American Indian: Early Martial Arts History
The Last Living Descendent: Hashtali Adrian Roman
aka Chief Iron Horse 4/4 Choctaw
According to archeologists there is not much known prior to 8,000 B.C. about the origins of American Indian peoples. They do know that the Paleo-Indian period was thought to have begun somewhere between 12,000 and 10,000 B.C. when scientists believe the first people came across the “land bridge” now located at the bottom of the Bering Sea. This was later to be discredited due to a coprolite specimen found in Oregon by the University of Oregon. Credited for the find was archeologist Dennis Jenkins and the specimen was radiocarbon dated to approximately 14,300 B.C. As a modern man I don’t discredit scientist for having found evidence that people did in fact come across the land bridge. However, I don’t feel that they were the first or the origins of American Indian people. We as a culture have stories that not only predate contact but date very important historical events beginning all the way back to creation. What scientists have found to be proven through archeological evidence is that the first recorded people of this continent were the Clovis Point Culture.
The Clovis Point Culture’s first archeological evidence was found near a town Clovis, New Mexico. Most of the indigenous cultures are named after the specific locations where the “first” evidence was found. Most notably, identified for unique projectile points, which encompass atlatl darts, arrow, and spear points. The Clovis people are believed to have lived until about 8,500 B.C. and their origins are really unknown according to archeologist. This is our evidence of the first systematic approaches to survival, home defense as well as, self defense. Clovis Point people were the first of their kind introducing flint knapping techniques such as hafting, bi-facial percussion, and pressure flaking. Hafting is a term that we as knappers use even today that has its roots with this very early people. Hafting describes the technique in which you would flute the stems of your projectile points using a combination of pressure and bi-facial flaking to fasten to a shaft. The Clovis people were not limited to stone tools they also used a variety of raw materials to make tools for specific tasks which clearly shows a “system” in place during the manufacturing. These people manufactured ivory and bone points out of the large game that they hunted such as mammoth, mastodon, and extinct species of bison. This would have been a very hard life traveling North and South following the heard undoubtedly defending your self and families from other bands doing the same. There is many documented evidence of human bone specimens from this time period and others that clearly show warring with each other over hunting grounds similarly to the way we did as late as 200 and 300 years ago. These remains produced atlatl darts embedded in pelvic bones and other regions of the body that gave us a little insight to what life may have been like all those years ago.
After the Clovis peoples, archeological evidence suggests that populations were beginning to grow largely due to the increase in better hunting skills. The next cultures evidence appeared as happening simultaneously were the Plano and Woodland Traditions. They were divided into separate distinctive times due to the differences in manufacturing of tools and goods. This gave way to early trade based economies, where traditions were shared and integrated over these periods. In the east at the end of the Bronze Age, history suggests when China became a super power of trade this is when martial systems dispersed through Asia. I think the same is true for the indigenous people of America and time will tell for sure as we uncover more clues. The Folsom or as some call Lindenmeier Culture lasted only 500 years from about 8,500 – 8,000 B.C. These hunter gatherer warrior’s tool kits consisted of what the Clovis people had, plus smaller thinner blades. Some scientists feel it is easier to haft to spears and atlatls depicting easier hunting practices. I consider this to be true however easier hafting can also suggest that these martial weapons were beginning to be mass produced. History tells us that when weapons were mass produced this usually means war, human to human wars. The Folsom Culture also depicted these peoples as becoming better hunters not by the weapons but rather techniques in which they would stampede large game over cliffs. This would further suggest alternate uses for the wide variety of projectile points found in this culture, or Martial Ways.
The Plano Traditions were divided into three specific periods, the Western, Northern, and Eastern or Boreal Forrest Plano cultures. The word Plano is the Spanish word for Plain; it is a shame that present American Indians were not selected to name our ancestors. The Western Plano period lasted roughly 4,000 years from 8,000 – 4,000 B.C. This is where more evidence was found in the form of mass killing sites at the bases of cliffs suggesting the stampeding method was used. Despite the non-weapon hunting tactics it is amusing how martial weapons continued to evolve with signature points associated with these primitive periods and scientists are still not accepting a martial system in place. Further evidence of ceremonial martial arts is depicted with “Eden” points. These points have a distinct “rippling effect” or “rippled” effect. This technique made the points extremely fragile. Thus scientists consider these points to be used only in ceremony. They easily could have been constructed for practice weapons. Another unique knife that came from these people was dubbed the “cody knife” and its use is unclear.
