Who Are the Apache?

The Apache were more than fierce warriors; they were farmers, traders, and innovators who created a vibrant culture rooted in ceremony, kinship, and respect. Dr. Roy traces their migration into the American Southwest, their clashes with Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. armies, and the devastating genocides they endured. From their matrilineal traditions to their legendary leaders like Geronimo and Cochise, the Apache story is one of survival, adaptation, and resistance.

Takeaways:

• The Apache as part of the Athabascan migration from northwestern Canada to the American Southwest.
• Distinctions between raiding and war in Apache society, and why raids were designed to avoid violence.
• The matrilineal and matrilocal structure of Apache families and its impact on property, marriage, and ceremonies.
• Encounters with Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. forces, including scalp bounties and massacres.
• Legendary leaders such as Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo.
• The devastating loss of life and culture from 19th-century wars and forced relocations.
• The resilience of the Chiricahua Apache, from imprisonment as “prisoners of war” to surviving into the 20th century.

Resources & References:

• Accounts of Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, and Geronimo.
• The Gadsden Purchase (1854) and its role in U.S.-Mexico relations.
• The Bascom Affair (1861) and the outbreak of war with Cochise.
• Standing Bear v. Crook (1879) and Native American legal rights.
• Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the eventual resettlement of the Chiricahua Apache.

Beyond the podcast: 

• Want to watch this lecture? Check out the full video. 
• Want to support the show? Buy Dr. Roy a coffee!

This lecture was originally recorded at the Museum of the Future for the series Lessons from the Past (2025).