When Josh rides in to the Apache camp you can see what appears to be a swastika on one of the tents. I know many cultures for many years have used this symbol, but I had no idea the Apache's used it.
shareI noticed it as well.
The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
s, they did.
shares, they did.
shareYes, they did.
shareWas it clockwise or counterclockwise? The Nazi version has its arms pointing clockwise.
shareMany different cultures used clockwise and/or counterclockwise swastikas and similar symbols.
There are some threads asking about Indians using swastikas in various movies.
https://moviechat.org/tt0048204/The-Indian-Fighter/58c721fe5ec57f0478eb7418/Why-does-one-of-the-indians-have-a-swastika-on-his-shield
https://moviechat.org/tt0043137/Winchester-73/58c704c74e1cf308b935f1a4/Swastika-Shown-in-the-Movie
So perhaps bobk77 should have asked about the tent the swastika was on. If the tent was a conical Tipi and the Indians were supposed to be the main Apaches that everyone knows from most westerns that is a problem. The Apaches lived to the southwest of the plains and didn't live like plains Indians so they didn't make tipis.
Long before the fictional dates of most westerns, there were many plains Apaches who lived on the southern plains, and maybe some plains Apaches lived in tipis. But during the 18th century (the 1700s) tribes from the east armed with French guns attacked the Plains Apaches, and the Comanches invaded from the north.
This resulted in pretty much the genocide of the Plains Apaches. Among the few survivors of them were the Lipan Apaches. Another group, the Kiowa Apache, allied with the Kiowas. Eventually the Kiowas and the Kiowa Apache allied with the Comanche before the time of the Indian wars of the 19th century.
So the only Apaches that I know used tipis were the Kiowa Apaches, though maybe some other groups might have.
Most movies also show Apaches living in wickiups, though some show them using tipis.
Thanks for sharing those interesting tidbits. Natives in general never get their fair share in historical contribution due to all the conflicts that ensued between them the last hundreds of years, that encroached on their history. Plus, it's harder to document things with a lot of them having to be nomadic most of the time, following seasonal hunting prey.
Hope I don't make you feel old saying this but this is one of my dad's favorite shows when he was growing up. It's a good series with un-romanticized western realism.
And I just accidentally stumbled upon this description of the movie Thunderbirds (1952):
An Oklahoma National Guard unit, comprised mainly of Native Americans, is called up for duty at the start of World War II.
share
Chief Whitedeer: [looking at the new division arm patch] Thunderbird, bringer of rain. It is new. Why you change it?
Cpl. Ralph Mogay: I have the old one.
[close-up of Mogay holding the old swastika patch the division had used before]
Cpl. Ralph Mogay: Hitler took our sign.
Chief Whitedeer: Hitler? Oh, the crazy man. You take it back, son.
Cpl. Ralph Mogay: Maybe we will, soon.
There's a really great "History Detectives" story from PBS that is similar to what you describe. I'll post back when I find more info on it. I really appreciate all your Western material. It's highly organized.
~~/o/
History Detectives (PBS); season 7, episode 4; "Navajo Rug" (19 minutes):
https://www.pbs.org/video/history-detectives-navajo-rug/
Extended interview with Johnson Dennison, a Navajo medicine man (4 minutes):
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/video/1496319965/
According to Mr. Dennison, most of the traditional Navajo weavers are women who are looking to find ways for an income without bringing disgrace to their culture or commoditizing their values by diluting it as a product of commercialism.
In the film "Windtalkers" (2002), the Navajo language is completely oral and has no written alphabet, so storytelling is very important and it's imperative for it to not fall victim to the telephone effect, or else risk losing context over time without the support of identity while addressing cultural fluidity.
Additional info on the symbol and its meanings from the Navajo Times:
https://www.navajotimes.com/entertainment/2009/0709/070909rug.php
The warrior depicted is considered to be a "Protector of [from] the North", his lightning bolts (swatiskas) extend outward from the palms of his hands. This is someone who has traveled far and has seen a lot, bringing knowledge and wisdom, a true essence of strength to the Navajo people.
~~/o/