Geronimo [View All]

[H2O Man]

There has been some discussion, including on this forum, about the application of the name of the Apache leader Geronimo, to the operation to kill Usama bin Laden. The opposition to the use of “Geronimo” should not be confused as opposition to the military operation itself. When we start at that point, some of the defensive “some people will complain about anything” becomes unnecessary.

First, let's consider who Geronimo was. Born in 1829, he was a Chiricahua Apache. His original name was “Goyaale,” which translates as “he who yawns.” This was the name he wore as a child and youth.

In 1858, in a conflict with Mexican soldiers, a number of his family members were killed. As a result, Geronimo began to be involved in “raiding,” a form of conflict that tribal societies engage in, which is generally on a scale less than true warfare. That does not imply that the victims of raiding are either less dead, or the survivors are less traumatized. It was during this phase of life that he became known as “Geronimo,” although the actual point in time and/or reason are unknown. Thus, those who claim to know the story behind this, including its meaning, are at very best bluffing.

In time, Geronimo and his people became involved in conflict with the United States, as well as with Mexico. Eventually, about one-quarter of the US military was engaged in the search for Geronimo in the hostile climate of the American southwest.

During this time, Geronimo was leading a tiny group of about 35 to 40 people. However, the US military was unable to catch him. The US offered large rewards to any Indian, Apache or otherwise, who would betray Geronimo's whereabouts. Those who talked, didn't know where he was; and those who knew, didn't talk. The reason they didn't talk was because Geronimo was considered to be a “holy warrior.”

The closest the military came to capturing Geronimo came in the Robledo Mountains. The US military chased Geronimo and his tiny band into a cave. Then they waited for him to come out. Then waited some more. Finally, there were reports that Geronimo and his band were seen elsewhere. Exactly how he escaped remains something of a mystery, as the other entrance/exit to the cave was never located.

Geronimo eventually surrendered in 1886. He would die in 1909, and, as many people are aware, his grave would be desecrated by a “club” known as the “Skull & Bones Society.” His skull was taken as a trophy by a group led by Prescott Bush.

Has the name “Geronimo” been used in other contexts, including Bugs Bunny cartoons? Certainly. However, any rational person familiar with the US military's effort to capture Geronimo can see why reality, rather than Bugs Bunny, played a role in the naming of the operation to capture/kill bin Laden.

I would also like to comment, briefly, on some of the offensive reactions to Tadodaho Sidney Hill's releasing a statement about this controversy. There is some confusion about why an Onondaga who serves as the “chief among chiefs” of the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy) would voice an opinion about an issue involving an Apache leader.

The Onondaga Nation serve as the “Fire Keepers” for traditional Native Americans today. The leaders from traditional tribes and nations in both the United States and Canada frequently come to Onondaga to conduct business important to all traditional people. More, Native People from Mexico, Central America, and South America come to Onondaga for the same reasons. The September, 1987 edition of National Geographic provides ample documentation on this.

Those who are unfamiliar with this long-standing reality are in no position to babble about “their Apache friends,” and other such nonsense. This includes the “it's time for them to be Americans” baloney. Both the Apache and the Onondaga have high rates of volunteering for the US military. It's time for the US, including the military, to respect Native Americans, including religious-military leaders such as Geronimo.