Geronimo

By the year 1880, all but one of the scattered bands of the Apache nation

had been forced to surrender.

This one band, inspired by their leader Geronimo,

tried to defy the odds and hold out.

But driven by starvation and under the attack of Mexican and American troops,

even they realised they must compromise or die.

In the summer of 1883 they left their hiding place in Mexico

to surrender at the United States border.

It's them all right. What's left of them.

Here.

Have you ever seen Apache before?

No, sir.

Take a good long look and keep facing front.

You might keep your hair.

They seem pretty peaceful now, Captain.

Nothing but a pack of wild and dirty animals.

Don't you forget that, Lieutenant Delahay.

Fall in.

Here's your horse, sir.

Prepare to mount.

Mount!

Company, forward, ho!

Company, halt!

Geronimo, under the terms of this treaty...

I'm not Geronimo. I'm Natchez.

Geronimo sends word he will surrender at sundown. He asks you to wait.

- Why sundown? - Because the treaty says sundown.

- Where is he now? - He has unfinished business.

Oh? What sort of unfinished business?

He's keeping a promise.

Get back.

You have your own horse now, Giantah. You're a man.

- From now on you act like a man. - Yes, Geronimo.

Ride with your shoulders back and your head held proud.

When anyone asks you who you are, say, "I am an Apache" and they won't ask again.

Yes.

It's time.

Do we have to surrender?

They won't change us. I won't let them. I promise you that.

You've got a man for a son, Showshawn.

I wish he were mine.

Company, ho.

Geronimo?

Lieutenant John Delahay, C Company, Third Cavalry.

This is Captain William Maynard.

Geronimo, under the terms of this treaty,

you and your tribe hereby relinquish rights to all lands

except those at San Carlos Reservation, Arizona.

You allow yourselves to be escorted under military supervision

to said reservation,

and once there promise to live peaceably and without conflict.

In recognition of this sacred promise,

the United States government agrees to give you food, shelter

and the aforementioned land,

which will belong to you and your tribe forever.

Signed General George A Crook, Department of Arizona.

Is something wrong?

Where does it say on the paper that we are Apaches?

That's understood. You'll be treated accordingly.

We proceed immediately to San Carlos.

Come in.

Ah-ah-ah. Take off the moccasins, my child.

Fine rich carpeting. Mustn't soil it with the dust of the world.

What is it you want to tell me?

Geronimo's coming?

Get me the Bible, Mother.

- Do you think there'll be trouble? - Trouble? I don't think so.

It'll take more than a child of the devil to beat the Lord.

- Mr Burns. - Captain Maynard.

My name is Jeremiah Burns. I'm in charge here.

Tell your braves to dismount.

We'll hold the ponies in the back corral until we can determine the rightful owners.

- Yes. - Wait.

These ponies belong to my people.

You are wrong, brother.

Those ponies belong to the hard-working settlers you stole them from.

The Lord says what's stolen must be returned.

Then how do we hunt and live?

You won't have to hunt. The government takes care of everything. You will see.

We are children of God here in San Carlos.

We work the ground. You'll have no need of a horse.

- Captain Maynard. - Wait.

Take them away.

I'll go see if the book came in.

My house is right over there. If you have any problems, let me know.

My door's always open for love and understanding.

Sergeant, divide them into three groups.

I'll take the first to Turkey Creek. The others go to Arroyo Seco.

- This way. - All right.

I'll show you where you're quartered.

What about a man's dignity? Does the government take care of that too?

It was the government sent out Mr Burns. Does that answer your question, sir?

We issue rations once a week here. Beef, flour, sugar.

You're getting special treatment today.

Next week you'll have to wait in line, just like the others.

- Geronimo. - Porica.

I remember how it used to be.

Over here.

Hello, Captain. Got me some new customers?

This is Geronimo, Mr Henry. He'll be up at Turkey Creek with Mangus and his tribe.

Welcome to San Carlos.

Each week we issue you sugar, flour and beef.

Teela. When are you going to teach me to read?

Captain, I don't think I need to teach you anything.

May I take the book, please, Mr Henry?

- Is that the new reader? - Yes, it is.

All right, Teela. You go on. I'll mark it down.

Books.

I wouldn't laugh. Books are very good for you. Yes, indeed they are.

Yes, they certainly are. Put out your hand, please.

It'll wash off. It just means you got your ration.

I'm not an animal that has to be branded.

Let him go.

I said let him go.

Don't you ever touch a white man again.

You savvy?

You behave yourself. That's all you have to do. We'll get along fine.

Otherwise I'll lock you in a cage where you belong.

If you issue their rations, I'll get this group on their way.

Maybe he'll learn to read now, like the other children.

Food, shelter, land.

Better than starving in the mountains, Geronimo.

Geronimo?

Geronimo, you coyote!

You son of a coyote, you son of two coyotes!

Mangus!

Oh! Oh!

You look fine. Just fine.

- What are you doing? - I'm growing corn.

See? Here, look. Look at this sprout.

Did you ever see such a sprout? Huh?

Who'd have thought we could grow a sprout like this? But we did.

In my mind's eye I can see this whole field. This high with corn.

- Will you stop talking like a fool? - What?

You're a chief, not a farmer.

Let your woman work in the field.

She's got to take care of the baby.

She can take care of the baby and work too.

Mangus, the people I've seen here aren't Apaches any more.

What have they done to you?

They don't understand us, so we do the best we can.

- At least we stay alive. - Are you alive?

Mangus, what did he say?

What we all said, one year ago.

- Mr Henry would like to see you, sir. - Very well.

Have Lieutenant Swanson double the patrols for the next few nights.

We're closing up for lunch. Sorry.

Come back after lunch. After lunch. Sorry.

- You've heard from Kincaide? - From Mr Kincaide himself.

He's coming to look it over tomorrow.

If there are no problems, it should make us very rich.

- Have you talked to Burns? - I thought maybe you should handle him.

He's no problem.

Speaking of problems, what about Geronimo?

Bad timing.

Geronimo.

I'll have him broken in a couple of days, just like the rest of them.

We have a new boy with us today, Giantah.

Would you please sit next to Mahila, Giantah?

Mangus.

- I heard. - You'll come with us?

Lt'll be like before. You'll starve or they'll kill you.

- We need brave men. - I have a wife and child.

You can bring them.

In a little while my field will be rich with corn.

We'll have money. Maybe that's the answer.

You don't believe that.

No. But my wife, she does.

- That girl out there with the book. - Teela. Do you like her?

- Is she a good cook? - I wouldn't know. Why don't you ask her?

What do you think, Natchez?

Does it matter?

Boys should learn to be warriors, not schoolteachers.

Huh, Mangus?

The big white cat runs and plays.

- Cat. - Cat.

- C... - C.

...A... - A.

...T.

Class is dismissed. Go on.

- Except for you, Giantah. - C-A-T, cat.

Not that. You come and help me get this arrow out of the book.

- When do you leave? - Tonight or tomorrow. The first chance.

Will you change your mind?

But if I can help in any way.

Please come and get your arrow out of my book.

- What? - Your arrow.

You're right. It's a good arrow. It shouldn't be wasted.

You'll get us all in trouble.

It's still good.

- Maybe it's time you learned to read. - I know about cats and dogs.

- That isn't what the book's about. - No?

To learn how to read and to read are not the same.

- My father didn't read. - Maybe if he did they'd respect you more.

I want respect for what I am, not for what they want me to be.

But what you are isn't good enough for them.

When you can read, when you can write,

when you don't smell of fish and horseflesh,

then maybe you will be.

- Who taught you that? - Nobody taught me.