Home		Isuna Nika		The TRS Video		Meet Randall Brown

My Native American History

My interest in the Native warrior/scout arts began over thirty years ago after learning that I was of mixed Scottish, Irish, Apache and Cherokee lineage. On my father's side, my great grandmother's great grandmother was full blooded Cherokee. On my mother's side we have been told that there is Apache and Cherokee bloodlines, but we are still researching to see to
what degree. I expect that it is something like my father's side. Like many other people I have spoken to, I began to research Native fighting arts only to discover that very little information existed on the subject in any form. At best one might find sketchy explanations of a battle, warrior or tribal practice recorded by a historian lacking in a student's hunger for detail.

When I was a teenager and living in Florida, I began learning the hunting, fishing, and survival methods of the Seminole tribe under the tutelage of Charles "Old Turtle" Petis. This lasted for approximately three to three and a half years. Knowing my interest in the old native fighting arts, Charles introduced me to his old friend John Masur a Cherokee visiting from North Carolina. John held a similar interest in the old fighting arts and shared with me some of what he knew about the fighting arts of the Eastern Woodland Natives. My relationship with John lasted for several years and consisted mostly of phone calls and infrequent visits. This was a wonderful experience but left me hungering for more.

When I was twenty-seven I moved West where a friend introduced me to a Canadian born Comanche native who often wintered in Colorado. This man, affectionately known as Wind Painter was to become the primary force in my quest for knowledge (of native fighting skills) for the better part of the next decade. Members of his family had taught Wind Painter the old ways, coming first through his grandmother and then through a male relative.

When we met I literally begged him to teach me what he knew, but he refused thinking that I was too ill tempered and disrespectful towards nature. Although at that time I disagreed with his observation, in looking back I can see that he was correct and that I needed to change. Eventually he got to know me better and slowly helped me to change my views on nature and would answer some of my questions about the warfare and fighting methods of the Plain's Scout.

Learning from Wind painter wasn't at all what I thought it would be. He explained that most tribes wanted peace - not war, and that they often devised elaborate methods for counting coup to keep from having to kill their enemies. He talked about knowing the personality of the land and getting it to reveal its secrets. He talked with great reverence about the past and the people hiding their old ways from their oppressors. We even argued from time to time about various methods of torture employed by some tribes, and how that fit into being keepers of the land and revering all life.

I had to become something of an anthropologist, uncovering much of what I wanted to know from stories, dances and hunting methods. Wind Painter would demonstrate certain moves, but mostly would impart stories of warfare and the deeds of great warriors in surprising detail, whereupon we (a training partner and myself) would then try to copy each move he had described until we were doing them to his satisfaction. This was very frustrating and time consuming. If a technique looked like it had been influenced in any way by one of the other martial arts we had practiced, Wind Painter would shake his head in disapproval and refuse to discuss the matter any further until we had corrected our mistakes. Of course we knew that we were doing this, but at first it seemed harmless and actually made sense to us. With time and encouragement we came to understand how very important it was to retain the integrity of his teachings by not altering or mixing them with outside influences. His teachings had imparted to us a different body language, one I could never have understood before.

The training was very difficult and stressed courage and fitness above all else. We were taught games that ranged from throwing and dodging arrows to sparring with sticks (one end was a burning ember). We swam against river currents and ran long distances with mouths full of water. We learned to bite, choke, break bones, wrestle, strike and fight with knives, spears, war clubs, shields, bows & arrows, war axe and leather ropes.

We had to learn to prepare for the warpath, to capture enemies, to be Scouts, to survive off of the land and find our way at night, to hide, to ride ponies, to speak a warrior language when applicable, and to understand strategy. We were encouraged to move like animals, to track by sight and feel. We were also taught about Puha (medicine ways) and military honors (counting coup and raids). As a form of ranking, we were given tasks that tested our skills on increasingly difficult levels.

From time to time Wind painter would introduce me to friends of his where upon I would give them tobacco or a gift in order to question them (when appropriate) about their tribal warrior methods. A few were willing to discuss and sometimes demonstrate the methods that had been handed down to them in one form or another. Eventually a picture unfolded of a complete and noble warrior method that I have continued to practice for close to two decades.

Over the years I have trained in many martial arts from around the world. In quiet times when I had no Native teachers I would seek out the most exotic and obscure disciplines available to me. Some were very dangerous and others were simply ridiculous. Today I seldom practice or teach any of these arts, as I find them lacking in the sense of nature and pleasure that I derive from the Native arts. I have also gone to great pains to insure that the Native arts were never mixed with any other disciplines just as Wind Painter wanted.

I have no illusions concerning being a Native Scout or a Medicine Man. I am neither. I simply practice the old ways as Wind Painter taught them and enjoy what they bring into my life. It is understood by those who know me that I simply abhor teaching and gladly relinquish this duty to those better suited to it than I am - whenever circumstances permit.

Randall Brown