The Apache people primarily lived in the South West of the United States. They made their home in the states now known as Arizona, New Mexico, and Western and Southern Texas. There was also a small tribe of the Apache that lived in Oklahoma. The name Apache actually means people, but a very large American propaganda campaign explained that this term also meant “Enemy”. These people were hunters and gatherers, they did not farm for their food in any way shape or form. Because of this hunting, especially since often times they were hunting buffalo on foot, their weapons were very important to them.
The most important weapon the Apache had was the Bow and Arrow. They made these bows from Mulberry, Oak, or maple. These bows were normally 3 to 4 feet long, with the power to kill a Buffalo in one shot. They understood the technology of the Bow to such an extent, that their Bows took over 10 days to create. They would cut it, form it, die it, dry it, and let it bake and “cure” for 8 to 10 days. The strings were often Buffalo skins or internal structures such as the gut.
The Apache arrow was about 2 feet long and made out of the hard woods Oak or Mulberry or Buffalo bone. It was fortified with an arrow head of strong flint was secured by both a notch and a rope of buffalo hide. They would use the feathers of the eagle or the hawk for the Arrow “flights”. Because of the power of the bow, strength of the arrow shaft, and the strength of the arrowhead; these arrows could pierce most anything.
The Apache shields could be used to attack just as well as defend. These approximately four foot shields could take the full force of an arrow, and there were many stories of Apache’s deflecting bullets with these beautiful decorated items. The shields were made from the thickest and strongest part of the buffalo, the neck, and could deflect an arrow with no thought of the beast itself. The hide and muscles was kept intact. They were stretched and dried to make them as solid as possible. They were then painted with sacred personal symbols and mystical objects that were specific to the warrior and his beliefs.
In addition to these traditional weapons, the Apache also used knives they would create from flint and buffalo bone. But not only that, they would also find and pilfer knives from the Europeans that would trade and travel through their territory. The Apache also were some of the few tribes that immediately saw the benefit of the Europeans guns, and took as many of these as they could. Because the weapon was so new to them, they preferred their more accurate and more deadly bow and arrow. However, the gun was a normal piece in the Apache repertoire of weapons as the years continued.
Tags: Apache arrow, Apache bow, Apache Shield, Apache Weapons, Traditional Weapons Apache —