The Northern Plano period overlapped that of the West and lasted from roughly 6,000 – 4,000 B.C. The Northern Plano people lived in sub-arctic conditions hunting the migrating herds through the tundra. There wasn’t much difference in the points of this period largely because they existed at the same time as other early tribal peoples. They were clearly separated from the other Plano people because of their survival in the sub-arctic conditions. Some of the tribal peoples instead of migrating north migrated east and became integrated into the Eastern Woodland People.
The Archaic Period is divided into three periods the early, middle, and late. The Early Archaic Period overlapped the Western Plano period roughly from 8,000 – 6,000 B.C. The early people of this time period had technology referred to as chipped stone technology. From this period we have a tremendous amount of specimen to compare our early ancestors to. These men, women, and children were hunter gatherers and formed small bands in which they traveled with the herds. They are unique due to the amount and variety of points they manufactured and I believe them to be our ancestors. Later, these nation’s would be known to inhabit the Southeast. The biggest difference in defining this point as a pivotal turning point from late Paleo-Indian period to this point is the technology. The tool kit that young warrior hunter gatherers manufactured consisted of a wide array of tools such as knives, perforators, drills, choppers, flake knives, scrapers, gougers, and hammer stones. They also had a variety of bone tools as well as atlatl hooks barbed points, fish hooks, and pins. Also noted specifically coming out of what today is Florida were a quite a few shell adzes, wooden stakes, canoe fragments, fragments of cloth, and woven bags. Seeing this type of evidence clearly displayed a stable way of life traveling along and living around major water ways of this time. Many of these tools are still used by American Indians today. We use the same materials to manufacture our tools but more specifically the weaponry. Today in the American Indian martial arts system Falammichi Ibbak Bashpo we still use the atlatl, spear, and knife. There aren’t many martial systems of today that can claim there weaponry roots to more than 10,000 years ago.
The Middle Archaic Period also over lapped the others, and lasted roughly from 6,000 – 3,000 B.C. What we are now seeing is a clear advancement in technology from hunter gatherer tribes to more sedentary base camps producing some agriculture. Archeologists are finding a tremendous amount of implements appearing for the first time to process plant food. In addition to the many points found at various sites scientists suspect the sedentary camps producing agriculture as being the first trading super powers of the ancient world. Many of these base camps also had a fishing industry. Left behind were evidence of net weights and specialized fishing hooks also proving scientists theories on large camps which could easily be seen as a city in modern times. Scientists also refer to the variety of points, basketry, and clothing as social phenomena of the middle archaic time. This is due to each band of tribes manufacturing their goods in distinctive ways. Archeologists believe that the use of signature tools, clothing, and other goods became a way to distinguish one group from another. This could have been due to conflicting bands attacking each other to raid crops, fishing, and hunting grounds and or major trading cities in competition with each other establishing “brand” names. One example of this social phenomena developed in the middle archaic period is known as the Tom’s Brook Culture. This culture, like many others were named after the tributary where the first remains were found.
Tom’s Brook Culture was a sedentary group of manufacturers that spanned from the Arkansas River all the way south to the Red River from 6,000 – 4,000 B.C. Through roughly 2,000 years of evolution of the martial ways in that era, the Tom’s Brook Culture manufactured the Johnson Point. Johnson Points are broad triangular bladed, roughly ground suggesting a necessity for stronger more durable blades. I think the blades before this point would break off in battle with the initial contact. If your blade were to become pinned between two ribs, the arm, or leg bones the sympathetic body responses would in turn have broken the point. Grinding and heat treating puts a tremendous strain on the weapon and if were to break, those weak points in the stone would have been exploited during manufacturing, thus making your tools of war reliable. The Johnson Point was used on a variety of weaponry from atlatl darts to knives and spears. I believe this to be the origins of Falammichi Ibbak Bashpo, To Defend and Restore with the Bladed Hand, a modern day martial arts system created by Hashtali Adrian Roman 4/4 Mississippi Choctaw.
