TUMBLE WEED COMES TO TURTLE ISLAND
Apache Knife Fighting & Battle Tactic 9
By Snake
Blocker, Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas
Tumble Weed Comes to
Turtle Island
When the Apaches, land creatures, and sky creatures came up
from Underworld to Turtle Island, they went about and explored the North,
South, East, and West. At that time, all
lands were connected and there was no separation of oceans. They discovered new tree, plants, herbs, and
flowers but they missed their old diet, medicines and color dies. The Apaches went back to Underworld and
gathered seeds from all the vegetation that formed their diet, medicine, and
dies. They brought them up in bags and
baskets to Turtle Island. When they were
finishing gathering the seeds in Underworld, Tumble Weed spoke to the Apaches
and said, take me up to Turtle Island for I am lonely down here in
Underworld. An Apache elder said, we
have no need of you in Turtle Island, for there are many new plants, trees, and
flowers that are much more pleasant to look at.
You offer us no fruits, vegetables, or herbs from your branches or
roots. Your branches are not strong enough for our bows or arrows; you offer no
medicine; you offer no color dies; and you offer no sinew. We have no need for
you on Turtle Island. Tumble Weed was
very smart and asked, “How will you deliver all those seeds throughout Turtle
Island?” The Apache elder said, “We will travel North, South, East, and West and
spread the seeds.” Tumble Weed said,
“You will not be successful for the seeds must be spread out quickly before the
change of seasons or they will die. You
are slow on foot and few in number. You
will never accomplish this in time for proper growth; and next harvest you will
have little to show for such a large tasking.”
The Apache elder thought for several minutes in silence and then asked, “Tumble
Weed you are wise in your speaking, but what would you recommend?” Tumble Weed said, “Take me up to Turtle
Island and I will spread your seeds to the North, South, East, and West.” The Apache elders asked, “How will you do
such a great task?” Tumble Weed said, “I
will gather many seeds at once; then call on Cross Wind to send me North,
South, East, and West. I will spread the seeds as I travel. The seeds will
spread throughout every part of Turtle Island.”
The Apache elder agreed and they took Tumble Weed up to Turtle Island. Tumble Weed would roll his body forwards and
backwards, spreading the seeds as he struck the ground in a Downward Wind
direction or an Upward Wind direction across the land. The next season, the
plants, trees, herbs, and flowers that the Apaches would use for their diet,
their medicine, and their dies were all on Turtle Island. It is said that you can dig deep enough and
find the ancient plants and trees that were left behind and not brought up to
Turtle Island. After a time, the Great
Flood destroyed all of Underworld.
In battle, the Apache warriors use a single or double weapon
attack towards their enemy and rotate in a vertical circular Downward Wind or
Upward Wind motion/angle while alternating the timing of each arm. A right hand strike or block would be
immediately followed by a left hand strike or block and vice versa. The strikes or blocks would continue at fast
speed so it was near impossible for the enemy to defend all the strikes or
blocks. The Apaches call this the Tumble
Weed tactic. The Tumble Weed tactic can
be done with the weapon[s] in a Talon or Sky grip. The weapon[s] can be on a
vertical or horizontal plane. The Tumble Weed tactics work well while running
towards the enemy and striking or in stationary positions.