The Western Apache are an Indigenous people of North America, and a subgroup of Apache peoples. They live primarily in east central Arizona, in the United States and north of Mexico in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua.
Most live within reservations in Arizona. The Fort Apache Indian Reservation, San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Tonto Apache Reservation, and the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation are home to the majority of Western Apache and are the bases of their federally recognized tribes.
The Western Apache bands call themselves Ndee (Indé), meaning in the Western Apache language. Because of dialectical differences, the Pinaleño/Pinal and Arivaipa/Aravaipa bands of the San Carlos Apache pronounce the word as Innee or Nnēē:.Shadows at Dawn – The Peoples – Nnēē / Apache / 'O:b
Language and culture
The various dialects of Western Apache (which they refer to as Ndéé biyáti’ / Nnéé biyáti’) are a form of Apachean, a branch of the Southern Athabaskan language family. The Navajo speak a related Apachean language, but the peoples separated several hundred years ago and are considered culturally distinct. Other Indigenous peoples who speak Athabaskan languages are located in Alaska and Canada.
The anthropologist Grenville Goodwin classified the Western Apache into five groups based on Apachean dialect and culture: Cibecue, Northern Tonto, Southern Tonto, San Carlos, and White Mountain.
Since Goodwin, other researchers have disputed his conclusion of five linguistic groups. They do agree that there are three main Apachean dialects, with several sub-groupings: San Carlos, White Mountain, and Dilzhę́’é (Tonto).
Some 14,000 Western Apache still speak their Western Apache language, and the tribes are working to preserve it. Bilingual teachers are often employed in the lower elementary grades to promote that goal, but many children tend to learn to speak only the widely spoken English, mingled with occasional Spanish, depending on their home languages.
In relation to culture, tribal schools offer classes in Native handicrafts, such as basket weaving; making bows, arrows, spears, shields; and cradles for infants. Girls and young women at the elementary and secondary level are taught how to make native regalia from buckskin, in addition to making silver jewelry. In addition, young men often become jewelry makers and are taught skills in this area.
Western Apache bands and tribes
White Mountain Apache The White Mountain Apache or Dził Łigai Si’án Ndéé "People of the White Mountains" (), are centered in Fort Apache Indian Reservation. It is the most eastern band of the Western Apache group. The White Mountain Apache are a federally recognized tribe. Their traditional area ranged from the White Mountains near present-day Snowflake, Arizona, the Little Colorado River in the north over the Gila Mountains south to the Pinaleno Mountains near Safford (Ichʼįʼ Nahiłtį́į́)) and parts of Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico. They lived near waterways, which they used for their crops, such as along the East Fork and North Fork of the White River, Willow Creek, Black River and the Gila River. Ian W. Record: Big Sycamore Stands Alone: The Western Apaches, Aravaipa, and the Struggle for Place, p. 56, , 2008, University of Oklahoma Press Western White Mountain band (Łį́nabaahé, Łį́nabaahá – “Many Go to War People”, literally, “they scout with horses,” often called Coyoteros or Coyotero Apaches) Eastern White Mountain band (Dziłghą́ʼé or Dziłghą’á – “On Top of Mountains People”) Dził Nchaa Si’án (“Big Seated Mountain People”, i.e. “People of Mount Graham”)Yavapai and Nde Apache Today it includes the Tséé hachíídn or Cháchíídn (“Red Rock Strata People”, a group of chief Pedro's Carrizo band of the Cibecue Apaches, who were not forced to move to San Carlos in 1875.Fort Apache History