After 4,000 B.C. scientists found evidence of another culture emerging, the Big Creek Culture. According to scientists the origins of this culture is not known, weather they evolved from the experiences of the Tom’s Brook Culture or moved into the region.
Due to the advanced signature technology of the points and the evidence that proposes an atlatl class of warrior. In my opinion, it is unlikely the Tom’s Brook Culture would have allowed an incoming band to takeover the economically rich area with little or no evidence of a struggle. Logically speaking it seems that they are in fact the same people using evolved technology.
It seems that there is little change in “culture” or others coming into the area from this point on to about 1,600 B.C. Around this time due to the sedentary encampments, steady fishing, and agricultural industries populations boomed. Thus attracting other bands to join in prosperity. The best example of this theory is found at The Poverty Point site located near Epps, Louisiana which in our opinion is considered to be the origins of the Mississippi Choctaw Nation. The Mississippi Choctaw people specifically Hashtali Adrian Roman’s bloodline are the founding fathers of Tushka Homa. Tushka Homa in English translates to Red Warrior, and today we refer to the unarmed system that evolved from it as Falammichi Ibbak Chukillissa. The armed combative system is referred to as Falammichi Ibbak Bashpo. Falammichi loosely translated means to defend and restore however, it can also mean to dance, to sing, to love, to live. Ibbak simply means hand while Chukillissa means empty. Bashpo directly translated means knife while it can also refer to just the blade excluding the hilt. Put into context of martial way Falammichi Ibbak Chukillissa means to “Defend and Restore with the Empty Hand” and Falammichi Ibbak Bashpo means to “Defend and Restore with the Bladed Hand”. My elders tell me that our people, the Mississippi Choctaw were not secluded to the Mississippi valley but our people traveled as far north on the Mississippi river to the Midwest and as far south as the Gulf at the mouth of the river.
Poverty Point was occupied from about 1,600 – 1,100 B.C. lasting almost as long as the oldest cities here in modern U.S. At the peak of this era, the city was home to as many as 5,000 people. This city population was larger than most rural cities of America. The city is described as being 6 embankments laid out in a semi-circle divided into 6 sections by 5 pathways. The embankments were 6 feet tall and approximately 60 – 100 feet long, each section varying in length. The pathways are an unknown length and width. Judging by an artist depiction, the known diameter of the semi-circle was 4,000 feet overall. The pathways could have been about 1,500 – 1,800 feet long with a courtyard in the middle resembling an upside down horizon. Some scientist concluded this to be a huge bird effigy while others have said it is unknown. At the “top” of this city is a huge earthen mound 60 feet tall by almost 640 feet across along the north-south and east-west dimensions. Given the location chosen at the edge of the Mississippi, a semi-circle center facing the water and the embankments leaves me with the idea of the city being fortified. Storming the city from the front approaching the river would not have been the best choice due to the huge earthen mound in the front center. This man made plateau 60 feet in the air would have made a great platform to volley atlatl darts into an oncoming offensive assault. Two hundred atlatl class warriors could have comfortably fit on the platform 2 men working 1 atlatl, 1 man feeds darts while the other throws. Atlatl darts are approximately 4 feet long resembling a short spear and could have been volleyed 1 roughly every 2 seconds. Within one minute as many as 3,000 darts could be volleyed. It is unlikely that an army of even 2,000 which is a stretch could have even gotten close if the people had time to assemble and organize. During the battle of Little Big Horn eye witnesses on either side said that the Lakota assembled with a moments notice realizing the Calvary already charging. Even if your army made it to the front of the fort passed the volleys entering the path ways would have left you exposed. An onslaught of spears, axes, knives, maybe even river rocks on your left and right sides would have been fatal.
