"THE SUNRISE DANCE"
 

NA'II'EES, THE APACHE WOMAN'S PUBERTY CEREMONY

TRADITIONALLY, ALMOST EVERY WESTERN APACHE GIRL HAD A PUBERTY CEREMONY,
OR NA'II'EES 'PREPARING HER,' OR 'GETTING HER READY', KNOWN POPULARLY AS THE
SUNRISE DANCE.

TODAY, THIS IS NO LONGER TRUE. ALTHOUGH PUBERTY CEREMONIES CONTINUE TO BE
PERFORMED ON A REGULAR BASIS, MOST APACHE GIRLS NOW MUST DO WITHOUT THEM.

TWO REASONS FOR THIS DECLINE ARE APPARENT. FIRST, AS A RESULT OF INROADS MADE ON
THE TRADITIONAL RELIGION BY MISSIONARIES, SOME APACHES NO LONGER BELIEVE IN THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF NA'II'EES. A SECOND REASON THAT NA'II'EES IS HELD LESS AND LESS
IS ITS PROHIBITIVE COST. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND WORK REQUIRED IS STAGGERING AND
THIS CONDITION MAKES THE CEREMONY IMPOSSIBLE FOR MANY PEOPLE.
 

WHEN I WAS AROUND THE AGE OF 16, I ATTENDED A MESCALARO, NEW MEXICO APACHE
"SUNRISE DANCE". THE CEREMONY WAS HELD AT THE MESCALARO APACHE INDIAN RESERVATION
AND WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IT WAS THEN AND THERE I FELT A KINSHIP WITH ALL NATIVE AMERICANS.
TO THIS DAY I LOVE VISITING THE RESERVATION ON TRIPS TO NEW MEXICO.

 THIS CEREMONY AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN GENERAL LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON ME.
SEEING THE CEREMONY WAS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS I HAD WITNESSED.
I FELT A "BOND" OF SORTS WITH THIS CEREMONY AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE....
AS IF I BELONGED TO THEIR SPIRITUALITY AND LOVE FOR MOTHER EARTH.
         ALL THE PRETTY HOMEMADE HEADDRESSES, COSTUMES, THE FIRE, THE BEAUTIFUL FEATHERS AND THE SMELL OF FRESH LEATHER FASCINATED ME.

SADLY, TODAY THE "SUNRISE DANCE" IS ALMOST OBSOLETE.

TO THIS DAY, THAT BOND I FELT WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND
 THEIR CULTURE STILL EXISTS AS WELL AS MY LOVE FOR NATIVE AMERICAN ART.
 

LEARN HOW TO WITHHOLD JUDGMENT
LEARN TO LISTEN
GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OWN INNER SELF
LOOK AT LIFE WITH JOY
DON'T EVER CRY OVER SOMETHING THAT CANNOT CRY OVER YOU.

CHEEWA JAMES, MODOC
 
 
 

A CARELESS WORD MAY KINDLE STRIFE.
A CRUEL WORD MAY WRECK A LIFE.
A BITTER WORD MAY HATE INSTIL.
A BRUTAL WORD MAY SMITE AND KILL.
A GRACIOUS WORD MAY LIGHT A DAY.
A TIMELY WORD MAY LESSEN STRESS.
A LOVING WORD MAY HEAL AND BLESS.

Watchful Eyes
-Teri Sodd-
Christmas, 2000

I HAVE BEEN TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
I HAVE BEEN TO THE END OF THE WATERS.
I HAVE BEEN TO THE END OF THE SKY.
I HAVE BEEN TO THE END OF THE MOUNTAINS.
I HAVE FOUND NONE THAT ARE NOT MY FRIENDS.

~NAVAJO PROVERB~

The Aztec Indians of Mexico believed turquoise would protect them
from physical harm, and so warriors used these green and blue
stones to decorate their battle shields.