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When our first Silicon Graphics systems entered our building, We started naming them by indian tribe names. This seemed appropriate, as our first systems were 'Indys'. With the introduction of a server, the name 'Geronimo' came up, and from there on we havee tried to keep the tradition with naming our servers by Indian chief/leader names, and workstations by tribe-names. This convention has not been strictly adopted, so it may diffrentiate a little from project to project.

• Cochise (Apache Chief)
• Crazy Horse (Sioux War Leader)
• Dahteste (Apache Warrior Woman)
• Geronimo (Apache War Leader)
• Joseph (Nez Perce Chief)
• Lozen (Apache Warrior and Medicine Woman)
• Mangas Coloradas (Apache Chief)
• Nana (Apache Chief)
• Pontiac (Ottawa Chief)
• Sitting Bull (Lakota Chief)
• Tamahay (Sioux Brave)
• Victorio (Apache Chief)
• Washakie (Shoshoni Chief)

• References

More information about Chief Cochise.

More information about Crazy Horse.

More information about Dahteste.

More information about Geronimo.

Chief Joseph

(1840-1904)

Chief Joseph, known by his people as In-mut-too-yah-lat-lat (Thunder coming up over the land from the water), was best known for his resistance to the U.S. Government's attempts to force his tribe onto reservations. The Nez Perce were a peaceful nation spread from Idaho to Northern Washington. The tribe had maintained good relations with the whites after the Lewis and Clark expedition. Joseph spent much of his early childhood at a mission maintained by Christian missionaries.

In 1855 Chief Joseph's father, "Old Joseph", signed a treaty with the U.S. that allowed his people to retain much of their traditional lands. In 1863 another treaty was created that severely reduced the amount of land, but Old Joseph maintained that this second treaty was never agreed to by his people.

When his father died in 1871, Joseph was elected to succeed him. He inherited not only a name but a situation made increasingly volatile as white settlers continued to arrive in the Wallowa Valley. Joseph staunchly resisted all efforts to force his band onto the small Idaho reservation. Finally in 1877 General Oliver Otis Howard threatened a cavalry attack to force Joseph's band and other hold-outs onto the reservation.

Enraged with losing their homeland about twenty young Nez Percé warriors, staged a raid on nearby settlements and killed several whites. Immediately, the army began to pursue Joseph's band and the others who had not moved onto the reservation. Although he had opposed war, Joseph cast his lot with the war leaders. What followed was one of the most brilliant military retreats in American history. Even the unsympathetic General William Tecumseh Sherman could not help but be impressed with the 1,400 mile march, stating that "the Indians throughout displayed a courage and skill that elicited universal praise... [they] fought with almost scientific skill, using advance and rear guards, skirmish lines, and field fortifications." In over three months, the band of about 700, fewer than 200 of whom were warriors, fought 2,000 U.S. soldiers and Indian auxiliaries in four major battles and numerous skirmishes.

By the time he formally surrendered on October 5, 1877, Joseph was widely referred to in the American press as "the Red Napoleon." It is unlikely, however, that he played as critical a role in the Nez Percé's military feat as his legend suggests. He was never considered a war chief by his people, and even within the Wallowa band, it was Joseph's younger brother, Olikut, who led the warriors, while Joseph was responsible for guarding the camp.

Although he had surrendered with the understanding that he would be allowed to return home, Joseph and his people were instead taken first to eastern Kansas and then to a reservation in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) where many of them died of epidemic diseases.

Chief Joseph tried every possible appeal to the federal authorities to return the Nez Perce to the land of their ancestors. In 1885, Chief Joseph and the other refugees were returned to the Pacific Northwest. Even then, half, including Joseph, were taken to a non-Nez Percé reservation in northern Washington, separated from the rest of their people in Idaho and their homeland in the Wallowa Valley, where he died in 1904, according to the reservation doctor, of a broken heart.

"Joseph is the name given to our general purpose server, used for services such as email, www and software-distribution."

More information about Chief Joseph.

184?-189?

Lozen was the sister of mighty Apache war leader Victorio, and the most famous of the Apache War Women. Lozen was born in a section of New Mexico/Arizona/Northern Mexico known at that time as Apacheria, somewhere in the late 1840s. She let it be known at a very early age that she had no interest in learning the women's duties of the tribe, and set out on the warrior's path - taught by her famous brother.

