Naiche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Naiche
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Chiricahua Chokonen N'de Chief Naiche, Arizona
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| Born | c. 1857 Chiricahua country |
| Died | March 16, 1919 Mescalero, New Mexico |
| Allegiance | Chiricahua Apache Indians |
| Years of service | 1880–1886 |
| Rank | Chief or Leader of Chiricahua Apaches |
| Battles/wars | Apache Wars |
| Relations | Cochise (father) |
| Other work | artist |
Chief Naiche (pronounced NYE-chee) was born around 1857 and passed away in 1919. He was a very important leader of the Chiricahua Apache people. Naiche was the last chief whose family had led the tribe for many generations.
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Who Was Chief Naiche?
Naiche's name means "meddlesome one" or "mischief maker" in English. You might also see his name spelled Nache, Nachi, or Natchez.
He was the youngest son of the famous Apache chief Cochise and his wife, Dos-teh-seh. His older brother was Chief Taza.
People described Naiche as a tall and handsome man. He carried himself with great dignity, showing his important family background. His father, Cochise, was a main chief of the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua Apache. His mother, Dos-teh-seh, was the daughter of another great chief named Mangas Coloradas. One person, Britton Davis, said Naiche was 6 feet 1 inch tall, which was very tall for an Apache man.
Naiche had three wives: Haozinne, E-Clah-he, and Na-deh-yole. Together, they had fourteen children.
Naiche's Role as a Leader
When his father Cochise died in 1874, Naiche's brother Taza became the chief. However, Taza died a few years later in 1876. After Taza's death, Naiche became the new chief. In the 1880s, Naiche and another famous Apache leader, Geronimo, fought together in wars.
In 1880, Naiche and Geronimo's group traveled to Mexico. They wanted to avoid being forced to move to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona. They surrendered in 1883 but managed to escape the reservation in 1885, returning to Mexico.
Naiche was officially the leader of the last group of Apache who had not settled down. He and Geronimo finally surrendered to General Nelson Miles in 1886.
Life After the Wars
Naiche and other Apache people asked to return to Arizona. They were held as prisoners at Fort Marion at the time. The United States government did not allow them to return. However, the Kiowa and Comanche tribes offered to share their reservations in southwestern Oklahoma with the Chiricahua.
So, Naiche and 295 members of his group moved to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. There, they became known as the Fort Sill Apache Tribe. In 1913, Naiche moved to the Mescalero Indian Reservation in New Mexico.
Naiche was known as a very talented artist among Native Americans of his time. He painted beautiful pictures on deer hide using different colors. He often painted flowers, deer, other wild animals, turkeys, and other things he saw in nature. He also carved walking sticks from wood and painted them with various colors.
His Final Years
Naiche died from the flu on March 16, 1919. He passed away in Mescalero, New Mexico.
Some of his descendants include:
- Elbys Onea Naiche Hugar
- Silas Cochise
Naiche in Stories
Naiche has appeared as a character in books and TV shows.
- He is a main character in the novel Cry of Eagles by William W. Johnstone. In this story, Naiche leads a group of Apache against white settlers.
- Rex Reason played Naiche in the film Taza, Son of Cochise.
- Naiche, called "Chief Nachez," was a character in an episode of The Life And Legend of Wyatt Earp. This episode aired on March 7, 1961. In the story, Chief Nachez asks Wyatt Earp for help to stop alcohol from being sold to his tribe. George Keymas played the character.
See also
In Spanish: Naiche para niños
