Ulzana facts for kids
Ulzana (born around 1821, died 1909) was a brave Apache war chief. He was also known by names like Josanni or Ozaní’, which meant "Tanned buckskin." He was the brother of another famous chief named Chihuahua.
Ulzana's Life and Adventures
Ulzana and his brother Chihuahua were strong and loyal helpers to the great Apache chief, Cochise. Ulzana is most famous for leading an amazing raid in 1885. This raid even inspired a movie called Ulzana's Raid (1972).
During this raid, Ulzana traveled through Arizona and New Mexico with only 11 other Mogollon Apache warriors. They rode about 1200 miles, which is a very long distance! They were incredibly skilled, avoiding thousands of soldiers who were trying to catch them. They also managed to take horses and other animals from settlers, cowboys, and miners.
Even though they faced many dangers, Ulzana only lost one warrior during the entire raid. This warrior was killed by other Apache people from the San Carlos Apache group. Ulzana and his remaining warriors safely returned to Mexico in late December.
Ulzana, along with his brother Chihuahua and the old chief Nana, eventually surrendered on March 3, 1886. At that time, 77 Apache people, including 15 warriors, 33 women, and 29 children, arrived at Fort Bowie. Ulzana lived on the reservation until he passed away in 1909.
Movies About Ulzana
Ulzana's incredible story has been featured in several movies:
- Ulzana's Raid (1972) – This American film was inspired by Ulzana's famous raid.
- Apachen (1973) – A German film about Apache people.
- Ulzana (film) (1974) – This was an East German western film. It was filmed in countries like Romania and Uzbekistan. A famous actor named Gojko Mitic played the main role.
