THE GIFT OF CHANGING WOMAN 



By Keith H. Basso 



INTRODUCTION 



THE WESTERN APACHE 



The Southern Athapascans have been divided into seven major 

 tribes on the basis of territorial, cultui'al, and linguistic distinctions 

 which they themselves recognized (Goodwin, 1942, pp. 1-13, 1938, 

 pp. 5-10). These are the Jicarilla, the Lipan, the Kiowa-Apache, 

 the Mescalero, the Chiricahua, the Navaho, and the Western Apache. 

 Hoijer (1938, p. 86) categorized these tribes linguistically into an 

 eastern and western group. The latter includes the Navaho, Chiri- 

 cahua, Mescalero, and Western Apache; the former is composed of 

 the JicariUa, Lipan, and Kiowa-Apache. 



The definition of Goodwin (1935, p. 55), which is the most compre- 

 hensive yet devised, designates as Western Apache ". . . those Apache 

 peoples who have lived within the present boundaries of the state 

 of Arizona during historic times, with the exception of the Chiricahua, 

 Warm Springs, and allied Apache, and a small band of Apaches 

 known as the Apaches Mansos, who lived in the vicinity of Tucson." ^ 



In 1850, Western Apache country extended north to Flagstaff, 

 south to Tucson, east to the present city of St. Johns, and west to 

 the Verde River. At this time, the people were divided into five 

 distinct groups, each ranging over its own area of land and refusing 

 to encroach upon that of its neighbors.^ These were the White 

 Mountain Apache, Cibecue Apache, San Carlos Apache, Southern 

 Tonto Apache, and Northern Tonto Apache. Within each group 



I For a fuller discussion of this definition, including maps showing the distribution of Western Apache 

 groups and those living In Arizona who were not Western Apache, see Goodwin, 1942, pp. 1-62. In the 

 middle of the 19th century, the people now called Western Apache were known by a variety of names 

 (Coyoteros, White Mountain Apaches, etc.). Goodwin spent much time on this confusing problem 

 and in his Appendix I (ibid., pp. 571-572) has prepared a list of terms by which the Western Apache 

 groups were formerly known. To understand which groups are referred to in the early literature, this 

 table is indispensable. 



• In discussing the social divisions of the Western Apache, I have adopted Goodwin's (1942) terminology. 

 Although slightly misleading at times (group vs. local group, etc.) It is otherwise extremely accurate and the 

 product of extensive research. 



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