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Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Various Sizes - Matted Prints
As a bonfire licks at the dark evening sky, male dancers stamp into the circle of light. Entering from the east, the dancers bless the four cardinal directions and the medicine man begins to sing. The dancer's movements are dynamic and bold as they sway and posture, lunge and twist, brandishing swordlike wands and tipping their elaborate headdresses back and forth. Their arms and bodies are painted with black and white designs representing thunder and lighting, clouds and rain, and their crowns are painted with sacred images of stars, suns, crosses and zigzags, prescribed by a medicine man and specific to the ceremony in which they are used.
To the Apache people these are the Crown Dancers, the Mountain Spirits, the holy Ga'an, who dwell in the sacred mountains and whose power is believed to be manifested in the wind. During the religious ceremonies in which they perform, these masked dancers have the power to drive away evil, bestow blessings, and heal the sick. They have come this night to rid the ceremonial grounds of evil spirits during the "Na ih es" or "Preparing Her" ceremony, a four day religious festival celebrating a young girl's coming of age.
Bring the enchanting spirit of the Ga'an Dancers into your space, celebrating the rich traditions of the Apache through art. This piece serves as a gateway to the cultural vibrancy and storytelling of the American West.
Click on Photo to view Full Image
Various Sizes - Matted Prints
As a bonfire licks at the dark evening sky, male dancers stamp into the circle of light. Entering from the east, the dancers bless the four cardinal directions and the medicine man begins to sing. The dancer's movements are dynamic and bold as they sway and posture, lunge and twist, brandishing swordlike wands and tipping their elaborate headdresses back and forth. Their arms and bodies are painted with black and white designs representing thunder and lighting, clouds and rain, and their crowns are painted with sacred images of stars, suns, crosses and zigzags, prescribed by a medicine man and specific to the ceremony in which they are used.
To the Apache people these are the Crown Dancers, the Mountain Spirits, the holy Ga'an, who dwell in the sacred mountains and whose power is believed to be manifested in the wind. During the religious ceremonies in which they perform, these masked dancers have the power to drive away evil, bestow blessings, and heal the sick. They have come this night to rid the ceremonial grounds of evil spirits during the "Na ih es" or "Preparing Her" ceremony, a four day religious festival celebrating a young girl's coming of age.
Bring the enchanting spirit of the Ga'an Dancers into your space, celebrating the rich traditions of the Apache through art. This piece serves as a gateway to the cultural vibrancy and storytelling of the American West.
Click on Photo to view Full Image