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Apache Art: The Vibrant Expression of a Diverse Culture
A survey of Apache art across the Western Apache, Chiricahua, Mescalero, Jicarilla, Lipan and Plains Apache, from baskets and beadwork to modern sculpture.
Daily Life and Arts
Apache Art and Expression
Visual art, music and creative work by Apache artists past and present.
Apache Art and Activism: A Powerful Form of Cultural Expression
How Apache artists and communities use visual art, music and public creative work to speak about land, Oak Flat and sovereignty, drawing only on public sources.
Apache Art: The Beautiful Expression of Native American Craftsmanship
A practical guide to buying Apache art ethically: how the Indian Arts and Crafts Act works, where to buy, and how to spot imitations and misleading labels.
Apache Music and Politics: A Complex Relationship
How song figures in Apache public and political life, from gatherings and community events to recordings linked to land struggles, kept general and respectful.
Apache Music: The Rhythms and Melodies of a Resilient People
How the Apache water drum, rattles, the Apache fiddle and the voice carry rhythm in Apache song, and what recordings and archives document Apache music today.
Apache People: Their Contributions to American Arts and Entertainment
Apache performers and creators in film and media, and the long history of non-Native actors playing Apache roles in Hollywood Westerns and television.
Apache People: Their Contributions to American Literature and Art
Apache authors, painters and sculptors such as Allan Houser, and what their work adds to American literature and art, including how some books were recorded.
Apache Tribe Culture: The Importance of Traditional Art in Their Society
Why traditional Apache art was woven into daily life: baskets, cradleboards, clothing and ceremonial items made to be used, not displayed apart from living.
Apache Tribe Culture: The Importance of Traditional Music in Their Society
The roles of traditional Apache song in family, social, work and ceremonial life, described at a general public level without reproducing any sacred songs.
Apache Tribe Culture: The Role of Art in Their Society
Common motifs in Apache art and what can responsibly be said about their meaning, with cautions about invented symbolism and the limits on sacred designs.
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More in daily life and arts
Values Law and Elders Customary law, conduct and the role of elders. Diplomacy and Peacemaking Disputes, alliances and trade between and within groups. Music Dance and Art Song, dance and visual art across Apache communities. Craftsmanship Basketry, beadwork, pottery, weaving and the makers who keep these skills alive. Dress and Adornment Clothing, jewelry and regalia across Apache groups. Land and Livelihood Hunting, gathering, farming, tools and relationships with homelands. Childhood and Upbringing How Apache children were raised, taught and played. Community and Social Structure Bands, local groups and community values. Family and Kinship Clans, extended families and elders. Foodways Traditional foods, gathering and cooking. Heritage and Traditions Everyday traditions, land-based practice and ways of life across Apache groups. Apache Homelands and Landscapes The mountains, deserts and rivers of Apache country, and how to visit them respectfully. Plants and Traditional Knowledge The plants of Apache country and the public, general knowledge of how they were used.