(As told by Ada Rope Jordan and Irene Rope Rustin, daughters of John Rope, famous Army scout and spiritual leader)

Last in a series of four

Weeks passed before our men returned from their trip into Mexico (to our camp near present-day Cedar Creek). Again, our women folk prepared food for another social gathering in celebration of the warriors’ safe return.

The community of Bylas was named after Chief Bylas who (with his family) was ambushed and killed by Victorio and his men near present-day Eagle Creek on the San Carlos Apache reservation. Bylas was a spiritual leader and sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contributed photo

These warriors traded such things as medicine plants, mescal, deer/elk hides, antlers and baskets for bullets, tarps and clothing. They also raided for horses and mules, but the favorite trading goods were Mexican playing cards (still being played in present-day Bylas by the older folks).

The men told us of their trip and how they made fun of each other (of their mishaps) while on their journey into Mexico. We were told that on the next expedition several of the young boys (including John Rope and Mickey Free) would be taken along and that our fathers should prepare us physically and spiritually in the coming months.

The young boys were not taken on these long expeditions until they grew the proper muscles necessary to travel long distances and until all proper ceremonies were done for them. Our fathers and uncles were usually at our side throughout our spiritual preparations, which were conducted by a medicine man with war power (warrior society).

The medicine man and his group of helpers (understudies) would set up camp for the ceremony. We were taken to a place south of present-day Canyon Day, and these ceremonies were not done around women and children.

We had a ceremony for each young boy with a bat (Cha Bonaa). Each boy was prayed for with a bat and talked to by a selected elder warrior, who would become his mentor and second father (and one of many uncles).

We were told stories of our creation from Usen (Creator) and the spiritual language of prayer and songs from the holy people who came with the creation of Earth Mother (Na go suan). We were taught on the formation of the stars and all their names. The moon and stars were our guides and protectors at night (while night traveling or when we slept).

A pouch war charm was prepared by our mothers, and our fathers provided a feather and blue stone for the medicine man to bless. The medicine man filled our pouches with sacred corn pollen (ha dndin), and we were to wear the pouches around our necks (for protection and guidance) from here on until our safe return home.

During the last night of our warrior ceremony, we were sent separately into the nearby hills to make peace with Usen. The medicine man told us that before we were sent into our bodies, our spirit was given a purpose by Usen to live a life of responsibilities.

We were taught that all creations of Usen had a purpose and that we’re all interrelated with the animals, birds, plants, rivers, mountains, stars, moon, sun, etc. We were to use all these relations (physical elements) in our lives on Earth Mother for physical survival and spiritual guidance.

The young boys (including girls) were taught to seek their purpose in life starting at puberty. We were told that if Usen saw it in you, He would prepare a life for you to become a healer, a medicine man, a warrior or a leader to provide care, protection or guidance for your people.

When we would return from hunting, warfare or trading expeditions, the sacred prayer of our pouches (ha dndin) was undone so we would not bring harm to our families.

We were camping near the Black River when word came that there were white men setting up camp (Camp Goodwin in 1864) near the Gila River, just south of our traveling and spiritual camping area (present-day Calva).

Our camping area (Dewey Flats) just under Turnbull Mountain was our favorite place to camp when traveling to gather mescal and other medicine plants. It was here that we would have our spiritual ceremonies when traveling the lower desert regions.

The white men we came upon building their camp near the river wore blue jackets and pants, white shirts and long, black boots. An eastern White Mountain chief was there already talking with them when my father and his men arrive to see who these people were.

As a sign of good goodwill these men killed some cows for us and presented blankets and jackets to our chiefs (my father and chief Diablo). Their cooks also provided our womenfolk with beans and flour (and showed them how to prepare them).

Since our women folk didn’t have proper cookingware, they just threw the flour dough unto the fire coals and once cooked, they would take it out, brush off the coals, and we would eat the bread (presently known as donkey bread).

Community of Bylas

The community of Bylas was named after Chief Bylas, an Eastern White Mountain Apache and a well respected Apache scout and spiritual leader, who (with his family) was ambushed and killed by Victorio and his men near Eagle Creek.

As a young man, John Rope, Chief Bylas, David Longstreet, and others such as Mrs. Andrew Stanley, Anna Price (daughter of Chief Diablo), George Buck, Palmer Valor and Nancy Wright, choose to stay in present day Bylas with their families (band) after the White Mountain Apaches were granted to return to their original homelands of the White Mountains (after being forced unto the San Carlos agency).

This was in pursuance of the U.S. government policy of centralizing all Apaches in Arizona at San Carlos agency regardless of where they had lived before 1875.

The U.S. agency in San Carlos granted the Western and Eastern White Mountain Apaches to settle in Dewey Flats, then Calva and into Bylas, where they enlisted in the U.S. Army, raised their families, farmed and practiced their traditional and spiritual way of life.

The Bylas Apaches continued to live in peace, and many men and young boys enlisted for scout duties for the U.S. Army. They farmed the Gila River, hunted the northern and western mountains and continued to practice their Apache spirituality.

Their healing and sacred ceremonies included the Gaan ceremony, Holy Ground ceremony, Warrior Society ceremony, Horse medicine, Changing Woman ceremony and a few secretive ceremonies (secret societies known only to their faithful followers).

Following are the other names of people who were early settlers or were descendents of early settlers of Bylas who worked with noted author Grenville Goodwin in the 1930s: George Buck, Richard Bylas, Neil Buck, Charley Sago, George Gray, Gila Moses, Joseph Newton, John Roberson, Emory Starr, Palmer Valor, Fred Wesley, Francis Drake, Mrs. Jewitt Wright and John Sippi.

John Rope (Western White Mountain Apache), famous Army scout, interpreter and spiritual leader, was laid to rest in the 1940s in Bylas and was the first Apache scout to receive a medal of honor and to be buried with full United States military honors (by the U.S. Army scouts from Ft. Huachuca).

Many of his descendents still reside in Bylas, and many of them are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces while others have held the chairmanship and tribal council positions of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.