Geronimo. c. 1900 by Henry Cross 1837-1918
Today I will feature the subject of the painting instead of the artist because Geronimo was such a controversial figure and symbol of the American West and its history.
"Geronimo, the Apache chief, surrendered for the final time on September 4th, 1886, effectively ending the Indian Wars fought on various fronts throughout the Southwest over the previous half-century. With his fugitive band reduced to eighteen warriors, and with 5,000 soldiers pursuing them across the mountains of Arizona and Mexico, Geronimo saw no option. He accepted his fate. This is what he wrote in his autobiography."
"After I fought and lost and after I traveled over the country in which the white man lives and saw his cities and the work he had done, my heart was ready to burst. I knew that the race of the Indian was run. . . .The sun rises and shines for a time, and then it goes down, sinking out of sight and is lost. So it will be with the Indians."*
*From Barnes and Noble Desk Diary, 2015. Barnes & Noble, New York.
My class of 10 year olds over here in the U.K. researched Geronimo as part of their topic on Native Americans and then wrote poetry based on his life - the undoubted feelings they had got from him were ones of strength, never giving up on what you believe and fighting for what is just - I think he would be proud of the legacy he inspired in others. Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace
ReplyDeleteI hope that he realized that he did leave a legacy. I did not realize until I saw the You Tube video that in the beginning the Apaches were a peaceful nomadic people, mindful of the environment, family centered. That all changed with the Westward expansion. His wife and three daughters were killed and from then on it was different. I would love to read some of your student's poetry. Would that be possible through email?
ReplyDeleteGeronimo's story was sad, but the course of the American Indian was inevitable in the face of what I guess we would consider to be progress.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
I suppose it was inevitable but the aftermath, the reservations, the boarding school for the Indian kids who were not allowed to speak their language, etc. perhaps could have been handled differently.
DeleteDefinitely could have been handled differently as many thing in retrospect. Slavery for example? Minds of many must have been in different places back then, but even in our enlightened times many mistakes are being made that future generations will probably look back on and shake their heads in wonderment.
DeleteArlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
I think those future generations will shake their head in wonder. And one of my favorite quotes, "The fault dear Brutus, is not in the stars, but in ourselves" -- our prejudices, our shortsightedness, greed and ego, all of it. Thanks for your comments, Arlee.
DeleteI have seen the monument erected in commemoration of Geronimo's surrender in Skeleton Canyon. The monument is along a roadside, and the actual surrender site is on nearby private property.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it is the end of an era.
DeleteSo sad what happened in the American West.
ReplyDeleteBut good things happened also. National Parks were created because of the paintings, people felt open land should be for all. Tune in tomorrow. Thanks, JoJo.
ReplyDeleteIt is one of the shameful things the North Americans did to the indigenous peoples.Taking them from the land they had settled and displacing them. My hubs has First Nations ancestry and it seems the native peoples here get treated slightly better, although they were shuffled onto reservations as well. BTW, I was born American, so I think I have the right to grump about it. Excellent G choice, loverofwords!
ReplyDeleteThank you, D.G. What is interesting is that the Native Americans here are patriotic to the extent that many join the military. The tribes are very proud of them. The reasoning is that they are protecting their country. Many of them served in Iraq and Afghanistan and some have come back with PTSS. But by using some of the Native American customs, like the sweat lodge and other ceremonies, they are helped. I like the "First Nation" designation much better than ours.
DeleteI think what the white man did to the Indians was a tragedy in itself. What an interesting face. Once again, not a bit how I imagined Geronimo.
ReplyDeleteGeronimo lived for 20 more years but as a prisoner in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He begged to be released to go home, but died there. Geronimo was allowed some freedom and was able to go to the small town nearby where he sold his signature and belongings to make some money and actually went to Washington as part of Teddy Roosevelt's inaugural, but it was a sad end for a proud man. He is buried at Fort.Sill.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to read what he wrote. It always breaks my heart when natives are driven away from their land. This is something that my aunt and I fought so hard for the rights of indigenous people in our island. Usually they are the ones who pay the highest price for industrialization to take place.
ReplyDeleteHi Nat - I must come back and watch the video .. Geronimo is a name well known - but I know little of his background .. except any nation state change is not for the good ... but it always happens - each peoles - the Normans, the Vikings, the Romans, etc etc ..
ReplyDelete"The sun rises and shines for a time, and then it goes down, sinking out of sight ..." - but now we can record, and find out .. and trace ... so his time is lost, yet at least we can appreciate a little more ..
Cheers - great G .. and I'm glad you featured him ... though Cross' painting is a delight to see .. Hilary
The more I learn about this period in American History, the more I am saddened by some of the events. The good, the bad and the ugly. Thanks Hilary.
ReplyDelete