Maneuvering through one would have been difficult, making it through 6 locations before reaching the center of the city would have been near impossible. The only real way to take this monster was to flank the city from the water way and without air support like catapults creating a diversion this would not have been an easy task. Recent studies of this site suggest a possibility the fort and others like it were constructed quickly. As more evidence comes forward through time it will probably lead scientist to believe this in fact was a means to fortify a given area. Poverty Point has produced a large amount of evidence to support that they were not only a major player in trade but also importing raw materials to manufacture their goods. Archeologists have found a tremendous amount of goods made from foreign materials such as shell, copper, and a variety of stone brought from great distances. Participating in this economically rich culture were other bands traveling into the Mississippi Valley setting up sedentary camps through this 400 year span. No one really knows why Poverty Point’s economy came to a temporary halt but some suspect the river flooded as it does today. This fort fell and was abandoned around 1,100 B.C. subsequently the others surrounding encampments broke and moved on.
The Adena Culture seems to appear around the same time as the fall of Poverty Point’s economy. Mound building techniques are becoming more widespread west of the Cumberland Gap when this culture appeared around 1,000 B.C. Adena culture is separated in two eras, the Adena being early and Hopewell being the later. This culture lasted until about 700A.D. and ranged from the Atlantic to the Midwest including the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and New York. The early mound building societies lasted from roughly 1,000 B.C. to about 1 A.D. and the later Hopewell lasting from about 1 A.D. to about 700 A.D. It is also said that other mound building societies extended all the way until about 1,300 A.D.
The methods depicted in history only mention moving earth by “basket” full to mound the earth anywhere from 20-300’ in diameter. I tend to believe as we study our early ancestors closer we may find evidence indicating domestication of working class fauna (animals of that period or specific to any region) to aid in the construction. The largest example of the Adena sites is actually a burial mound with vaults and chambers resembling in part the Egyptian culture as a means to preserve the important members of their society. While others, were cremated and believed to exist within the mounds of these various peoples. Grave Creek Mound is located in modern day Moundsville, West Virginia believed to be constructed slowly over a time of about 100 years and is believed to contain over 60,000 tons of earth. The various nations to live within this region are very similar to the earlier Poverty Point people. Similar in the way that artifacts’ are manufactured from foreign raw materials that were found within the chambers themselves. One of the most noted and controversial piece comes out of this particular mound and is known as the Grave Creek Stone. The stone is a flat sandstone tablet with various markings resembling a sort of picture alphabet. The symbols vary in size consisting of hash marks, tallies, and different shapes. One of the shapes resembling a figure eight and others backward number 4’s. The stone was said to be found in a burial chamber when two amateur archeologists excavated the site in the late 1830’s. The specimen was not cataloged the day of the dig instead 3 days later and is used as one of the largest reasons to discredit the find believing one of the men to have manufactured the item. As for the meaning some scholars believe the meaning to be the hoax itself while others have cross referenced the “language” with other earlier eastern texts. The whereabouts of this item are uncertain today as the gentleman that owned the item passed and a large museum purchased his artifacts. The museum does not have the item in its inventory instead all we have is artist depictions and a wax casting of the stone.
The Hopewell nations are next to appear as the later part of the preceding Adena culture and are believed to be the same. The clear distinction between the two time periods is the architecture leaving much larger earthworks leading scientists to believe larger populations with in these settlements. The earliest works of this culture are found in Illinois. However the largest settlements are found in the Great & Little Miami, Scioto, and Muskingum Rivers. In these sites scientists found compelling evidence through the location of artifacts that these peoples had a trade based economy. This trade economy stretches down to the Gulf of Mexico, West to the Rockies, and North to the Great Lakes. The raw materials used were shells form the Gulf, obsidian (volcanic glass) from the west, and copper from the Great Lakes. The burial mounds and large trade based economy of manufactured goods was not the only thing that sustained this great empire. Agriculture during this time was greatly utilized producing a variety of plants, sunflower, squash, may grass, and goosefoot just to name a few. Also medicine and other wild edible plants were harvested from regions while hunting large and small game.