Lozen was quite unlike her counterpart, Dahteste. Lozen had no concern for her appearance and, even though she is in several famous photos of Geronimo with his warriors, there is nothing to indicate that she is a woman. You would never spot her. She was very manly in her appearance, dressed like a man, lived and fought like a man. She never married, and devoted her life to the service of her people.

Victorio is quoted as saying, "Lozen is my right hand . . . strong as a man , braver than most, and cunning in strategy, Lozen is a shield to her people."

Legend has it that Lozen was able to use her powers in battle to learn the movements of the enemy and that she helped each band that she accompanied to successfully avoid capture. After Victorio's death, Lozen continued to ride with Chief Nana, and eventually joined forces with Geronimo's band, eluding capture until she finally surrendered with this last group of free Apaches in 1886. She died of tuberculosis at the Mount Vernon Barracks in Mobile, Alabama at the approximate age of 50.

"Lozen is the name given to the central DNS/email server at the University of Tromsø."

More information about Lozen.

(1793?-1863)

The exact time of Mangas Coloradas' birth is unknown, he was said to have been seventy in the year 1863. At first he was called Don-Ha. After he married Lost Pony's sister Placid (One without cares in the world), and later Firefly, because Placid wanted her as her second, it i said that he brought shame on his family by taking a Mexican girl from Santa Rita to his teepee. Because of that he had to fight one of Placid's brothers, and one of Firefly's brothers, killing them both in battle. From that day forward he was known as "Red Sleeve" or Mangas Coloradas (the Spanish translation), earning his name in the battle. Mangas emerged as a prime leader of the Warm Springs (Mimbreño) Apaches in southwestern New Mexico after the Mexican-instigated massacre of many Mimbreños in 1837.

After the Americans started to occupy the region, searching for gold, Mangas tried several peacful ways to get the Whites out of his land. On one occation he tried to lure gold-miners away from the land, by telling them about better areas for mining further south. The miners tied him to a tree and lashed him nearly to death, before releasing him. For Mangas this was the biggest humiliation of them all, and upon recovering he gathered his forces and drove the miners out.

In 1861, Mangas joined forces with Chiricahua and White Mountain Apaches and went to war against the Americans. They focused their attacks on stagecoaches on the trail near Apache Pass. Mangas tried to make peace with the Americans on several occations, and on January 17th 1863 the old Chief decided to take up a truce offer from Captain Edmond Shirland's camp of the California Volunteers. Arriving at the camp soldiers jumped from some nearby underbrush and took him prisoner. The Volunteers took him to Fort McLean where General Joseph West's orders were: "I want him dead or alive tomorrow morning, do you understand, I want him dead." A miner who'd been travelling with the Volunteers, one Daniel Conner, later said that the soldiers assigned to guard Mangas were tormenting him by heating their bayonets in a nearby fire, and touching them to Mangas's feet and legs. When Mangas jumped to his feet in pain, the soldiers drew muskets and shot him. One soldier took his scalp: another boiled the flesh from his head, and sold the skull to a phrenologist in the East. Mangas's body was dumped in a ditch.

Mangas Coloradas son Mangus continued the fight against the Whites alongside Victorio, Nana and Geronimo. Upon surrendering in 1886 the group was nearly eliminated, counting only a handful of warriors and a few women and children.

"Mangas is the name given to our 10 processor V2200 Hewlett Packard server used for High Performance Computing."."

"Mangus (after Mangas Coloradas son) is the name given to our network monitoring and administration server."

More information about Chief Mangas Coloradas.

(1810-?)

Nana was married to Geronimo's sister. To his people he as a wise kind grandfather type figure, but as far as the whites were concerned he was uncomprimising. Nana was a Warm Springs Apache under Vicotorio but was always close to the Bendonkohe tribe. After Victorios death at the Tres Castillos massacre in 1880, it was Nana who guided the remains of the tribe into safety. For more than two months Nana eluded 1400 troops in a thousand-mile campaign with only 40 warriors. He later joined forces with Geronimo and Juh, but they never managed to make a common stand against the whites, and thus the forces became to small and outnumbered to make an impact in the struggle.

Nana was a wise man and wherever he went he carried his good fortune with him and his followers. He had the strength to find hidden treasures in the shape of ammunition, food and cloths on the Apach trail. No Apache cach was hidden from Nana, and his powers were highly rated by the other Chiefs and Braves. After Victorios death Nana followed the women and children back to the reseration, but himself fled with Geronimo for their last escapes.

