posted by: Camchak 15-Aug-2004, 05:13 PM
Another!

Origin of the Animals

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When Apaches emerged from the underworld, they travelled southward for four days. They had no other food than two kinds of seeds, which they ground between two stones.

Near where they camped on the fourth night, one tepee stood apart from the others. While the owner and his wife were absent for a short time, a Raven brought a quiver of arrows and a bow, hanging them on the lodge pole. When the children came out of the lodge, they took down the quiver and found some meat inside. They ate it and instantly became very fat.

Upon her return, the mother noticed grease on the hands and faces of her children, who told her what had happened. The woman hurried to tell her husband the tale. All the tribe marvelled at the wonderful food that made the children so fat. How they hoped the Raven might soon return with more of his good food.

When Raven discovered that his meat had been stolen, he flew eastward to his mountain home beyond the normal range of man. A bat followed Raven and later informed the Apaches where Raven lived. That night the Apache Chief called a council meeting. They decided to send a delegation to try and obtain some of Raven's special kind of meat.

In four days the Apache delegation reached the camp of the ravens, but could not obtain the information they desired. They discovered, however, a great circle of ashes where the ravens ate their meals. The Apaches decided to spy upon the ravens. That night the Medicine Man changed an Apache boy into a puppy to spy from a nearby bush. The main delegation broke camp and started homeward, leaving behind the puppy.

Next morning the ravens examined the abandoned camp of the Apaches. One of the young ravens found the puppy and was so pleased, he asked for permission to keep it under his blanket. Toward sunset, the puppy peaked out and saw an old raven brush aside some ashes from the fireplace. He then removed a large flat stone. Beneath was an opening through which the old raven disappeared. But when he returned he led a buffalo, which was then killed and eaten by all the ravens.

For four days the puppy spied upon the ravens, and each evening a buffalo was brought up from the depths and devoured. Now that he was certain where the ravens obtained their good food, the puppy resumed his normal shape.

Early on the fifth morning, with a white feather in one hand and a black one in the other, he descended through the opening beneath the fireplace.

In the underworld, he saw four buffaloes and placed the white feather in the mouth of the nearest one. He commanded it to follow him. But the first buffalo told him to take the feather to the last buffalo. This he did, but the fourth buffalo sent him again to the first one, into whose mouth the boy thrust the white feather.

"You are now the King of the Animals," declared the boy.

Upon returning to the above-world, the boy was followed by all the animals present upon the earth at that time. As the large herd passed through the opening, one of the ravens awoke, hurrying to close the lid. Upon seeing that all the animals willingly followed the Apache boy, the raven exclaimed, "When you kill any of the animals, remember to save the eyes for me."

For four days the boy followed the tracks of the Apaches and overtook them with his giant herd of animals. Soon they all returned to the camp of the Apaches, where the Chief slew the first buffalo for a feast that followed. The boy remembered and saved the eyes for the ravens.

One old grandmother who lived in a brush lodge was annoyed with one of the deer that ate some of her lodge covering. Snatching a stick from the fire, she struck the deer's nose and the white ash stuck there leaving a white mark that can still be seen on the descendants of that deer.

"Hereafter, you shall avoid mankind," she pronounced. "Your nose will tell you when you are too close to them."

Thus ended the short period of harmony between man and the animals. Each day the animals wandered farther and farther from the tribes. Apaches prayed that the animals would return so they could enjoy the good meat again. It is mostly at night when the deer appear, but not too close, because the old grandmother told them to be guided by their noses!

Apaches developed skill in using the bows and arrows to hunt the good animal meat they liked so much, especially the buffalo.


