"There are stories and stories...there are songs, also, that are taught. Some are whimsical. Some are very intense. Some are documentary...everthing I know is known through teachings, by word of mouth, either by song or by legends." -
Terrance Honvantewa, Hopi
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Do you know...
Mangas Coloradas or Dasoda-hae (known as Red Sleeves) (c.1793 - January 18, 1863) was an Apache tribal chief and a member of the Eastern Chiricahua nation, whose homeland stretched west from the Rio Grande to include most of what is present-day southwestern New Mexico. He is regarded by many historians to be one of the most important Native American and Apache leaders of the 19th century due to his fighting achievements against White intruders from the United States.
In 1846, when the United States went to war with Mexico, the Apache Nation promised U.S. soldiers safe passage through Apache lands. Once the U.S. occupied New Mexico in 1846, Mangas Coloradas signed a peace treaty, respecting them as conquerors of the hated Mexican enemy. An uneasy peace between the Apache and the United States lasted until an influx of gold miners into the Santa Rita Mountains led to open conflict. In 1851, near Pinos Altos mining camp, Mangas was personally attacked by a group of White miners who tied him to a tree and severely beat him. Similar incidents continued in violation of the treaty, leading to Apache reprisals. In December, 1860, thirty miners launched a surprise attack on an encampment of Bedonkohes on the west bank of the Mimbres River. According to historian Edwin R. Sweeney, the miners "...killed four Indians, wounded others, and captured thirteen women and children." Shortly after that, Mangas began raids against U.S. citizens and their property.
Mangas Coloradas' daughter Dos-Teh-Seh married Cochise, principal chief of the Chokonen Apache. In early February 1861, US Army Lieutenant George N. Bascom, apparently without orders, lured Cochise, his family and several warriors into a trap at Apache Pass, southeastern Arizona. Cochise managed to escape, but his family and warriors remained in custody. Negotiations were unsuccessful and fighting erupted. This incident, known as the "Bascom Affair," ended with Cochise’s brother and five other warriors being hanged by Bascom. Later that year, Mangas and Cochise struck an alliance, agreeing to drive all Americans out of Apache territory. They were joined in their effort by Juh and Geronimo. Although the goal was never achieved, the White population in Apache territory was greatly reduced for a few years during the Civil War, after federal troops had been withdrawn to the east.
In the summer of 1862, after recovering from a bullet wound in the chest, Mangas Coloradas met with an intermediary to call for peace. In January of 1863, he decided to meet with U.S. military leaders at Fort McLane, in southwestern New Mexico. Mangas arrived under a flag of truce to meet with Brigadier General Joseph Rodman West, an officer of the California militia and a future Reconstruction senator from Louisiana. Armed soldiers took Mangas into custody. West allegedly gave an execution order to the sentries.
“Men, that old murderer has got away from every soldier command and has left a trail of blood for 500 miles on the old stage line. I want him dead or alive tomorrow morning, do you understand? I want him dead.”
That night Mangas was tortured, shot and killed "trying to escape."
The following day, U.S. soldiers cut off his head, boiled it and sent the skull to Orson Squire Fowler, a phrenologist in New York City. Phrenological analysis of the skull and a sketch of it appear in Fowler's 1873 book Human Science: or.... In Eve Ball's Indeh: An Apache Odyssey,Daklugie, one of her informants says the skull went to the Smithsonian Institution. However, the Smithsonian has done a thorough search for the skull, and reports that it never received it. Mangas' descendents and sources based on their testimony may have confused the Smithsonian with Fowler's Phrenological Cabinet in New York, where the skull was on display, leading to the misattribution.
The murder and mutilation of Mangas' body only increased the hostility between Apaches and the United States, with more or less constant war continuing for nearly another 25 years.
Mangas Coloradas is listed in 100 Native Americans Who Shaped American History.
In 1846, when the United States went to war with Mexico, the Apache Nation promised U.S. soldiers safe passage through Apache lands. Once the U.S. occupied New Mexico in 1846, Mangas Coloradas signed a peace treaty, respecting them as conquerors of the hated Mexican enemy. An uneasy peace between the Apache and the United States lasted until an influx of gold miners into the Santa Rita Mountains led to open conflict. In 1851, near Pinos Altos mining camp, Mangas was personally attacked by a group of White miners who tied him to a tree and severely beat him. Similar incidents continued in violation of the treaty, leading to Apache reprisals. In December, 1860, thirty miners launched a surprise attack on an encampment of Bedonkohes on the west bank of the Mimbres River. According to historian Edwin R. Sweeney, the miners "...killed four Indians, wounded others, and captured thirteen women and children." Shortly after that, Mangas began raids against U.S. citizens and their property.
Mangas Coloradas' daughter Dos-Teh-Seh married Cochise, principal chief of the Chokonen Apache. In early February 1861, US Army Lieutenant George N. Bascom, apparently without orders, lured Cochise, his family and several warriors into a trap at Apache Pass, southeastern Arizona. Cochise managed to escape, but his family and warriors remained in custody. Negotiations were unsuccessful and fighting erupted. This incident, known as the "Bascom Affair," ended with Cochise’s brother and five other warriors being hanged by Bascom. Later that year, Mangas and Cochise struck an alliance, agreeing to drive all Americans out of Apache territory. They were joined in their effort by Juh and Geronimo. Although the goal was never achieved, the White population in Apache territory was greatly reduced for a few years during the Civil War, after federal troops had been withdrawn to the east.
In the summer of 1862, after recovering from a bullet wound in the chest, Mangas Coloradas met with an intermediary to call for peace. In January of 1863, he decided to meet with U.S. military leaders at Fort McLane, in southwestern New Mexico. Mangas arrived under a flag of truce to meet with Brigadier General Joseph Rodman West, an officer of the California militia and a future Reconstruction senator from Louisiana. Armed soldiers took Mangas into custody. West allegedly gave an execution order to the sentries.