Even at old age and almost with a crippled leg, Nana could out-ride and out-last any warrior in the saddle. He showed no signs of weakness, and challenged any white man that stood in his way. It is said that to revenge of Victorios death Nana was responsible for killing more white men than Victorio had done in his lifetime. Beacuse of his powers he was never caught unguarded, and with Victorios sister Lozen he formed a lethal pair of support for Geronimo in their final battle for freedom. During the surrender by Geronimo to Crook in 1886, Nana was given to the Cavalry as a good faith token that they were ready to surrender.

Nana died of old age, and lived his last years in reservation. He remembered his final days of freedom as something he should never have let go of. In many ways he envied Victorio his fate. To die in combat for his people would have been the ultimate satisfaction for Nana.

(1720-1769)

Pontiac was born about 1720 in the late spring, and moved to an Indian Village around the area of Detroit when he was young. He was a great Indian Chief of the Ottawa tribe, and also became an Indian Priest. It was his belief that Indians should not trade with white men.

As Chief of the Ottawa Indians Pontiac was instrumental in the years of war between the Indians and the French. In all four of the major wars during the period known as the French and Indian Wars, from 1689-1763, Ottawa warriors fought on the side of the French. By 1740, there were about 100 French families inside and outside the fort at Detroit, which was garrisoned by 17 soldiers. At the same time, there were 2,000 Ottawas, 200 Hurons, and 100 Potowatomi in the areas around the fort.

The war between France and Great Britain broke out in 1744, and soon English commander-in-chief Sir Jeffrey Amherst was defeating the French and had won most of the Great Lakes forts by 1760. He had come to the North American continent in 1758 and had pushed British troops from one victory to another. The French governor of Canada capitulated to him in Montreal on Sept. 8, 1760, and Detroit was surrendered on Nov. 28, 1760. The English treated the Indians poorly and Pontiac mobilized many tribes in a climactic effort to push back the British colonists from the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region.

All of these wars were outcomes of the maddening pressure of the Whites against the Indian nations and their lands. Pontiac and his allied attacked Fort Detroit and its surroundings in 1763, sparing only the French, who he believed would side with him against the English. The Indians gained several victories, including making their way to the Mississippi in spring 1764. But the war had taken its toll. Casualties were many, and the endless siege at Detroit started to exhauste his warriors. Many tribes wanted to restore their trade with the English and after an unsuccessful raid against the English supply schooner, the Potawatomi, Chippewa, Mississauga, and Miami tribes dropped out of the war. By the spring of 1765, Pontiac realized his movement had crumbled. On April 18, almost two years after his attack against Fort Detroit, he accepted the English as his brothers, and on August 17th he made peace with the English at Fort Detroit, with the understanding that the English did not own the land, but were merely leasing it. The land would remain in the possession of the Ottawa.

Pontiac, who had once led eighteen tribes from across the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, now had only a small band of followers, mostly relatives and close friends, and lived a nomadic life following the hunting and trading routes through Illinois country.

Pontiac was killed in Cakokia, Illinois, April 20, 1769 by an Indian from a Peoria tribe. The Peoria tribe tried to shift the blame to the English and sought protection from Pontiac's tribe with the French. When the French commander refused to shelter them, they went to the British commander at Fort de Chartres, John Wilkins. To show English respect for the great warrior, Wilkins ordered him buried. Most historians agree that Pontiac was buried somewhere along the banks of the Mississippi, but local legend holds that an Indian burial mound on Apple Island in Oakland County's Orchard Lake holds Pontiac's remains.

More information about Chief Pontiac.

(1831-1890)

Born on Grand River, S.D., from his early adulthood Sitting Bull fought hostile tribes and white intruders on Sioux lands. He excelled in the virtues most admired by the Sioux: bravery, fortitude, generosity, and wisdom. With chiefs Crazy Horse and GALL, he stood fast against surrendering land or mining rights in the Black Hills after gold was discovered there in the mid-1870s. The three chiefs successfully attacked Custer at the Little Bighorn (1876), after which Sitting Bull and other Sioux fled to Canada. Returning in 1881, he was imprisoned for two years before going back to Standing Rock Reservation. Some observers have said that the reason he was allowed to travel with Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show, organized in 1883, was to keep Sitting Bull away from the reservation.

