Western Apache fiddle and bow; tseenvealkskjùh (TK); agave, resin (probably pine pitch), wood, horsehair, sinew, paints; fiddle: l. 23 cm, d. 5 cm; bow: l. 36.5 cm; ca. 1880.<BR> The Apache fiddle or violin is unique in that it is the only stringed musical instrument in Native North America (McAllester 1961:11). Apache fiddles or violins (also transcribed as tsii edo átli, McAllester 1956) were generally made of short segments of dry agave (mescal) flower-stalk, and had one string, or sometimes two; considerably larger, two-string examples were made in the 1920s and 1930s primarily to sell to outsiders (Ferg 1981). Bourke (1886:opp. p. 49) illustrates a small fiddle with three strings, but no example like it is known. Fiddles were played by men for their own entertainment or for a group of friends, and melodies based on tulpai songs constitute the main repertory (McAllester 1961:11). Hrdlicka's (1908:52) allusion to a ceremonial use is, so far, unique. Ten Kate wrote that when a fiddle is "being played, it is placed on the left near the chest at stomach level, and with the small bow-shaped fiddle stick a number of scratchy sounds are coaxed from it. It is possible that originally the fiddle was not a musical instrument of the Apaches but came from the Mexicans." Ten Kate's inference is probably impossible to prove, but does appear probable based upon research on Apache and Seri fiddles by Dittemore (1978:8), who suggests the mid-1800s as the most likely date of introduction.<BR> The fiddle collected by Ten Kate was made by splitting the stalk segment, incompletely removing the soft pith, and securing the halves with sinew ties seated in grooves at each end. The string and wooden pegs that would have anchored it are missing. There are numerous small, round, sound holes burned through probably using a heated wire or awl. The decoration consists of incised lines filled with red and black paint. It is uncertain what the hourglass-shaped designs represent; they recall the shape of an unmarried girl's hair ornament among the Western and Chiricahua Apaches. The bow is a bent twig, painted red, with long hair from the tail of a horse secured with sinew (cf. Densmore 1927:98, plate 45; Thompson 1977:213-214; Ferg 1987:162-163). Ten Kate acquired this specimen in June/July 1883 at San Carlos, Arizona.<BR> Freed from subsistence activities because of the distribution of rations, the Apaches spent much of their time on games and dancing, and every day they seemed to engage in games and sports, while in the evening ceremonial and social dances took place. Ten Kate observed one of their favorite games called nazjozj or nazjoozj that was played for hours on end. He described it as follows: "… two men play at the same time, continually changing places. With big, slow steps, each one holding a long wooden pole in both hands, they go part way along a track across which rolls a ring tossed by one of them. This ring is evidently made of rope and is twisted together in such a way that the surface forms, so to speak, a number of joints. Suddenly the players extend their bodies forward and, with a forceful lunge, thrust the sticks next to each other across the sandy course after the ring, halting their running at the very moment the ring topples over. Now one of the players takes a blade of grass or a thin twig and counts the number of transverse joints of the ring with regard to the position of the poles, which have to fall over the ring. Depending on how the counting turns out, one of the players gets another turn or is replaced by another person. I usually saw them gambling with rifle cartridges, which lay in a small pile in the sand. There was always a large number of spectators present, both on foot as well as on horseback."<BR> The Apaches also indulged in playing cards, using cards of Mexican manufacture. However, in former days they made facsimiles of western playing cards or inspired imitations on rawhide. Ten Kate managed to obtain one of these, but only with difficulty as these were no longer in use at that time.<BR> During the dances Ten Kate observed the Indians drumming, shaking rattles, and playing flutes, but he was not very much impressed with their musical talents. However, he became interested in what he regarded as a curiosity, an Indian fiddle, played by men. It was made of a piece of agave stalk that was strung with horsehair, and played with a bow. He acquired one for his collection and had Duhem take a photograph of an Apache man playing it.<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>