Apache

The Apache are many groups of people.

They live in dry lands. Some live in high mountains. They live in the desert too.

They have many ways to talk. They speak the same kinds of words. This makes them like the Navajo people.

Long ago, they moved from the north. They came to the southwest. They lived in deep canyons. They lived in wide plains too.

Some groups are called the Chiricahua. Others are the Jicarilla. There are also the Lipan and the Mescalero.

Today, many Apache tribes live in the United States. Some live in Mexico. They work together in a group. They meet to talk and lead.

The Apache are many groups of people. They speak Southern Athabaskan languages. These languages are like the Navajo language.

Long ago, the Apache moved from the north. They arrived in the Southwest between the years 1000 and 1500. Their lands are called Apacheria. This area has high mountains and deep canyons. It also has dry deserts and wide plains.

There are many different Apache groups. Some are called the Chiricahua. Others are the Jicarilla, Lipan, or Mescalero. There are also the Plains and Western Apache.

Today, many Apache tribes live in the United States. They have homes in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. Some Apache people also live in Mexico. Each tribe can rule itself.

Nine tribes belong to a group called the Apache Alliance. This group helps the tribes work together. Tribal leaders meet at summits. At these meetings, a different tribe hosts the group each time. They meet to talk and lead.

The Apache are several groups of people who share a common history. They speak Southern Athabaskan languages, which are related to the Navajo language.

These people have lived in the Southwest and the Southern Plains for a very long time. Their traditional lands are often called Apacheria. This area includes high mountains, deep canyons, and dry deserts. It also covers the southern Great Plains.

Today, Apache tribes remain strong and maintain their own ways of living.

There are many different ways to group the Apache people. Some groups are defined by the specific language they speak. Others are organized into different bands or clans.

For example, the Western Apache is divided into several different reservations. These include the Fort Apache, San Carlos, Camp Verde, and Tonto reservations. The Chiricahua group is also very well known. Some Chiricahua people live on the Mescalero Reservation. Others are part of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe in Oklahoma.

The history of the Apache involves many long journeys and changes. They migrated from their northern homelands into the Southwest between 1000 and 1500 CE.

For many years, the Apache fought against Spanish and Mexican groups. In the 1800s, they also had many confrontations during the American Indian Wars. The U.S. Army saw them as very skillful strategists.

These historical events shaped how different groups moved and settled.

Many different names have been used to describe the Apache throughout history. The word "Apache" likely comes from the Spanish language. Some people think it might come from the Zuni word for "Navajos."

Other theories suggest it might come from the Yavapai word for "enemy." Because different explorers met different groups, names often changed. For example, the Jicarilla name comes from a Spanish word for "little gourd." Even though names can be confusing, the people know who they are. Many Apache speakers use their own words to mean "person" or "people."

Today, the Apache people stay connected through many different ways. Nine tribes belong to a group called the Apache Alliance.

This nonprofit group helps the tribes work together. Tribal leaders meet at special events called Apache Alliance Summits. At each summit, a different tribe acts as the host.

These meetings allow leaders to talk and share ideas. While each tribe is politically independent, they still find ways to support one another. This connection helps keep their culture alive for the future.

The Apache are several groups of Southern Athabaskan-speaking peoples.

They reside across the Southwest, the Southern Plains, and Northern Mexico. These groups are linguistically related to the Navajo people. Historically, their traditional homelands are known as Apacheria. This vast region includes high mountains, sheltered valleys, and deep canyons. It also encompasses deserts and the southern Great Plains.

Today, Apache tribes maintain political autonomy within their own governments.

The history of the Apache involves a long migration. They moved from northern Athabaskan homelands into the Southwest between 1000 and 1500 CE.

For centuries, these tribes fought against invading Spanish and Mexican peoples. During the 19th-century American Indian Wars, they faced the U.S. Army. Military records described the Apache as fierce warriors and skillful strategists.

These historical conflicts shaped the movement and settlement of various bands.

There are six major Apache-speaking groups. These include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Plains, and Western Apache. The Western Apache is located in Arizona and is divided into several reservations. These include the Fort Apache, San Carlos, Camp Verde, and Tonto reservations. The Chiricahua were divided into two main groups after being released as prisoners of war. Most Chiricahua joined the Mescalero Apache Tribe in New Mexico. The others belong to the Fort Sill Apache Tribe in Oklahoma.

Naming the Apache has often been difficult for outsiders. Many historical names were given by Spanish, French, or English speakers. These outsiders often used exonyms, which are names given by other groups. For example, the term "Apache" likely has Spanish roots. One theory suggests it was borrowed from the Zuni word for "Navajos." Another theory suggests it comes from the Yavapai word for "enemy." Even so, Apache speakers use their own autonyms to describe themselves. They often use terms meaning "person" or "people."

Different scholars have used different methods to classify Apache groups. Anthropologists often disagree on how to group smaller divisions. In 1900, the U.S. government listed six specific Apache groups in the United States. In the 1930s, Greenville Goodwin classified the Western Apache into five groups. He used dialect and cultural differences to make these distinctions.

However, other scholars like Albert Schroeder found these classifications inconsistent. Linguist Willem de Reuse found evidence for only three major groupings. These are the White Mountain, San Carlos, and Dilzhe'e groups.

Specific tribal locations are spread across many modern states and territories. In the United States, tribes are headquartered in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.

The Jicarilla Apache Nation is headquartered in Dulce, New Mexico. The Mescalero Apache Tribe is based in Mescalero, New Mexico. The Plains Apache are located near Anadarko, Oklahoma. In Mexico, Apache populations live in Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas. These diverse locations show the wide reach of the Apachean people.

Today, the Apache tribes stay connected through the Apache Alliance. This is a nonprofit organization formed by nine Apache tribes.

Tribal leaders meet at the Apache Alliance Summits to discuss important matters. Each summit is hosted by a different member tribe. The member tribes include the White Mountain Apache and the Yavapai-Apache Nation. While each tribe is politically independent, they work together through this alliance. This cooperation helps preserve their shared heritage and strength.