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[First Page] [35], (1) Lines: 0 to 3 ——— 0.0pt PgV ——— Normal Page PgEnds: TEX [35], (1) 4 Glimpse of the Old and the New One of the first things that strikes me during my stay with the White Mountain Apaches is how clever they are. They are quick to perceive, have a keen sense of logic, and are able to express their thoughts clearly and concisely. Our self-righteous race can often be quite condescending regarding Native peoples’ understanding. In truth, the capabilities of the Apaches, as well as many others, are no lesser than those of the white race. They are highly intelligent and within their cultural framework they have achieved the utmost in warfare, hunting, and other pursuits. There are many examples of them now achievingcomparabledeedsundermodernconditions.In1872nearly one hundred Apaches were slaughtered by American troops in a cave in the Salt River Canyon, Arizona. Furthest inside the cave, a oneyear -old boy was found lying under the body of his mother. The child was later adopted by an American family, sent to school, educated in medicine, and later became a distinguished doctor in Chicago.1 One person’s leap from a thousand-year-old stone age culture to the twentieth century. One day, I’m walking around the Indian tents together with a reservation employee. A small Indian lad runs smack into his legs and is rudely pushed aside. The boy flies into a raging fit and as quick as lightning grabs a stone and hurls it at the man. This is his Apache pride, a hostility and lust for revenge, prevalent even in the children. Revenge is a burning issue for the Apaches and it haunts his every thought until it has been fulfilled. Blood vengeance was the family’s right, as it was for the Vikings. In earlier times, revenge was most likely taken during warring raids. Now, however, it is taken whenever , sometimes in complete disregard of all consequences. Once an Apache who was under the influence was walking along the road 36 Glimpse of the Old and the New [36], (2) Lines: 32 ——— 0.0pt PgV ——— Normal Page PgEnds: T [36], (2) when a woman snapped her fingers and called him a louse. He killed her on the spot with a stone. Such incidents don’t often occur, but they do happen. They are very serious, but don’t forget they concern a people who were only recently brought in from the warpath and who not until adulthood have seen white people. Their search for revenge grew from always having to fight bitterly for their survival. They were a minority nomadic people who had to struggle to win respect – or die. Butthisisonlyonesideofthepicture.TheApacheisalsoamember of a very morality-based society. I meet an old Apache who tells me, “When I was young, the chief said to me, ‘Wake up early in the morning, walk up a hill, and behold the sun’s face as it rises above the mountain. In the sun you will see the one who will be your wife. Live your life as pure as you see it then so that you are worthy of her.’ ” In the old days, it was very important for the Apaches to live a proper life. A man who lied was considered a disgrace, and theft neveroccurredexceptfromtheenemy.Thewomenwerevirtuous,and adultery was punishable by cutting off the nose of the woman and by death for the man who had come between the marriage. Intercourse between unmarried people was punishable by having the man hang by his thumbs or wrists in a tree for half a day. More recently, several of these things have changed. An Apache is now about equal with his white tutor when it comes to lying, and as for the new moralities in marriage, he isn’t slow to follow suit. Just a few elderly noseless women still remain. Only a decade ago, young girls went around with “maiden flowers” in their hair. Now, however, the era of wearing maiden flowers has come to an end, as it has elsewhere. One day I am sitting with my interpreter, Chester, and his family talking about this and that and enjoying ourselves. When Apaches are together or with people they know well, they really relax and joke around. Half-naked Indian children are playing around us and have so much fun with the simplest toys that it is a delight to watch them. Over by the tent, a woman is sitting weaving a basket that...

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