| Vanessa Jennings, a Plains Apache-Kiowa-Gila River Pima artist and traditionalist |
| Total population |
|---|
| 2,263[1] |
| Regions with significant populations |
| United States ( Oklahoma) |
| Languages |
|
English, formerly Plains Apache language |
| Religion |
|
traditional tribal religion, Native American Church, Christianity |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Apache peoples |
The Plains Apache are a Southern Athabaskan group that traditionally live on the Southern Plains of North America and today are centered in Southwestern Oklahoma. The tribe is federally recognized as the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma.
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The Plains Apache are also known as the Kiowa Apache, Naʼisha, or Naishan Dene, meaning "Our People."[2] They also used the term Khat-tleen-deh meaning "Cedar People" or Bay-ca-yeh meaning "Whetstone People"). To their close allies, the much larger Kiowa tribe, although speaking a completely unrelated language, they were known as Semat meaning "Stealers." At major tribal events, the Kiowa Apache formed part of the Kiowa tribal 'hoop' (ring of tipis). This may explain why the Kiowa named the Kiowa-Apache Taugui meaning "Sitting Outside."
Today the tribe is headquartered in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Their tribal jurisdictional area covers parts of Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Jefferson, Kiowa, and Stephens Counties in Oklahoma. Their current tribal chairperson is Louis Maynahonah.[1]
Tribal members must have a minimum blood quantum of 1/8 Plains Apache descent to enroll in the tribe.[1]
The Apache Tribe operates one casino, one smoke shop, and the Apache Ink Tattoo Parlor. They also issue their own tribal license plates.[3] Louis Maynahonah is serving as Tribal Chairman,[4] succeeding Alonzo Chalepah.[5]
In the late 18th century, Plains Apache lived near the upper Missouri River, their 1780 population was 400.[2] The Kiowa Apache adopted many traits from the Southern Plains lifestyle of the Kiowa, while remaining ethnically distinct. It is recorded that many Kiowa Apache did not learn the Kiowa language, preferring to communicate with their allies using the sophisticated Plains Indian Sign Language, at which the Kiowa were past masters (having probably devised much of the system). The Kiowa Apache social organisation was split into numerous extendend families (kustcrae), who camped together (for hunting, gathering) as local groups (gonka). The next level was the division or band, which was a composite of a some gonkas (especially for warfare).
In pre-reservation times there were at least four local groups or gonkas who frequently joined together for warring neighboring tribes and settlements.
The Apache are linked to the Dismal River culture of the western Plains,[6] generally attributed to the Paloma and Quartelejo (also Cuartelejo) Apaches. Jicarilla Apache pottery has also been found in some of the Dismal River complex sites.[7] Some of the people of the Dismal River culture joined the Kiowa Apache in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Due to pressure from the Comanche from the west and Pawnee and French from the east, the Kiowa and remaining people of Dismal River culture migrated south where they later joined the Lipan Apache and Jicarilla Apache nations.[7]
The Kiowa Apache language is a member of the Southern Athabaskan language family, a division of the Na-Dene languages. The Plains Apache language, also referred to as Kiowa Apache, was the most divergent member of the subfamily. While three people spoke the language in 2006,[8] the last fluent speaker died in 2008.