History of Apache Rawhide Playing Cards

The Origin of Apache Rawhide Playing Cards

When Europeans arrived in the New World, they came bearing packs of paper playing cards. In what is now northwestern Mexico and the American Southwest, on the frontier that would become the "Southern Four Corners" of Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora, and Chihuahua, Indian tribes in contact with Spaniards had access to printed paper cards at least as early as 1581.

...a party of six [Apache scouts] was playing fiercely at the Mexican game of "monte," the cards employed being of native manufacture, of horsehide, covered with barbarous figures, and well worthy of a place in any museum.

John G. Bourke, April 1883,
near Dos Cabezas, Arizona

Chiricahuas and Western Apaches quickly adopted playing cards into their cultures and made them their own, inventing new games and new tales of how they learned of cards from the culture hero Naiyenezgani (Slayer of Monsters). But by about 1830, after Mexico had gained its independence from Spain, and renewed hostilities stifled trade, Chiricahuas and Western Apaches began making their own cards. Hand-painted on horsehide rectangles, these cards combined Spanish and Mexican designs with traditional Apache motifs to create a unique folk-art genre of playing cards. Designs were initially careful renditions of Spanish forty-card decks. But as artist copied artist, the designs began to drift from the Spanish templates, and exhibit more and more native designs and attributes. Eventually, the suit symbols on Apache rawhide cards became largely unrecognizable as the Spanish Coins, Cups, Clubs, and Swords from which they derived, and the human figures on the cards were depicted in an essentially traditional Apache style, as painted on ceremonial hides, weapons, and clothing, and in rock art.

By about 1900, Western Apaches once again had access to printed paper cards from Mexico, and only an occasional rawhide pack was painted to sell to outsiders. Probably the most recent rawhide cards made by Apaches for their own use were made by Chiricahua Apache fugitives in northern Mexico, who are know to have possessed such cards at least as late as 1932.


		PLAYING CARDS OF THE APACHES
About the Book Lost, Missing and Stolen Cards Buy the Book Screenfold Press		The Origin of Apache Rawhide Playing Cards When Europeans arrived in the New World, they came bearing packs of paper playing cards. In what is now northwestern Mexico and the American Southwest, on the frontier that would become the "Southern Four Corners" of Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora, and Chihuahua, Indian tribes in contact with Spaniards had access to printed paper cards at least as early as 1581. ...a party of six [Apache scouts] was playing fiercely at the Mexican game of "monte," the cards employed being of native manufacture, of horsehide, covered with barbarous figures, and well worthy of a place in any museum. John G. Bourke, April 1883, near Dos Cabezas, Arizona Chiricahuas and Western Apaches quickly adopted playing cards into their cultures and made them their own, inventing new games and new tales of how they learned of cards from the culture hero Naiyenezgani (Slayer of Monsters). But by about 1830, after Mexico had gained its independence from Spain, and renewed hostilities stifled trade, Chiricahuas and Western Apaches began making their own cards. Hand-painted on horsehide rectangles, these cards combined Spanish and Mexican designs with traditional Apache motifs to create a unique folk-art genre of playing cards. Designs were initially careful renditions of Spanish forty-card decks. But as artist copied artist, the designs began to drift from the Spanish templates, and exhibit more and more native designs and attributes. Eventually, the suit symbols on Apache rawhide cards became largely unrecognizable as the Spanish Coins, Cups, Clubs, and Swords from which they derived, and the human figures on the cards were depicted in an essentially traditional Apache style, as painted on ceremonial hides, weapons, and clothing, and in rock art. By about 1900, Western Apaches once again had access to printed paper cards from Mexico, and only an occasional rawhide pack was painted to sell to outsiders. Probably the most recent rawhide cards made by Apaches for their own use were made by Chiricahua Apache fugitives in northern Mexico, who are know to have possessed such cards at least as late as 1932.
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PLAYING CARDS OF THE APACHES

The Origin of Apache Rawhide Playing Cards