Questioning the label
“Rain dance” is a phrase that outsiders have attached to many Native nations, often in films, novels and tourism. For the Apache peoples, there is no well-documented, standard ceremony widely known as “the Apache rain dance,” and it would be a mistake to invent one. The phrase is better understood as a stereotype than as a name that Apache communities use. This article looks at why the label is unreliable, and at what can honestly be said about rain and water in Apache life.
Where the idea comes from
Several things feed the myth. Hollywood Westerns frequently showed Native characters dancing for rain on cue, and that cliche has been repeated for generations. The cliche flattens distinct peoples into a single “Indian” image. In addition, some Southwestern nations, among them certain Pueblo and Hopi communities, have ceremonies in which rain and moisture are central themes. Visitors to the region sometimes assume that the same is true of everyone, and Apache nations are drawn into the assumption.
There is also the problem of the word “dance” itself. Many Native ceremonies include song, prayer, movement and offerings together, and calling them “dances” can miss the point of what they are. Using “rain dance” for Apache practices puts an outsider’s label on something it does not describe.
Rain in a dry land
Water matters in the Apache Southwest, where the weather follows strong seasonal patterns. Much of the region’s rainfall comes in two periods: winter storms and the summer monsoon, which typically arrives in the warm months and brings thunderstorms. Apache families who farmed, such as many Western Apache and Jicarilla households, planted with attention to the arrival of rain and the flow of streams. Those who relied on wild plants also watched rainfall closely, since rain affects the growth of the plants gathered for food, a connection explored in the discussion of drought and wild foods.
Because of this, it is hardly surprising that rain and water appear in prayer. Public sources say in general terms that Apache prayer includes concern for the well-being of the land, plants and animals, and water is part of that. How such prayers are said, by whom, and on what occasions is not something this site will describe. It is also wise to be careful about assuming that the practices of one nation apply to another.
Water in stories and place
Water also appears in Apache stories and in the way places are understood. Springs, rivers and certain mountains are named and remembered in the languages of the people who live near them, and stories attached to these places teach about conduct as well as geography. The idea of the land as a teacher is developed in the account of Western Apache place-names, which explains how names carry information about water, plants and events.
Some figures in Apache stories are associated with water and weather, and different groups tell different versions. These are living oral traditions, and they are told at appropriate times, so this article does not retell them. People who want to know more should look for stories published by Apache authors or by tribal cultural programs.
Water as a modern issue
Water is as important now as it was historically. Apache nations in Arizona and New Mexico, like other Southwestern communities, have been involved in water rights questions, which concern who may use river and groundwater and in what amounts. These are legal and political matters that differ from one nation to another and change over time, so readers should consult each nation’s official website. What can safely be said is that rain, rivers and springs remain important to Apache communities in practical, cultural and legal ways.
What to avoid
- Do not describe any dance as the Apache “rain dance” without a source from the Apache nation concerned.
- Do not treat Pueblo or Hopi ceremonies as Apache ones; they belong to those nations.
- Be cautious about commercial items or shows that promote “rain dance” experiences, since these often have no connection to any Apache community.
- Do not assume that if a prayer or ceremony concerns water, it is a performance meant to produce rain on demand. Such a framing reflects the outsider stereotype.
A better framing
A more accurate approach is to ask how people in a place with limited and seasonal rainfall relate to water. For Apache peoples, the answer includes farming and gathering, careful knowledge of springs and streams, stories tied to places, and prayer that is part of the wider relationship with the land. That relationship is better described by the communities themselves than by a catchy label.
For further reading, look for materials from Apache nations’ cultural centers, or books by Apache authors. Current programs, events and visitor guidelines are best checked on each nation’s own official website, because this independent site speaks for no tribe.