In 1890, shortly before the massacre of the Sioux at Wounded Knee, Sitting Bull permitted Grand River people to join the antiwhite Ghost Dance cult and was therefore arrested. In the fracas that followed he was killed by Indian police. His remains are buried near Mobridge, S.D. He is still revered at Standing Rock Reservation. The Battle of the Little Bighorn (June 25, 1876), also called "Custer's Last Stand," was the last major Indian victory in the Indian wars of the American West. The Sioux and Cheyenne peoples resisted incursions of whites prospecting for gold on Indian land in the Black Hills of Dakota beginning in 1874. In 1876 the U.S. Army sent an expedition to subdue the Sioux leaders, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. On June 24, Col. George Armstrong Custer, commanding the 7th Cavalry, located their camp on the Little Bighorn River in Montana. Underestimating his opponents' strength, he attacked them with a small force of about 225 men the following day. In the ensuing battle, Custer and all of his men were killed. Despite their victory, most of the Sioux had been expelled from the Black Hills by the end of 1876. The site of the battle is now a national monument.

Wounded Knee

The Wounded Knee massacre (Dec. 29, 1890), at Wounded Knee Creek in the Pine Ridge Sioux Reservation, S.Dak., was the last major clash between federal troops and American Indians.

Fearing that the Sioux's new Ghost Dance religion might inspire an uprising, the authorities sent troops to arrest tribal leaders. On December 15, Chief Sitting Bull was killed during an attempted arrest. Then, on December 28, Chief Big Foot's followers were apprehended and brought to Wounded Knee. A shot rang out after they were ordered to disarm, and the troops fired, killing Chief Big Foot and many others. Some who survived the initial onslaught were pursued and killed. Among the approximately 200 Sioux killed were women and children. Also killed were a number of soldiers.

On Feb. 28, 1973, members of the American indian movement seized the village of Wounded Knee and challenged federal authorities to repeat the massacre. After 72 days, the death of two, and the wounding of many Indians, they surrendered, having drawn attention to Sioux grievances.

(?-1864)

There was once a Sioux brave who declared that he would die young, yet not by his own hand. Tamahay was of heroic proportions, herculean in strength, a superb runner; in fact, he had all the physical qualities of an athlete or a typical Indian. In his scanty dress, he was beautiful as an antique statue in living bronze. When a mere youth, seventeen years of age, he met with an accident which determined his career. It was the loss of an eye, a fatal injury to the sensitive and high-spirited Indian. He announced his purpose in these words:

"The 'Great Mystery' has decreed that I must be disgraced. There will be no pleasure for me now, and I shall be ridiculed even by my enemies. It will be well for me to enter soon into Paradise, for I shall be happy in spending my youth there. But I will sell my life dearly. Hereafter my name shall be spoken in the traditions of our race." With this speech Tamahay began his career.

He now sought glory and defied danger with even more than the ordinary Indian recklessness. He accepted a personal friend, which was a custom among the Sioux, where each man chose a companion for life and death. The tie was stronger than one of blood relationship, a friendship sealed by solemn vow and covenant. Tamahay's intimate was fortunately almost his equal in physical powers, and the pair became the terror of neighboring tribes, with whom the Dakotas were continually at war. They made frequent raids upon their enemies and were usually successful, although not without thrilling experiences and almost miraculous escapes.

The origin of his name "Tamahay" is related as follows. When he was a young man he accompanied the chief Wabashaw to Mackinaw, Michigan, together with some other warriors. He was out with his friend one day, viewing the wonderful sights in the "white man's country", when they came upon a sow with her numerous pink little progeny. He was greatly amused and picked up one of the young pigs, but as soon as it squealed the mother ran furiously after them. He kept the pig and fled with it, still laughing; but his friend was soon compelled to run up the conveniently inclined trunk of a fallen tree, while our hero reached the shore of a lake near by, and plunged into the water. He swam and dived as long as he could, but the beast continued to threaten him with her sharp teeth, till, almost exhausted, he swam again to shore, where his friend came up and dispatched the vicious animal with a club. On account of this watery adventure he was at once called Tamahay, meaning Pike. He earned many other names, but preferred this one, because it was the name borne by a great friend of his, Lieutenant Pike, the first officer of the United States Army who came to Minnesota for the purpose of exploring the sources of the Mississippi River and of making peace with the natives. Tamahay assisted this officer in obtaining land from the Sioux upon which to build Fort Snelling. He appears in history under the name of "Tahamie" or the "One-Eyed Sioux."

