Chesley Goseyun Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chesley Goseyun Wilson
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Wilson in 1989
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 31, 1932 Bylas, San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, Arizona, U.S. |
| Died | October 4, 2021 (aged 89) Safford, Arizona, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, dancer, medicine man, silversmith, actor |
| Instruments | Apache fiddle, vocals |
| Labels | Eagle Clan, Smithsonian Folkways, EMI Music Canada |
Chesley Goseyun Wilson (born July 31, 1932 – died October 4, 2021) was an amazing artist. He was known for making and playing the Apache fiddle. He was also a singer, dancer, and a respected medicine man. Besides music, he worked as a silversmith and even acted in movies.
In 1989, Wilson received a special award called the National Heritage Fellowship. This is a very high honor from the United States government for people who keep traditional arts alive.
Contents
Early Life and Apache Traditions
Chesley Goseyun Wilson was born on July 31, 1932. His hometown was Bylas, located on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona. His father, Nichol Wilson, was a medicine man and a rancher.
Sadly, Chesley's mother, Sarah Goseyun Wilson, passed away when he was only two years old. Chesley was a descendant of famous Apache leaders like Cochise and Eskiminzin.
When he was young, Chesley was raised by his grandfather and uncles. They were important musicians, singers, and religious leaders in the Apache community. From his uncle, Albert Goseyun, he learned how to make and play the Apache violin and Apache flute. Chesley was the last active Apache violin maker from the family of the well-known musician Amos Gustina.
As a teenager, he went back to live with his father. There, he learned how to work with horses. He became a wrangler and later a cowboy during cattle roundups.
Career and Achievements
In 1953, Chesley joined the US Army. He served for two years in Korea. This experience showed him many new things that were different from growing up on the reservation. After leaving the army in 1955, he joined a government program for Native Americans.
He trained to become a silversmith and worked in this craft for over twenty years. He lived and worked in the San Francisco area and in Carson City, Nevada. In 1982, he moved back to Arizona.
Even while working as a silversmith, Wilson continued to make Apache violins in his free time. He also worked hard to keep other Apache crafts, customs, and ceremonies alive. His dedication earned him the 1989 National Heritage Fellowship. This award is the highest honor in the folk and traditional arts in the United States.
One of his beautiful Apache violins is part of the musical instrument collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. He also made a traditional Apache violin for the Governor's Art Awards in 1991. In 1992, Chesley Wilson was named an Arizona Indian Living Treasure.
Wilson also worked as a model for several years. He posed for Western artists like Howard Terpning and Logan Maxwell Hagege. He also worked with photographer Ray Manley. His picture was even on the cover of Southwest Art magazine in July 1995. He also modeled for the Wrangler Western Wear clothing brand.
Over the years, he appeared as an actor in movies and TV shows. He played Native American characters in these roles. Chesley Wilson was also an active member of the Apache Medicine Men Society. He often spoke to young Apache people, encouraging them to learn and use traditional Apache ways in their lives.
Films
Actor
- Geronimo (1993 TV movie)
- Buffalo Soldiers (1997 TV movie)
- South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000 film)
- Skinwalkers (2002 TV movie)
- Rio de Oro (2010 film)
- 12 Years a Slave (2013 film)
- The Revenant (2015 film)
- Apache Leap (2022 film)
Soundtrack
- 12 Years a Slave (performer)
- The Revenant (songwriter and performer)
Discography
- Apache Eagle Dream (Eagle Clan Music)
- The Singing Winds (Eagle Clan Music)
- Wood That Sings: Indian Fiddle Music Of The Americas (Smithsonian Folkways CD SF 40472, 1997), contributing performer
- The Soundtrack Of A People: A Companion To The Encyclopedia Of Native Music (EMI Music Canada, 2005), contributing performer