Cahokia, an ancient metropolis series of earthen pyramids downplayed as a series of mounds takes its name from the village of Kaskaskia located in the Illinois Michigan state region. Cahokia was established roughly 1,300 years ago around the year 700 A.D. and is the largest site north of central Mexico. Cahokia at its peak was home to over 20,000 Indians of this time. Cahokia is greater than that of any site previously stated and was a cornerstone to their economy at that time. I believe 20,000 to be a very low estimate. New evidence is emerging suggesting that within the first 24 years of invasion hundreds of thousands of people died from plague and other illnesses. The illnesses are believed to have only initially killed the very young and elderly leaving behind what could have also been millions of people. Deductive logic as used by historians when constructing a model of what Rome was like in 753 B.C. tells me that this city was probably home to millions equal to that of the Roman Empire in our world. Housing in this city was arranged in rows and around city plazas with the outskirts or suburbs containing major farms. Cahokia was a planned city with very modern amenities, elaborate public buildings and elite residencies occupied by government officials. Cultural refinement and education was part of this paradise. This was evident found in the planning of the site where astrology and mathematical engineering was taken into account. One of the most impressive attributes to Cahokia was the organized work force that was charged with the construction and maintenance of the city. By virtue of scientist making this statement gave way for speculation of social, religious, and political organizations coexisting in a democratic society. Cahokia also produced more evidence of specialized and refined crafts manufactured from raw materials found in far away regions. Cahokia has about 120 mounds and still evident today the largest mound being Monks Mound. Monks Mound is home to what the easterners dubbed “Woodhenge” an obvious play on Stonehenge. This calendrical structure consists of 48 cabers evenly placed at the cardinal points of the circle marking 48 specific dates. It is very evident to me that this is one of many cities of this time period and that some cities were not in cooperation with each other. Evidence was found of sophisticated wars, home, and self-defense. Building these types of conglomerate societies would have attracted other civilizations to try and take what they could not have developed for themselves.
Scientists have made a distinct connection between the Adena, Hopewell, Eastern Woodland, and Mississippian Indian cultures through architecture while the only differences are really in the manufacturing of signature tools and goods. The Adena and Hopewell cultures are then leading to the Mississippian culture and the later if not simultaneously the Eastern Woodland cultures which both still thrive today. The Mississippian Culture is defined by any nation living within the Mississippi Drainage Basin prior to the yonega. The Mississippi Drainage Basin is the 3rd largest basin in the world only exceeded by the Amazon and Congo Rivers. The basin drains 41 percent of the 48 continental states, encompasses more than 1,245,000 square miles, and includes all or parts of 31 states and 2 Canadian Provinces. The basin resembles a funnel and the spout of the funnel is located at the Gulf of Mexico. The flow in the lower end of the Mississippi is contributed by waters as far east as New York, west as Montana, and everywhere in between. According to the Army Corps of Engineers if it were not for man made protective works 35,000 square miles of the alluvial Mississippi River Valley would be overflowed. This is about 600 miles in length and 25 – 125 miles in width and includes parts of 7 states Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The Mississippian Culture is divided into three time periods the Early
900 – 1200 A.D., the Middle 1200 – 1500 A.D., and the Late 1500 – 1700 A.D. even though the culture still exists today. One example of the Mississippian Culture still existing today, are the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
The Mississippi Band of Choctaws is the homeland of Grandmaster/Hashtali Adrian Roman, 4/4 Mississippi Choctaw affectingly known as “the Chief Iron Horse” for the last sixty five years. He is the founder of Falammichi Ibbak Chukillissa and Falammichi Ibbak Bashpo the only American Indian martial arts being taught today. He stands as the sole survivor, last will and testament of our ancient martial ways ushering Tushkahoma (Red Warrior) into modern times as Falammichi. He is the last living descendent of that era. Traditionally speaking our people go through four phases in our lifetimes which cause for four unique names to define the people we are presently. Falammichi is ushered into the modern world as the complete, sophisticated, and refined traditional martial ways. Beginning