The Apache People

THE PEOPLE: The Apache people…the “strongest” guerrilla warriors and known well by the southwest United States. The Apache are part of the larger Athabascan people and started in the north. Interestingly, the Apache people actually called themselves the Dine meaning “the People,” but by other nations they were called the Apache, which is Zuni for “enemy”. They became fierce fighters; they traveled in small bands and became great hunters of buffalo, deer, lizards, and just about any other plains and desert animals. The Apache tribe speak a language known to them called Southern Athapascan. Actually, there are at least two distinct Apache languages: Western Apache and Eastern Apache. The two are closely related, like French and Spanish, but speakers of one language cannot understand the other. Western Apache is closer to Navajo than to Eastern Apache. The Apache culture is similar to the Navaho Nation due to their shared family line. The center of their culture is self-importance. Because of this self-importance, raiding was not only encouraged but was enjoyed. Each band of Apaches had a headman who led by reason, prestige and good example. Also, most of the Apache people live in areas around Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, etc. For the economic base they adopt sheep. For food they raid other villages, also for livestock, and slaves. Now the have a revolutionized economy. The Apache are true Indians.
EDUCATION: For education the U.S. came in and turned Fort Apache into a school which didn’t make them happy. It didn’t work very well, there were to many distractions. There was military activity right out the window, cavalry, few employees for authority. Then the tribe left and made their heritage in a new spot to teach about Anglo-American technique. None of them wanted to learn about U.S. or Old Spanish society. This is where we see, for the first time, the divergence from a single Athabascan nation to the formation of the Navaho nation and the Apache nation in the Southwest. Right now, Native American agencies are fighting find ways to preserve both the culture and the education of Apache students. Thinking back on the definition of “culture” given at the beginning of this report, just how much of the spirit, tradition, and intelligence of a people did that “etc.” leave unmentioned? Could the heart of a culture possibly be summed up in one abbreviation? Obviously not, and this is why the Apache educators refuse to allow their rich tradition to be dismissed, disregarded, or forgotten. Programs such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), FACE (Family and Child Educational Program), and Shades of Change strive to keep the Apache spirit strong in its youth even as they learn in public schools. These programs are a vital part of the Apache educational system, because recognizing the importance of both the preservation of culture and the advancement of education would be what makes the Apache educational system a true success. They have trouble with the whole school program, but trying to make it work.

HUNTING: Apachean peoples obtained food from four main sources. They are hunting wild animals, gathering wild plants, growing domesticated plants, and interaction with neighboring peoples for livestock and agricultural products (through raiding or trading). As the different Apachean tribes lived in different environments, the particular types of foods eaten varied according to their environment. Hunting was done primarily by men, although there were sometimes exceptions depending on animal and culture. Hunting often had elaborate preparations, such as fasting and religious rituals performed by medicine men before and after the hunt. In Lipan culture, since deer were protected by Mountain Spirits, great care was taken in Mountain Spirit rituals in order to ensure smooth deer hunting. Also the slaughter of animals must be performed following certain religious guidelines from prescribing how to cut the animals, what prayers to recite, and proper disposal of bones. The most common hunting weapon before the introduction of European guns was the bow and arrow. Various hunting strategies were used. Some techniques involved using animal head masks worn as a disguise. Whistles were sometimes used to lure animals closer. Another technique was the relay method where hunters positioned at various points would chase the prey in turns in order to tire the animal. A similar method involved chasing the prey down a steep cliff. I find their hunting methods fascinating.

LOCATION: The Apache Indians are located in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. They lived in mainly New Mexico and Arizona. They were a nomadic group of people and would at times travel as far south as Mexico. Also because they are partly in the mountains, they are isolated and aloof, poor in location and numbers. Because the Apache was a wandering group they spent their time in two homes, one in the mountains and one in the desert. They lived in one place for only short periods of time then moved. Bands of Apache occupied the Gila River region in Arizona within historic times and periodically overran much of the territory of the State New Mexico. Today, they live on reservations totaling over 3 million acres in Arizona and New Mexico. They also still continue to practice many of their tribal customs. In 1990, there were 50,051 Apaches in the United States. Cattle, timber, and tourism help provide income for them. The Apache Indians came from the Alaskan region, Canada. The Apaches were typically nomadic, meaning they traveled around, never quite settling in one place. Everyone else finally stopped, but still others went even more southward into Texas and parts of Mexico.

HOUSING: The Apache people housing is very interesting and amazing. They actually have a Summer house and a winter house. For their summerhouses it is open on all sides. The winter houses are shaped like teepees. Not only do they have those styles, but some other structures are a dome shape, a cone shape, and a flat top. Another type of housing is the wickiup, an eight-foot tall frame of wood held together with yucca fibers and covered in brush usually in the Apache groups in the highlands. If a family member lived in a wickiup and they died the wickiup would be burned. The final housing is the hogan, an earthen structure in the desert area that was good for keeping cool in the hot weather of northern Mexico. The oval hut was covered with hide and was the best house. The more “well to do” had this kind. The tepee type was just made of brush. It had a place for a fire in the center. It was just thrown together. They use materials like cottonwood, other poles, grass, brush, brick, and grass thatch. For the summerhouse it’s amazing because they use just sticks to hold up the animal fur. They Apache people have very interesting structures for housing, but they work.