Cibecue Apache (Spanish derivation of the autonym of the Apache living in the Cibecue Creek Valley and Salt River Canyon known to them as Dishchíí Bikoh, Dishchíí Bikoh, or Dishchííkoh – “Horizontally Red Canyon” or “Red Ridge Valley”, therefore the Apache living there were called Dishchíí Bikoh N’déé, Dishchíídn – “Horizontally Red Canyon People” – sometimes shortened to “People of the Red Canyon” or “Red Canyon People”, possibly of Navajo/Zuni ancestry, ranged north of the Salt River to well above the Mogollon Rim between Cherry Creek in the west to Cedar Creek in the east – sometimes they were found even further west on Tonto Creek, in the Sierra Ancha and the Mazatzal Mountains considered to be Southern Tonto Apache land), today all part of the federally recognized tribe of the White Mountain Apache of the Fort Apache Reservation Canyon Creek band (Gołkizhn – “Spotted on Top People” or “Marked on The Ground People”, likely refers to a mountain that is spotted with junipers, lived along Canyon Creek, a tributary of the Salt River in the Mogollon Rim area, western band of the Cibecue Apache with five local groups) Carrizo band (Tł’ohk’aa hagain, Tł’ohk’aa digaidn Bikoh N’déé – “White Arrowgrass Goes Up People” or “Canyon of the Row of White Canes People”, lived along Carrizo Creek, a tributary of the Salt River, eastern band of the Cibecue Apache with four local groups) Cibecue band (Dziłt’aadn, Ts’iłt’aadn, or Dziłtaadn – “Base of Mountain People/Foot of the Mountain People”, lived along Cibecue Creek, a tributary of the Salt River, middle or central band of the Cibecue Apache with four local groups)
San Carlos Apache of the San Carlos Reservation (Tsék’āādn – “Metate Stone People”, lived on both sides of the San Pedro River and in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson), a federally recognized tribe composed of the San Carlos Apache proper and several groups of the Cibecue Apache (excluding the Tsēē Hachīīdn (“Red Rock Strata People”) clan of the Carrizo band), some Tonto Apache, Lipan as well Chiricahua Apache peoples. Apache Peaks band (Nadah doo Golniihé – “Spoiled Mescal People”, “Tasteless Mescal People”, also called Bích’iltł’éhé Nṉēē – “Fled to the Mountains People”, lived northeast of Globe between the Salt River and the Apache Peaks as far east as Íshįįhyú (“Salt”) on the Salt River, between Cibicue Creek mouth and Canyon Creek mouths) San Carlos band (Tsandee Dotʼán – ‘It is Placed Alone beside the Fire People’, often simply called Tsék’āādn – “Metate People”, or San Carlos proper, also called T’iiszhaazhé Bikoh – “Small Cottonwood Canyon People”, lived and farmed along the San Carlos River, a tributary of the Gila River) Pinaleño/Pinal band (Spanish ‘Pinery People’, T’iis Sibaan, T’iisibaan, or T’iisebán – “Edge of Cottonwood People”, “Cottonwoods in Gray Wedge Shape People”, named after the trees at the mouth of the San Pedro River and their farms along Pinal Creek called T’iisébaa, lived from the Mescal Mountains (Nadahchoh Das’án – “Big Mescal Sitting There”) in the west to the northern edge of the Apache Peaks in the east, northward across the Salt River and in the north and eastern parts of the Pinaleno Mountains (Pinal Mountains, in Apache: Dził Ndilchí’ Biyílé – “pine-burdened mountain”, in Yavapai: Walkame – “pine mountains”) southeast toward the Gila River, together with their allies, the Hwaalkamvepaya/Walkamepa Band ("Pine Mountains People") of Guwevkabaya-Yavapai and their Arivaipa kin they hunted and camped in the Dripping Springs Mountains to the southwest, lived generally north of the Arivaipa band) first Pinaleño/Pinal Apache local group or Hwaalkamvepaya/Walkamepa Guwevkabaya-Yavapai clan ("actual" or "real" Walkamepa clan) lived as bilingual group in the southern and western Pinal Mountains, also known in English as "Pinaleño/Pinal Apache Band" of the San Carlos Apache (in Apache: T’iisibaan or T’iisebán). second Pinaleño/Pinal Apache local group or