Western Apache


Seal of the San Carlos Apache tribe
Seal of the White Mountain Apache tribe
San Carlos Apache woman

Western Apache refers to the similar Apache peoples living primarily in east central Arizona. Most live within reservations. The White Mountain Reservation, Fort Apache Indian Reservation, San Carlos, Yavapai-Apache, Tonto-Apache, and Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache reservations are home to the majority of Western Apache. Goodwin (1938) claims that the Western Apache can be divided into five groups based on dialect:

  • Cibecue,
  • Northern Tonto,
  • Southern Tonto,
  • San Carlos, and
  • White Mountain.

Other researchers do not find any linguistic evidence for five groups, but rather three main varieties with several subgroupings:

Some 20,000 Western Apache still speak their native language, and efforts have been made to preserve it: bilingual teachers are often employed in the lower elementary grades, to expedite this goal, but the tendency toward children learning to speak only English, mingled with occasional Spanish, remains dominant. Classes in native handicrafts, such as basket weaving, making bows, arrows, spears, shields, cradles for infants, native costumes from buckskin for the young women, and the making of silver jewelry (often by the men) are offered in schools at the elementary and secondary level.

Notable Western Apache

  • Jay Tavare, actor (White Mountain)
  • Michael Minjarez, actor & Apache dialect supervisor

References and recommended reading

For the references, see the subarticle: Western Apache/Bibliography.

External links

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