beneath White Mountain in New Mexico the Mescalero Apache reservation prepares
Mescalero Apache reservation prepares
Mescalero Apache reservation prepares for a coming-of-age ritual over the span
for a coming-of-age ritual over the span
for a coming-of-age ritual over the span of four days 13 year old – inna Cochise
of four days 13 year old – inna Cochise
of four days 13 year old – inna Cochise will pass through ancient tests of
will pass through ancient tests of
will pass through ancient tests of strength endurance and character that
strength endurance and character that
strength endurance and character that will make her a woman the Mescalero
will make her a woman the Mescalero
will make her a woman the Mescalero Apache hold the ritual every fourth of
Apache hold the ritual every fourth of
Apache hold the ritual every fourth of July it’s a grueling ordeal intended to
July it’s a grueling ordeal intended to
July it’s a grueling ordeal intended to prepare girls for the trials of
prepare girls for the trials of
prepare girls for the trials of womanhood when she was a little girl I
womanhood when she was a little girl I
womanhood when she was a little girl I knew this is what I wanted to have for
knew this is what I wanted to have for
knew this is what I wanted to have for her
her
her – Sheena’s mother Lillet has spent more
– Sheena’s mother Lillet has spent more
– Sheena’s mother Lillet has spent more than a year preparing for this week of
than a year preparing for this week of
than a year preparing for this week of ceremony family members and friends will
ceremony family members and friends will
ceremony family members and friends will help her feed and care for more than 50
help her feed and care for more than 50
help her feed and care for more than 50 guests the family’s most important task
guests the family’s most important task
guests the family’s most important task is selecting – Tina’s Medicine Woman
is selecting – Tina’s Medicine Woman
is selecting – Tina’s Medicine Woman Zelda yaza will instruct – Tina in the
Zelda yaza will instruct – Tina in the
Zelda yaza will instruct – Tina in the ways of traditional Apache woman the
ways of traditional Apache woman the
ways of traditional Apache woman the four-day ceremony encapsulate the Apache
four-day ceremony encapsulate the Apache
four-day ceremony encapsulate the Apache creation story
creation story
creation story – inna will move through the stages of
– inna will move through the stages of
– inna will move through the stages of life infant child adolescent woman
culminating in an all-night dance that
culminating in an all-night dance that will test her endurance the ritual
will test her endurance the ritual
will test her endurance the ritual begins with the rising of the morning
begins with the rising of the morning
begins with the rising of the morning star the ceremony requires – ena to live
star the ceremony requires – ena to live
star the ceremony requires – ena to live by strict rules
by strict rules
by strict rules these four days mean little sleep scat
these four days mean little sleep scat
these four days mean little sleep scat food and the need to set aside emotion
food and the need to set aside emotion
food and the need to set aside emotion throughout the ordeal she must wear a
throughout the ordeal she must wear a
throughout the ordeal she must wear a face of stoic results to show it in some
face of stoic results to show it in some
face of stoic results to show it in some way before – inna joins the other girls
way before – inna joins the other girls
way before – inna joins the other girls she is blessed dusted with pollen the
she is blessed dusted with pollen the
she is blessed dusted with pollen the symbol of fertility the girls start
symbol of fertility the girls start
symbol of fertility the girls start their journey in a sacred teepee built
their journey in a sacred teepee built
their journey in a sacred teepee built by their male role
the basket is filled with pollen and
the basket is filled with pollen and other ceremonial objects as their
other ceremonial objects as their
other ceremonial objects as their ancestors did the girls run toward the
ancestors did the girls run toward the
ancestors did the girls run toward the Rising Sun circling the basket four
Rising Sun circling the basket four
Rising Sun circling the basket four times to mark the four stages of life
the fourth and final day brings – inna
the fourth and final day brings – inna to the cusp of womanhood she ascends the
to the cusp of womanhood she ascends the
to the cusp of womanhood she ascends the hill to pray to the mountain spirits for
hill to pray to the mountain spirits for
hill to pray to the mountain spirits for a long and successful life with darkness
a long and successful life with darkness
a long and successful life with darkness near it’s time to dance beside the
near it’s time to dance beside the
near it’s time to dance beside the ceremonial fire – inna and the other
ceremonial fire – inna and the other
ceremonial fire – inna and the other girls will dance all night long much of
girls will dance all night long much of
girls will dance all night long much of the time hidden in the big tepee more
the time hidden in the big tepee more
the time hidden in the big tepee more than 10 hours later – inna is still
than 10 hours later – inna is still
than 10 hours later – inna is still dancing the medicine man greet the Sun a
dancing the medicine man greet the Sun a
dancing the medicine man greet the Sun a signal at the final test is near the
signal at the final test is near the
signal at the final test is near the girls faces are painted with white clay
girls faces are painted with white clay
girls faces are painted with white clay symbolizing the goddess on their last
symbolizing the goddess on their last
symbolizing the goddess on their last circuit around the sacred basket the
circuit around the sacred basket the
circuit around the sacred basket the girls wipe away the symbolic clay with
girls wipe away the symbolic clay with
girls wipe away the symbolic clay with the falling of the teepee their rite of
the falling of the teepee their rite of
the falling of the teepee their rite of passage is complete
passage is complete
passage is complete – inna receives her apache woman’s –
– inna receives her apache woman’s –
– inna receives her apache woman’s – morning star feather – Marnie star
morning star feather – Marnie star
morning star feather – Marnie star feather yeah everything went well she’s
feather yeah everything went well she’s
feather yeah everything went well she’s just from being a strong woman her
just from being a strong woman her
just from being a strong woman her community gathers acknowledging that
community gathers acknowledging that
community gathers acknowledging that this girl has earned the right to live
this girl has earned the right to live
this girl has earned the right to live as a woman of the tribe as an Apache
as a woman of the tribe as an Apache
as a woman of the tribe as an Apache woman
woman
woman – inna serves as a symbol of her culture
– inna serves as a symbol of her culture
– inna serves as a symbol of her culture renewing and protecting a way of life
renewing and protecting a way of life
renewing and protecting a way of life that’s in danger of vanishing
”
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