Clan Fusion and Heritage Diversity on the San Carlos Apache Reservation
Over time, the San Carlos Apache Reservation became a melting pot for various Apachean-speaking groups. After the deportation of the Chiricahuan Apache to Florida in 1886, the reservation became home to diverse communities, including the Pinal Coyotero, Aravaipa, Pinaleño, Apache Peaks, San Carlos proper, Canyon Creek, Carrizo Creek, and Cibecue bands.
Today, the community includes descendants from these historic clans, such as the Cibecue band of the White Mountain Apache, Southern Tonto Apache, Tsiltaden, Eastern White Mountain Apache, and the Lipan, Dzil Dlaazhe.
Special Thanks to Dr. Willem J. de Reuse, Joyce Johnson and Althea Antonio for compiling the extensive clans list below.
Clan List
Prepared for Tribal Enrollment by Willem de Reuse, on the basis of Phillip Goode’s list with corrections and additions
by Althea Antonio, Bernadette Goode, and Joycelene Johnson.
San Carlos, 11/28/2023, and Globe, 11/29/2023, 12/01/2023
There were originally over sixty Western Apache clans. Some of these have now become extinct. The clan system cross-cuts Western Apache group divisions, so that many San Carlos Apache clans also exist in other groups, such as the Cibecue, the Dilzhe’e (formerly called Tonto), and the White Mountain Apache other than Cibecue. Here is a list of clans that have members living on the San Carlos Apache reservation. This list includes the clans that might no longer exist, but we added them just in case there is a tribal member belonging to these clans. The clan names are in bold. The names of clans that might no longer exist, but maybe do exist after all, are indicated by an asterisk preceding them. In parentheses, we provide the number of the clan as given in Goodwin (1942[1969]:600-629), as well as in the Descriptive list of Western Apache Clans from Tribal Enrollment Dept., SCAT, written on the basis of Goodwin by Richard Hoffman, and in the list by Phillip Goode (PG), dated 11/9/90. Following the indication in parentheses, we provide a meaning and analysis. Analyses are corrected with help of the 12 page handout called “Western Apache Clans”, prepared by Seth Pilsk, which also contains more detailed information about the historical and geographical origins of the clan.