“Men, that old murderer has got away from every soldier command and has left a trail of blood for 500 miles on the old stage line. I want him dead or alive tomorrow morning, do you understand? I want him dead.”
That night Mangas was tortured, shot and killed "trying to escape."
The following day, U.S. soldiers cut off his head, boiled it and sent the skull to Orson Squire Fowler, a phrenologist in New York City. Phrenological analysis of the skull and a sketch of it appear in Fowler's 1873 book Human Science: or.... In Eve Ball's Indeh: An Apache Odyssey,Daklugie, one of her informants says the skull went to the Smithsonian Institution. However, the Smithsonian has done a thorough search for the skull, and reports that it never received it. Mangas' descendents and sources based on their testimony may have confused the Smithsonian with Fowler's Phrenological Cabinet in New York, where the skull was on display, leading to the misattribution.
The murder and mutilation of Mangas' body only increased the hostility between Apaches and the United States, with more or less constant war continuing for nearly another 25 years.
Mangas Coloradas is listed in 100 Native Americans Who Shaped American History.
Gila resolution calls freeway path 'sacred land'
By: Colleen Sparks
A resolution adopted a year ago by the Gila River Indian Community Council has thrown a wrench into the proposed South Mountain Freeway plan.
The council in April 2007 designated the South Mountain Range as "a sacred place/traditional cultural property" that must not be violated.
The council said any alteration of the range "for any purpose would be a violation of the cultural and religious beliefs of the Gila River Indian Community."
Phoenix Councilman Greg Stanton, who represents Ahwatukee Foothills, said he read the resolution for the first time Tuesday and that it is "critically important that we respect tribal sovereignty issues, that we respect the tribe's interpretation of sacred places and religiously important sites."
The freeway, if approved, would run along the Pecos Road alignment in Ahwatukee and cut through South Mountain Park. The cuts would range from 120 to 220 feet into the mountain, the Arizona Department of Transportation estimates.
"We as the community better think long and hard before we are willing to destroy a sacred place," Stanton said.
There's more here: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/29/20080429ar-gilariver0429.html
A resolution adopted a year ago by the Gila River Indian Community Council has thrown a wrench into the proposed South Mountain Freeway plan.
The council in April 2007 designated the South Mountain Range as "a sacred place/traditional cultural property" that must not be violated.
The council said any alteration of the range "for any purpose would be a violation of the cultural and religious beliefs of the Gila River Indian Community."
Phoenix Councilman Greg Stanton, who represents Ahwatukee Foothills, said he read the resolution for the first time Tuesday and that it is "critically important that we respect tribal sovereignty issues, that we respect the tribe's interpretation of sacred places and religiously important sites."
The freeway, if approved, would run along the Pecos Road alignment in Ahwatukee and cut through South Mountain Park. The cuts would range from 120 to 220 feet into the mountain, the Arizona Department of Transportation estimates.
"We as the community better think long and hard before we are willing to destroy a sacred place," Stanton said.
There's more here: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/29/20080429ar-gilariver0429.html
Mismanagement of Native American Land?
As reported by KFYR-TV, Bismarck, ND
This story begins more than 200 years ago when the United States government began offering land on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation to Native Americans. When the land started to run out, it was offered on the public domain, in some cases, hundreds of miles away stretching into parts of Montana.
"We haven`t seen our land, we don`t know what`s on our land, and we don`t really know what`s happening to our land,” says Jessie Cree, an allottee landowner.
Some families have never laid eyes on their land and a group called the Turtle Mountain Allottee Association worries there`s oil being extracted off the land and some of the poorest people on the reservation are not getting paid for it.
"They`re told that there`s no activity going on on their land, but we`re getting satellite views of the people`s land and it`s showing us something different,” says Delvin Cree of the Turtle Mountain Allottee Association.
"They tell us, `Keep this very quiet.` Why? I don`t know. That`s what we asked them, why?" says Jesse Peltier of the association.
The association blames the Bureau of Indian Affairs and The Office of Trustees for not properly taking care of landowners.
"There is oil and gas activity on their land and the Office of Trustees is saying something different,” says Delvin Cree.
"I haven`t seen any what you would call misuse of positions or property,” says Richard Lafrombois of the Office of Trustees in Belcourt, North Dakota.
Keep reading here: http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=18018
This story begins more than 200 years ago when the United States government began offering land on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation to Native Americans. When the land started to run out, it was offered on the public domain, in some cases, hundreds of miles away stretching into parts of Montana.
"We haven`t seen our land, we don`t know what`s on our land, and we don`t really know what`s happening to our land,” says Jessie Cree, an allottee landowner.
Some families have never laid eyes on their land and a group called the Turtle Mountain Allottee Association worries there`s oil being extracted off the land and some of the poorest people on the reservation are not getting paid for it.
"They`re told that there`s no activity going on on their land, but we`re getting satellite views of the people`s land and it`s showing us something different,” says Delvin Cree of the Turtle Mountain Allottee Association.
"They tell us, `Keep this very quiet.` Why? I don`t know. That`s what we asked them, why?" says Jesse Peltier of the association.
The association blames the Bureau of Indian Affairs and The Office of Trustees for not properly taking care of landowners.
"There is oil and gas activity on their land and the Office of Trustees is saying something different,” says Delvin Cree.
"I haven`t seen any what you would call misuse of positions or property,” says Richard Lafrombois of the Office of Trustees in Belcourt, North Dakota.
Keep reading here: http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=18018
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