as Tasha Itishi (warrior wrestling) Tushkahoma (Red Warrior) , a term only known to the modern martial arts world since the new millennium, has its roots in the Mississippi Valley for thousands of years. Later named Falammichi or Native Kenpo finally, Falammichi Ibbak Chukillissa completely refined to fit modern America encompassing street self defense as all other martial arts has done just in the later part of the 1900’s. I Andrew Blackwell for one am blessed to share a portion of my life with Hashtali Roman and aid him as an American Indian of Choctaw descent in carrying the sacred torch of knowledge to the next generation. The Mississippi Band are still living in the Valley today refusing to relocate during the removal of American Indians to “Indian Country” better known as Oklahoma in modern times. According to Horatio Cushman, a historian of Mississippian Culture stated that 12,000 B.C. Paleo-Indians moved into the southeast and that the Choctaws of that time witnessed extinction of large fauna like mammoths and species of bison. Clearly any logical man, woman, or child can see through the archaeological evidence provided in this account American Indian Martial Arts has existed here in North America at least since the end of the last Ice Age. Grandmaster/Hashtali Roman is the last of our Martial Arts Historians, The Highest Ranking American Indian Martial Artist in the World, passing down knowledge of our people for All People to participate as his Father and Grandfathers before him.
It is my speculation that in time scientists will be able to name at least 3 bodies of water as the origins of life on our planet. The Nile in Africa is dubbed as being the cradle of civilization. While I consider the Nile to be responsible for life in the east, here in North America I think it will be proven that the Mississippi is responsible for life and in the south the Amazon. All three rivers are rich with life probably consisting of more species of life then we know. In the east archeology and anthropology have been studied pertaining to the people over there quite a bit longer than they have studied here. “Good Specimen” or fossil evidence seems to be better preserved in sandy gravel areas due to less acidic conditions. This makes areas like Africa great places to find early bipedal humanoid remains. Mostly when I read about the findings of early people archeologists simply decide to look in areas that haven’t been previously examined. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence in California, England, France, and Italy where in the later part of the 1800’s modern human as well as ape like creatures have been found coexisting in the same regions. All of this information has been named forbidden due to the scholars of that time discrediting the finds with no other explanation than it contradicts popular beliefs. It is up to inquiring minds to really research these topics and sift through the many opinions to find the common truths not to assume what they are talking about or that the knowledge that they read somewhere to be gospel. Conquered civilizations history is largely written by the victor to paint whatever picture needed to justify their actions. I pray that future generations see the mistakes, atrocities, and horrific actions of their predecessors to learn from them so others may never pay that price again. I believe that in time archeologists will uncover early manlike beings not related to the species found in the east. It is simply too early in the examination process of this land to make any conclusions about the origins of American Indian peoples.
It is evident that our martial systems were developed systematically throughout time at least since the end of the last Ice Age. When you have approaches to refinement of weaponry this is clear and concise evidence of mastery of the old weapons or at least the inefficiency of the old weapon or tool. Thus leading us to believe the natural order or learning progression of martial ways is first empty hand, bladed hand, refinement of both empty and bladed hand, lastly combined knowledge leading to principles of strategic warfare.
To Summarize: The early American Indian history begins near 12,500 B.C. because of the archeological discovery of projectile points found in the Mississippi Valley region. Making points is a very sophisticated process even today with modern tools. The reason for the mass production of points was to be use in war fare, protection of family, cities, territory and their way of life. Prior to making tools and projectile points, the early American Indian would have first defended himself with empty hands. What and how he referred to it will always be a mystery. The only livening Choctaw descendent today Adrian Roman calls it Falammichi Ibbak Chukillissa.
Hashtali Adrian Roman aka Chief Iron Horse 4/4 Mississippi Choctaw
Chief Instructor Drew “Noshoba” Blackwell part Choctaw
Adrian Roman
3302 Briaroaks Drive Garland, TX 75044
214-728-6080