Always ready to brave danger and unpopularity, Tamahay was the only Sioux who sided with the United States in her struggle with Great Britain in 1819. For having espoused the cause of the Americans, he was ill-treated by the British officers and free traders, who for a long time controlled the northwest, even after peace had been effected between the two nations. At one time he was confined in a fort called McKay, where now stands the town of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He had just returned from St. Louis, and was suspected of exciting his people to rebel against British subjects. His life was even threatened, but to this Tamahay merely replied that he was ready to die. A few months later, this fort was restored to the United States, and upon leaving it the British set the buildings on fire, though the United States flag floated above them. Some Indians who were present shouted to Tamahay, "Your friends', the Americans', fort is on fire!" He responded with a war whoop, rushed into the blazing fort, and brought out the flag. For this brave act he was rewarded with a present of a flag and medal. He was never tired of displaying this medal and his recommendation papers, and even preserved to the end of his life an old colonial stovepipe hat, which he wore upon state occasions.

The Sioux long referred to the president of the United States as "Tamahay's father.". On the eve of the so-called "Minnesota Massacre" by the Sioux in 1862, Tamahay, although he was then very old and had almost lost the use of his remaining eye, made a famous speech at the meeting of the conspirators. These are some of his words, as reported by persons who were present:

"What! What! is this Little Crow? Is that Little Six? You, too, White Dog, are you here? I cannot see well now, but I can see with my mind's eye the stream of blood you are about to pour upon the bosom of this mother of ours" (meaning the earth). "I stand before you on three legs, but the third leg has brought me wisdom" [referring to the staff with which he sup- ported himself]. "I have traveled much, I have visited among the people whom you think to defy. This means the total surrender of our beautiful land, the land of a thousand lakes and streams. Methinks you are about to commit an act like that of the porcupine, who climbs a tree, balances himself upon a springy bough, and then gnaws off the very bough upon which he is sitting; hence, when it gives way, he falls upon the sharp rocks below. Behold the great Pontiac, whose grave I saw near St. Louis; he was murdered while an exile from his country! Think of the brave Black Hawk! Methinks his spirit is still wailing through Wisconsin and Illinois for his lost people! I do not say you have no cause to complain, but to resist is self-destruction. I am done."

It is supposed that this speech was his last, and it was made, though vainly, in defense of the Americans whom he had loved. He died at Fort Pierre, South Dakota, in 1864. His people say that he died a natural death, of old age. And yet his exploits are not forgotten. Thus lived and departed a most active and fearless Sioux, Tamahay, who desired to die young!

(1825?-1880)

Victorio was chosen by Mangas Coloradas as his follower as Chief of the Warm Springs Apache band. Victorio was a terrific strategist and horrendous opponent. Victorio and his people lived under terrible conditions in the reservation in San Carlos, New Mexico. After numerous appeals to the government that they should be returned to their homeland was turned down, they escaped in 1879 and wreaked havoc throughout the southwest on their way to Mexico. Colonel Grierson and the 10th Cavalry attempted to prevent Victorio's return to the U.S., and particularly his reaching New Mexico where he could cause additional problems with the Apaches still on the reservations.

The soldiers outpaced Victorio to the water holes in Rattlesnake Springs (Sierra Diablo Mountains), and after two unsuccessful attemts to reach water, the indians had to retreat into Mexico. At a waterhole at Tres Castillos on Oct. 14th 1880 Victorio and his people were surprised by Mexican troops and during the fight many of the Apaches were killed. When Victorio and a handful of his men realised that escape was not possible they decided to take their own life. After Victorios death his uncle, the 80 year old Nana, took charge of the group.

"Victorio is the name given to the 16 processor V2500 Hewlett Packard server used for High Performance Computing."

More information about the Buffalo Soldiers and the battle against Victorio.

(1804-1900)

Washakie was chief of the Eastern Shoshoni Indians of Wyoming, was noted for his exploits in fighting and also for his friendship with the white pioneers. When wagon trains were passing through Shoshoni country in the 1850s, Washakie and his people aided the overland travelers in fording streams and recovering strayed cattle. He was also a scout for the U.S. Army.

Some references about the indian people:

• Ball, Eve: In the days of Victorio. University of Arizona press 1970.
• Ball, Eve: Indeh, an Apache oddyssey. University of Oklahoma press 1980.
• Brown, Dee: Bury my heart at Wounded Knee. BCA 1970.
• Davis Lt, Britton: The truth about Geronimo. Yale University press 1929.