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good relationship with the people of the tribe and especially to himself. John Cooper responds him politely and tells him that he will bring more meat for the
village and to maintain the friendships he has built with them. It indeed strengthens their relationships and John Cooper has once again successfully built
social relationship with the Dakota Sioux. Unfortunately, the social relationship between John Cooper and the
Dakota Sioux must tragically end. It is due to the fact that John Cooper unwillingly has killed Ikinitse, the son of the Dakota Sioux shaman. The shaman
urges Weshmatigo as the tribal chief to send a war party to chase John Cooper and his dog. The people consider that John Cooper is a traitor who has betrayed their
trust by killing the one they respect. Thus, they mean to pursue him and punish him for what he has done.
4.3.3.4 The Jicarilla Apache
John Cooper’s social relationship with the Jicarilla Apache begins after the battle against Sanimito and the other Dakota Sioux braves is over. Kinotatay and
the other Jicarilla Apache braves come to him and intend to take him to their chief. In the middle of their way, seeing that a young Indian boy is horribly crying
on the racing horse towards him, John Cooper takes a considerable action to save him from. The Jicarilla Apache chieftain thanks him by making him his blood
brother pp. 313-328. Henceforth, John Cooper begins his relationships with the Jicarilla Apache until he meets Carlos de Escobar, who then introduces him to the
new life he seeks.
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The blood-brother bestowal indeed exclaims John Cooper’s existence among the Jicarilla Apache as a part of them, though he is a wasichu. The people
of Jicarilla Apache respect him as the way they do to the brother of their chief. Kinotatay translates the speech of Weshmatigo to John Cooper. He says, “‘Our
chief welcomes you. You shall hunt for game and sit at our campfires…this night you will with our chief and our braves and learn our ways’” p. 318. Through this
ritual of mingling the blood of John Cooper and Weshmatigo, a specific honor as the Jicarilla Apache call him El Halcón—the Hawk—is a true credence for his
swiftness in defeating the enemies and in saving the son of Weshmatigo, Pestanari p. 324. In other words, John Cooper is respected by the Jicarilla Apache for
certain reasons; the first is that he has the blood brother with Weshmatigo, the second is that he has proven his considerable prowess in adapting the way the
Indians live and the last is that he has the straightness in his words and in his good demeanors.
John Cooper has in some occasions joined the hunting games of the Jicarilla Apache’s social tradition. Kinotatay, his peer mate, often accompanies
him in the hunts and he also teaches him some skills about hunting and making traps. Realizing that the Jicarilla Apache, like other Indian tribes, are maintaining
communal society, John Cooper eagerly shares his hunted animal to the people of the Jicarilla Apache, especially to Weshmatigo, the shaman and Kinotatay, as his
appreciation of the acceptance and friendships. The way that John Cooper does emphasizes the sense of understanding and adapting what others believe, conduct
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and what has been established for long time in the society. This obviously makes John Cooper respected even higher.
The Jicarilla Apache has once held a sport of warrior where the braves must prove their prowess in arching, throwing javelin, shooting, steering the horse
while targeting an object and physical endurance tests. “One of the games was for a warrior to ride his mustang at a full gallop and, with the point of his lance, pick
up a small gourd and lift it high above his head without dropping it” p. 353. Here the braves are to prove their courage, skills and endurance as the basic
requirements before they can join a war or even to take wives. John Cooper joins this tradition in order to participate himself in the social events that the Jicarilla
Apache Indians have. He has no devious intention as it is merely a kind of social participation among the community.
The social relationship that John Cooper builds with the Jicarilla Apache contributes him a lot of lessons that provides him to learn how to appreciate
others. John Cooper rose to his feet and made the sign of respect for the chief in sign language. “John Cooper rose to his feet and made the sign of respect to the
chief in sign language, ‘But this is a time for feasting and for good friendship, for I wish my amigo to learn, just as I have learned, the kindness and the honesty of
the Jicarilla’” p. 349. His relationship with them reflects the realization of his own perception about the Indians that they are appreciative and kind.
4.3.4 Catarina de Escobar’s Social Relationship with the Indians
