Naiche

Various Sizes - Matted Prints

During the late 1800's, hearing the word "Apache" struck fear into the people of the American West, white men and native alike. One of those dreaded Apache was named Naiche (aka Nachez). The second son of the great Chiricahua Apache Cochise, Naiche succeeded his father and older brother to the position of chief after their deaths. True to his raiding ways, Naiche wears mostly items taken from other nations. His shirt is most likely made by the Utes - a southern Plains tribe living in southern Utah and Colorado. His blanket is woven by the Navajo, who ironically were part of the same linguistic group as the Apache but now highly antagonistic to them. His rare Henry rifle was obviously produced by and taken from the Pindah or "White Eyes", as was his large glass bead necklace, commonly referred to as Padre beads, complete with a silver Caravaca cross.

Only his high-topped moccasins were produced by the Apache themselves. Made of deerskin with cowhide soles, the Apache moccasins often had the distinctive round upturned toe to protect the feet from sharp cactus, rocks, sticks, snakes, and other dangers.

Although he was well respected by his tribe as the true hereditary chief of the Chiricahua, Naiche was described as having no great ambitions to be a chief in the fullest sense of the word. Handsome and elegant and liking the ladies, Naiche was, for an Apache, easygoing, and was thus forced to share his leadership with the more infamous and charismatic Geronimo.

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