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One thing before you read on...I need you to agree not to show this article to my children, it might make them a little edgy. Deal?
Geronimo wrote a book. Yes, that Geronimo, the great Indian chief. Actually, in 1906, he told his story to S.M. Barrett who then put it into book form.
At one point, Geronimo describes the death and burial of his father:
"When I was but a small boy my father died, after having been sick for some time. When he passed away, carefully the watchers closed his eyes, then they arrayed him in his best clothes, painted his face afresh, wrapped a rich blanket around him, saddled his favorite horse, bore his arms in front of him, and led his horse behind, repeating the wailing tones his deeds of valor as they carried his body to a cave in the mountain. Then they slew his horses, and gave away all of his other property, as was customary in our tribe..."
Whoa, whoa, whoa...stop right there! He didn't leave all he had to his children? All of the horses he had accumulated were destroyed and all of his property distributed elsewhere? (See this is where my kids might get a little nervous.)
Turns out the Apaches' unwritten tribal law forbad anyone from inheriting the property of a deceased relative. Their logic? If one receives the property of a dead relative then they might be happy when said relative dies. Enrichment from a relative's passing they could not abide.
Interesting. If America had the same tradition half of the Law and Order episodes couldn't have been written. In our society, as in most, inheritance is a given. If one has anything in the end, it is most often left to children. As a matter of fact, most of us are driven to leave something. We feel guilty at the thought of not leaving something. But this makes me think...I wonder if the Apaches had it right.
First of all, as they believed, their policy avoids a cynical joy that could arise upon someone's passing. It also removes any motive to "off" someone to reap an inheritance, thus the Law and Order reference.
Second, what good is done when children sponge off their parents...receiving money, property or horses they have not earned?
Granted, most inheritances are not huge, but some are. What happens when people get rich without effort...when rich falls into their laps based on what someone else did? What does that do to their character? What does that do to their appreciation for what they have and what they might responsibly do with it? How much does this accumulation of generations inflate empty and unwarranted egos?
Unearned rewards typically have negative effects. How does moral fiber grow without the struggle? How is life learned if one doesn't experience life? Is this another way we try to do right by our children, but really do them harm with our good intentions?
I'm not sure I have an answer. But I think Geronimo and the Apaches had a code that should give us pause.
But don't tell my kids. And, even more important...don't tell my dad...you know, in case he has any horses stashed away that I don't know about.
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