Legend of Native American Heroes - Bloodshed in Wars

Let us just look through America's history since its discovery in 1492! Centuries of bloodshed unfold before our eyes.

Indeed, peaceful coexistence was not characteristic of these times in the rest of the world either, but what the indigenous people of this continent experienced is truly unparalleled.

Before the arrival of European conquerors, there were tribal wars among the Indians, but with the appearance of immigrants, a new player entered the stage. While they were initially small in number, they lived in relative peace with the Native Americans. However, as immigration grew in the early 17th century, conflicts became more frequent.

The tactics of the Europeans changed over time, depending on their situation and interests. At first, they aligned with one or the other Indian tribe to gain territories for themselves as a sort of "laughing third party." As their numbers increased, the situation reversed. Since the Americans were already at war with the British for their independence, the Native Americans sided with different factions depending on which one offered them a better chance of preserving their land. After the United States won its independence, they turned their collective force towards the Native Americans, leading to powerful campaigns to acquire new territories in the 19th century.

The indigenous tribes defending their ancestral lands initially trusted external British assistance, but later realized they could only rely on themselves. At this point, the Indian tribes fought not just for themselves, but for all the indigenous people nationwide. It is almost impossible to list how many people tried to stand up for their rights during the 1800s. The Sioux, Apache, Dakota, Seminole, Creek, Navajo, Black Hawk tribes, and countless others fought their own wars.

These historical times required great leaders, and some personalities stood out from the rest, who perhaps recognized the importance of unity among Indian nations a bit too late. Their actions' greatness is evidenced by the fact that their names are still remembered to this day.

Tecumseh, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Quanah Parker, and Geronimo tell the story of a long-gone era, where their heroic resistance sadly did not achieve the desired goal.

The Indian wars, marked by brutal cruelty, concluded with a sad outcome for the Native Americans three centuries ago: they were coerced or robbed of most of their territories, the vast majority of their population was slaughtered, and the remaining members were forced into reservations.

However, the legend of their former heroes lives on and does not allow them to look back on their glorious past with bowed heads and shame.

Geronimo, the most well-known among them, was an Apache warrior, whose figure embodies courageous resilience and the spirit of the ancient times.

Lastly, let us get to know a brief account of his life, as we can learn about modern Indian history condensed in it.

Geronimo was born in 1829 near the Gila River, in present-day Mexico. His original Indian name was Goyathlay (or Goyaałé), which translates to "the yawning one."

Originally, he practiced healing, but his name has been preserved for the decades-long fight against Mexico and the United States seeking to occupy Apache tribal territories.

Members of his tribe and followers attributed special spiritual abilities to him, such as telepathy, moving without a trace, or being bulletproof. (For historical accuracy, it should be noted that he was hit several times, but he successfully recovered from his injuries every time.)

During one of their attacks, Mexican troops killed his first wife (later, he had several more, sometimes multiple at once), as well as his children and mother.

When leading his troops against the Mexican forces in retaliation, he received the name "Geronimo." The soldiers prayed to Saint Jerome, saying "Jeronimo!" when they saw the Apache warrior charging at them with a single knife amidst their barrage of bullets.

He was captured several times later but managed to escape each time, further enhancing his reputation.

Geronimo and his forces were the last independent Indian warriors who refused to let the United States claim the occupied territories of the American West.

He died in captivity in 1909 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from pneumonia.

His wisdom and striving for good are evident in his ability to find value in the conquerors' religion and speak approvingly of Christianity, as well as practice forgiveness despite the enormous injustices committed against his people.

(photo: Internet)