Ilihasitumapa Guwevkabaya-Yavapai clan ("wood-sticking-out-of-middle-of-water People") (lived as bilingual group in the northern Pinaleno Mountains, therefore also known in English as "Pinaleño/Pinal Apache Band" of the San Carlos Apache.) Arivaipa/Aravaipa band (Pima: ‘cowards, ‘women’, called by the Apaches Tsēē ch’éheshjiné, Tséch’isjiné, Tséjiné, or Tsézhiné – “Dark Rocks People” or “Black Rocks People”, after a well known spot of black rocks around Bassett Peak (Dził Naz’aayú – “Mountain That Sits Here and There”) of the Galiuro Mountains, their range encompassed the Aravaipa Creek Valley, the Galiuro Mountains, the Santa Teresa Mountains, Santa Catalina Mountains und Rincon Mountains (Itah Gos’án – “Sits Close Together”) and the southern edge of the Pinaleno Mountains,The Apaches of the Aravaipa Canyon together with their Hwaalkamvepaya/Walkamepa Band ("Pine Mountains People") of Guwevkabaya-Yavapai allies and their Pinaleño/Pinal kin they hunted and camped in the Dripping Springs Mountains to the northwest) Tsézhiné or Tséjiné – “Dark Rocks People” or “Black Rocks People”, Aravaipa proper, because they outnumbered the Tsēē Bénast’i’é “Wrapped Around the Rocks People” their name was used for all Aravaipa. Tsēē Bénast’i’é – “Wrapped Around the Rocks People” or “Surrounded by Rocks People” Dziłdlaazhé or Ch’ishdlaazhé (“Mount Turnbull Apache”) or further Hwaalkamvepaya/Walkamepa Guwevkabaya-Yavapai clan (Yavapai name not known) (lived as bilingual group in the Santa Teresa Mountains including Mount Turnbull, in English most widely known as “Aravaipa Apache clan” of the San Carlos Apache.)
Tonto Apache The Tonto Apache's autonym is Dilzhę́`é. Historically, they lived from the San Francisco Peaks, East Verde River and Oak Creek Canyon along the Verde River into the Mazatzal Mountains and to the Salt River in the SW and the Tonto Basin in the SE, extending eastward toward the Little Colorado River. They are the most westerly group of the Western Apache and primarily live in Arizona.
The Chiricahua called them Ben-et-dine – ‘wild’, ‘crazy’; neighboring Western Apache called them Koun`nde – ‘Those who you don’t understand’, ‘wild rough People’. The Spanish adapted the latter term, referring to the people as Tonto –meaning 'loose', 'foolish' in Spanish. The Dine called the Tonto Apache and neighboring Yavapai Dilzhʼíʼ dinéʼiʼ – ‘People with high-pitched voices’, distinguishing them by language. Northern Tonto or Tonto, inhabited the upper reaches of the Verde River and ranged north toward the San Francisco Mountains north of Flagstaff. Because they shared hunting and gathering grounds with Wi:pukba/Wipukepaya bands of the Yavapai, they formed bilingual mixed-tribal bands with common headmen. Both the band/local group or its headman usually were given two names: one was Apache (Southern Athabascan) and the other Yavapai (Upland Yuman). Bald Mountain band (a bilingual, mixed Apache-Yavapai band known in Apache as: Dahszíné Dahsdáyé Iṉéé – ‘Porcupine Sitting Above People’, and in Yavapai: Wiipukepaya, meaning ′Oak Creek Canyon People′. In English they were often known as the "Bald Mountain band" (with focus on the Apache) or as "Oak Creek Canyon band" (with focus on the Yavapai). They lived mainly around Bald Mountain or Squaw Peak, on the west side of the Verde Valley, southwest of Camp Verde. They lived entirely by hunting and gathering plant foods. Oak Creek band (a bilingual mixed Apache-Yavapai band with two names: in Apache: Tséé Hichíí Nṉéé – ‘Horizontal Red Rock People’ and in Yavapai: Wiipukepaya local group – ′Oak Creek Canyon People′; in English often known as "Oak Creek band" (Apache) or as "Oak Creek Canyon band" (Yavapai). Lived near today's Sedona, along Oak Creek, Dry Beaver Creek, Wet Beaver Creek and southward to the west side of the Verde River between Altnan and West Clear Creek, eastward to Stoneman's and Mary's Lakes, and northward to Roger's Lake and Flagstaff.