James Mooney - Native Americans - 22 Books on History, Mythology, Culture & Linguistic Studies

Arts and Industries—The art expression of the Apache is manifested chiefly in their basketry, which shows much taste in form and decoration. The tus, an urn-shaped water bottle, is loosely woven of the stems of aromatic sumac, then coated inside and out with piñon gum. The flat tray basket, called tsa-naskú̆dĭ, is much used in their domestic life. The most pretentious basket is the immense tus-naskú̆di, urn-shaped, like the tus—whence its name—and used principally for the storage of grain. No Apache home is without the burden basket, tú̆tza, round and deep, often somewhat conical in form, and invariably decorated with deerskin fringe.

Political Organization—The Apache never had a very stable form of government. Chiefs were elected, or chosen, and ruled so long as it pleased their followers. If the son of a chief proved himself capable, he would be accorded opportunity to rule, otherwise he received no special recognition. Medicine-men were always more influential than the chiefs. Social customs and habits and much of the government of the tribe are guided by the medicine-men; but often they lose all influence by meeting with failure in the treatment of disease. Like the chiefs, the medicine-men depend on popular approval for their success.

Clans—The Coyoteros are divided into five bands, each consisting of a number of clans. In one band there are survivors of one clan only; in other bands as many as seven or eight clans are yet to be found. Descent is reckoned through the mother; that is, the children belong to the mother's clan, except among the Chiricahua, where, it is said, descent is traced through the father.

Nalin Lage - Apache

Coyotero Clans

Band I

1. Tse Chin (Red Rocks).

2. Glĕsh Chin (Red Clay).

3. Dĕs Káĭn (Cottonwood People).

4. Nú̆gwŭ Dĭlhkízn (Between Two Mountains).

5. Dĕs Lántin (Where the Cottonwoods Meet).

6. Kai Hin Chin (Through the Willows).

7. Kestéchi Nádakĭn (Ford between Sycamores).

Band II

1. Klúqa Dĭ Káĭn (Many-reeds People).

2. Ĭl Chĕn Tĭán (Long Row of Pines).

3. Chénche Chichíl Káĭn (Clump-of-oaks People).

4. Tzĭlh Ádĭn (By the Mountain).

5. Yakúĭ Káĭn (White-hill People).

Band III

1. Ia On Yĕ (In Black Brush).

2. Ta Káĭn (Sand People).

3. Tĕntolzú̆ga (Juts into the Water).

4. Dosh To An (Many Flies).

5. Tse Dĕs Káĭn (White-rock People).

6. Tse Teú̆n (Rocks in the River).

7. Tu Dĭlhkí̆h Shan (By the Black Water).

8. Ke Shĭn Tĭán (Long Row of Sycamores).

Band IV

1. Ndĕ Ndé̆zn (Tall People).

Band V

1. Nádotz Ózn (By Sharp Mountains).

2. Pĭs A Hón (Bank Caved In).

Arivaipa Clans

1. Glĕsh Chin (Red Clay).

2. Dĕs Zepú̆n (Big Gray Cottonwoods).

3. Tsĕz Zhuné̆ (By the Little Black Rocks).

4. Tse Dĕs Káĭn (White-rock People).

Chiricahua Clans

1. Aiahán (People of the East).

2. Ndĕ Ndái (Apache Half Mexican).

3. Cho Kŭné̆ (Ridge on the Mountain-side).

4. Chan Han (Red People).

Marriage—Strictly speaking, barter for women at an agreed price was never the custom among the Apache,—so the older of the present generation contend,—personal choice on the part of the girl having always to be considered. Nevertheless, payment for the bride is always made to her parents in the form of grain, money, horses, saddles, blankets, or cattle. The bride's consent is necessary, custom requiring the young man to prove his moral strength, and ability to support a wife and himself, by erecting a neat house and permitting the girl of his choice to occupy it with him for four nights without being molested or having her presence observed. By preparing his breakfast the morning following the fourth night the girl acknowledges her willingness to marry, and the agreement as to the definite payment her parents shall receive may be made any time later. She then becomes the man's wife, though a month may sometimes elapse before the agreement is sealed and the consequent payment made.

Genesis—In the unbroken darkness of the beginning of time appeared a small spot, which grew as embryonic life and became a human figure, known in the myth as Kútĕrastan, The One Who Lives Above. This creator then made light, and next Stĕnátlĭhăn, Woman Without Parents. Next he created Chuganaái, The Sun, and following him Hádĭntĭn Skhĭn, Pollen Boy. The creator next made the earth, and then the other gods of the Apache pantheon. Following their creation he instructed the various gods in their respective duties, and then disappeared into the sky through the smoke from a miraculous fire.

Person of Miraculous Birth—Stĕnátlĭhăn, a goddess, is the mother of two boys, who perform miracles and act as saviours of the people. The elder brother, Nayé̆nĕzganĭ, conceived by the Sun, is the more active and is revered as the God of War. To Tubadzĭschí̆nĭ, conceived by Water, is ascribed the making of the ocean as it now is, and he is supposed to have much to do with water in the form of rain and snow.

Ceremonies—The ceremonies are invariably called "dances." Among these are: a rain dance, a puberty rite, a harvest or good-crop dance, and a spirit dance. The medicine dance is the creation of a medicine-man and varies with his individual views. The ceremonial paraphernalia of the other four dances may vary in accordance with the dictates of the medicine-man, but for the greater part follows prescribed formula. The Apache are devoutly religious and pray on many occasions and in various ways: sometimes with the aid of little images representing gods, sometimes with painted deerskins and caps, and sometimes by merely facing the cardinal points and scattering pollen to the four winds for the gods from whom they seek favor. Usually the plants employed by them as medicine are dug in a ceremonial way, one notable exception being the gathering of pollen, no prayers being offered at that time. In secluded spots in the hills and mountains are found round cairns, with cedar and other twigs deposited upon them. These are shrines at which the Apache make offerings to their favorite gods. The medicine ceremonies are very numerous and vary with the dreams and personal views of the medicine-man who conducts them.

Burial—Everywhere throughout the hills and mountains of the reservation one finds small heaps of stones. In most instances these mark Apache graves. A favorite place of burial is a cleft in the rocks, in which the body is placed by the deceased's relatives and covered with stones. These small stones are always deposited one at a time, the Apache believing that to put them on the body all at once would shorten the life of the one so doing. Infants are usually placed on the upper branches of large cedar or piñon trees. The child is wrapped in its carrier, or cradle-board, which is left face up and covered with any sort of cloth, the belief being that the souls of infants are not strong enough to come out through the stones, should they be placed in the ground and covered therewith.

After-world—Re-created in the human form, Apache spirits are supposed to dwell in a land of peace and plenty, where there is neither disease nor death. The Milky Way is the path of all souls to the after-world. Yólkai Nalí̆n is the guardian goddess of this spirit land, and the spirits of the dead are supposed to journey four days before reaching it. Formerly horses were killed beside the grave of the dead, that they might use them in the after-world. For the same reason wearing apparel was also placed at the grave, together with available articles of adornment and accoutrement.