THE NOMADIC I'EOl'LES. 103 



the houses and the Navajo desert them after a death 

 has occurred. Widows and widowers are unwelcome 

 guests for several months among the Jicarilla and are 

 forced to camp apart. 



Political Organization. 



The government of the nomadic tribes is much less 

 formal than that of the sedentary peoples. The 

 Jicarilla now have a chief elected from each of the two 

 bands. One of these is recognized by the agency 

 officials and by the Indians themselves as tribal chief. 

 In earlier times the two divisions appear to have been 

 poUtically independent, each having chiefs of coordi- 

 nate rank. Both war and hunting parties were under 

 the control of a head man who directed them. While 

 it is probable that the same individual frequently 

 acted in this capacity it is not certain that the office 

 of war chief was definitely bestowed. 



The other Apache and the Navajo were divided into 

 many small bands each with its chief who held office 

 for life and was frequently succeeded by his son if he 

 proved himself efficient. The office seems to have been 

 bestowed by common consent. The Navajo and the 

 Apache bands united in common action against other 

 tribes and against the Mexicans and Americans under 

 the leadership of such men as had proved themselves 

 capable leaders. As examples may be mentioned 

 Geronimo who led several bands of the Apache for a 



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