Tu-vá-dis-chí-ni

The Child of the Water, brought forth when the sun shone on the west part of the earth. When he was born he had not the appearance of a man, but Iltchí-dishísh, Black Wind, gave him all his parts — eyes, ears, nose, hair, etc. The Sun ordered Iltchí-dishísh to split open the head and fingers of Tu-vá-dis-chí-ni, and from these wounds sprang all the nations of the earth.

The Sun then ordered to prepare weapons for Tu-vá-dis-chí-ni, and he was given a bow and arrows, but they were no good, so the Sun and Black Wind tipped his arrows with black glass (dolguíni, obsidian). Then there came out a stag (Pi-nal-té, the elk) and Bû (the owl), and Kâ-chu (the Jack-rabbit), and Tu-vá-dis-chí-ni killed them all.

The Sun provided all kinds of birds, every moving thing, such as snakes, rabbits, hares, deer, etc., and sent Tu-vá-dis-chí-ni to put all these on earth. Tu-vá-dis-chí-ni also placed in proper position all the fruits and other foods and materials for the Apache. He taught them how to make houses, and ollas (pots) of mud in which to bake them.

References

Source

  • Bourke, John G. (1890). "Notes on Apache Mythology. "JAF 3:209-212, pp. 210-211