Posted by: Camchak 15-Aug-2004, 05:28 PM
Cherokee Bear Legend

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In the long ago time, there was a Cherokee Clan call the Ani-Tsa-gu-hi (Ahnee-Jah-goo-hee), and in one family of this clan was a boy who used to leave home and be gone all day in the mountains. After a while he went oftener and stayed longer, until at last he would not eat in the house at all, but started off at daybreak and did not come back until night. His parents scolded, but that did no good, and the boy still went every day until they noticed that long brown hair was beginning to grow out all over his body. Then they wondered and asked him why it was that he wanted to be so much in the woods that he would not even eat at home. Said the boy, "I find plenty to eat there, and it is better than the corn and beans we have in the settlements, and pretty soon I am going into the woods to say all the time." His parents were worried and begged him not leave them, but he said, "It is better there than here, and you see I am beginning to be different already, so that I can not live here any longer. If you will come with me, there is plenty for all of us and you will never have to work for it; but if you want to come, you must first fast seven days."

The father and mother talked it over and then told the headmen of the clan. They held a council about the matter and after everything had been said they decided: "Here we must work hard and have not always enough. There he says is always plenty without work. We will go with him." So they fasted seven days, and on the seventh morning al the Ani-Tsa-gu-hi left the settlement and started for the mountains as the boy led the way.

When the people of the other towns heard of it they were very sorry and sent their headmen to persuade the Ani Tsaguhi to stay at home and not go into the woods to live. The messengers found them already on the way, and were surprised to notice that their bodies were beginning to be covered with hair like that of animals, because for seven days they had not taken human food and their nature was changing. The Ani Tsaguhi would not come back, but said, "We are going where there is always plenty to eat. Hereafter we shall be called Yonv(a) (bears), and when you yourselves are hungry come into the woods and call us and we shall shall come to give you our own flesh. You need not be afraid to kill us, for we shall live always." Then they taught the messengers the songs with which to call them and bear hunters have these songs still. When they had finished the songs, the Ani Tsaguhi started on again and the messengers turned back to the settlements, but after going a little way they looked back and saw a drove of bears going into the woods.

Aho! We are all Related!


Posted by: freekenny 15-Aug-2004, 05:45 PM
O'siyo Camchak,
Ni Ya We for sharing yet some more interesting and insightful stories of the Native Americans smile.gif I am partial to the Cherokee Bear Legend story rolleyes.gif Your stories are always interesting and much welcomed when it comes to reading something about my peoples cheers.gif
~~Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Posted by: freekenny 17-Aug-2004, 11:53 PM
O'siyo,
Just wanted to share a 'clip' with those interested walkman.gif
This is a favourite of mine while doing my smudgings ... These are Native Voices, women from various tribes~~
~~Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Posted by: freekenny 02-Sep-2004, 08:59 PM
O'siyo,
*Can hardly wait to visit with Papa Bluefeather* one more day!..we always do the sweat lodge, a pipe ceremony and many hours just sitting in his sanctuary meditating, chatting and exploring the darkest yet most powerful parts of the mind dry.gif I always stop by and visit with Him and Nana before heading down to the Island..and on my way back 'home' I stop by again with fruit and homemade soaps and candles.. hug.gif He is the last in the 'family' that has 100% Native American blood..Sioux, White Plains..Lakota..I have noticed the older He gets the harder it is to leave Him sad.gif ..I cherish every visit and always learn something new from Him..how glorious is that! tongue.gif
~~Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Posted by: freekenny 11-Oct-2004, 02:30 AM
O'siyo,
~Best part of my journey was my 48 hours in Papa's sanctuary~ cool.gif Beautiful visions and so much peace~ sleep.gif Couple days later Papa and I spent 24 hours on top of a mountain..sacred ground..the ground where we spent our tyme was directly in the middle of 3 major routes/paths of the Indian..paths they used to travel~ They ended up crossing beneath a Poplar and Pine tree~ rolleyes.gif It is always amazing when Papa and I can spend tyme together!~ hug.gif
~Sty-U red_bandana.gif

Posted by: dragonboy3611 06-Nov-2004, 04:32 PM
I am 1/16 Native American, and wish so much to find my roots in it!

Amazing stories.

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