Social organization Apache

1 social organization

1.1 kinship systems

1.1.1 chiricahua
1.1.2 jicarilla

social organization

apache bride

all apache peoples lived in extended family units (or family clusters); lived close together, each nuclear family in separate dwellings. extended family consisted of husband , wife, unmarried children, married daughters, married daughters husbands, , married daughters children. thus, extended family connected through lineage of women live (that is, matrilocal residence), men may enter upon marriage (leaving behind parents family).

when daughter married, new dwelling built nearby , husband. among navajo, residence rights derived head mother. although western apache practiced matrilocal residence, eldest son chose bring wife live parents after marriage. tribes practiced sororate , levirate marriages.

apache indian girl carrying olla (a water basket) on head, ca.1900

apache men practiced varying degrees of avoidance of wife s close relatives, practice strictly observed distance between mother-in-law , son-in-law. degree of avoidance differed in different apache groups. elaborate system among chiricahua, men had use indirect polite speech toward , not allowed within visual sight of wife s female relatives, whom had avoid. female chiricahua relatives through marriage avoided him.

several extended families worked local group , carried out ceremonies, , economic , military activities. political control present @ local group level. local groups headed chief, male had considerable influence on others in group due effectiveness , reputation. chief closest societal role leader in apache cultures. office not hereditary, , position filled members of different extended families. chief s leadership strong evaluated be—no group member ever obliged follow chief. western apache criteria evaluating chief included: industriousness, generosity, impartiality, forbearance, conscientiousness, , eloquence in language.

many apache peoples joined several local groups bands . band organization strongest among chiricahua , western apache, while among lipan , mescalero, weak. navajo did not organize local groups bands, perhaps because of requirements of sheepherding economy. however, navajo did have outfit , group of relatives larger extended family, not large local group community or band.

on larger level, western apache organized bands grenville goodwin called groups . reported 5 groups western apache: northern tonto, southern tonto, cibecue, san carlos, , white mountain. jicarilla grouped bands moieties , perhaps influenced example of northeastern pueblo. western apache , navajo had system of matrilineal clans organized further phratries (perhaps influenced western pueblo).

the notion of tribe in apache cultures weakly developed; recognition 1 owed modicum of hospitality of same speech, dress, , customs. 6 apache tribes had political independence each other , fought against each other. example, lipan once fought against mescalero.

kinship systems

the apache tribes have 2 distinctly different kinship term systems: chiricahua type , jicarilla type. chiricahua-type system used chiricahua, mescalero, , western apache. western apache system differs other 2 systems, , has similarities navajo system.

the jicarilla type, similar dakota–iroquois kinship systems, used jicarilla, navajo, lipan, , plains apache. navajo system more divergent among four, having similarities chiricahua-type system. lipan , plains apache systems similar.

chiricahua

hide painting depicting apache girl s puberty ceremony, naiche (chiricahua apache), ca. 1900, oklahoma history center

the chiricahua language has 4 different words grandparent: -chú maternal grandmother , -tsúyé maternal grandfather , -chʼiné paternal grandmother , -nálé paternal grandfather . additionally, grandparent s siblings identified same word; thus, 1 s maternal grandmother, 1 s maternal grandmother s sisters, , 1 s maternal grandmother s brothers called -chú. furthermore, grandparent terms reciprocal, is, grandparent use same term refer grandchild in relationship. example, person s maternal grandmother called -chú , maternal grandmother call person -chú (i.e. -chú can mean child of either own daughter or sibling s daughter.)

chiricahua cousins not distinguished siblings through kinship terms. thus, same word refer either sibling or cousin (there not separate terms parallel-cousin , cross-cousin). additionally, terms used according sex of speaker (unlike english terms brother , sister): -kʼis same-sex sibling or same-sex cousin , -´-ląh opposite-sex sibling or opposite-sex cousin . means if 1 male, 1 s brother called -kʼis , 1 s sister called -´-ląh. if 1 female, 1 s brother called -´-ląh , 1 s sister called -kʼis. chiricahuas in -´-ląh relationship observed great restraint , respect toward relative; cousins (but not siblings) in -´-ląh relationship may practice total avoidance.

two different words used each parent according sex: -mááʼ mother , -taa father . likewise, there 2 words parent s child according sex: -yáchʼeʼ daughter , -gheʼ son .

a parent s siblings classified regardless of sex: -ghúyé maternal aunt or uncle (mother s brother or sister) , -deedééʼ paternal aunt or uncle (father s brother or sister) . these 2 terms reciprocal grandparent/grandchild terms. thus, -ghúyé refers 1 s opposite-sex sibling s son or daughter (that is, person call maternal aunt -ghúyé , aunt call them -ghúyé in return).

jicarilla

unlike chiricahua system, jicarilla have 2 terms grandparents according sex: -chóó grandmother , -tsóyéé grandfather . not have separate terms maternal or paternal grandparents. terms used of grandparent s siblings according sex. thus, -chóó refers 1 s grandmother or 1 s grand-aunt (either maternal or paternal); -tsóyéé refers 1 s grandfather or 1 s grand-uncle. these terms not reciprocal. there single word grandchild (regardless of sex): -tsóyí̱í̱.

there 2 terms each parent. these terms refer parent s same-sex sibling: -ʼnííh mother or maternal aunt (mother s sister) , -kaʼéé father or paternal uncle (father s brother) . additionally, there 2 terms parent s opposite-sex sibling depending on sex: -daʼá̱á̱ maternal uncle (mother s brother) , -béjéé paternal aunt (father s sister).

two terms used same-sex , opposite-sex siblings. these terms used parallel-cousins: -kʼisé same-sex sibling or same-sex parallel cousin (i.e. same-sex father s brother s child or mother s sister s child) , -´-láh opposite-sex sibling or opposite parallel cousin (i.e. opposite-sex father s brother s child or mother s sister s child) . these 2 terms can used cross-cousins. there 3 sibling terms based on age relative speaker: -ndádéé older sister , -´-naʼá̱á̱ older brother , -shdá̱zha younger sibling (i.e. younger sister or brother) . additionally, there separate words cross-cousins: -zeedń cross-cousin (either same-sex or opposite-sex of speaker) , -iłnaaʼaash male cross-cousin (only used male speakers).

a parent s child classified same-sex sibling s or same-sex cousin s child: -zhácheʼe daughter, same-sex sibling s daughter, same-sex cousin s daughter , -gheʼ son, same-sex sibling s son, same-sex cousin s son . there different words opposite-sex sibling s child: -daʼá̱á̱ opposite-sex sibling s daughter , -daʼ opposite-sex sibling s son .