I found the following account of a Sunrise Ceremony and the struggle between traditional beliefs and Christianity to be excellent as it was, unedited and uncut. I include it in it's entirety here as well as a link back to the original page.

The tradition and celebration of cultural behaviors is very important to the White Mountain Apache tribe. For example, when a girl reaches a time of her life known as "The Changing Woman", she goes through a phase of her first menstrual cycle. As a result, she is given a ceremonial dance that includes spiritual gifts and blessing as she enters womanhood. This ceremony is called "The Sunrise Dance". This traditional dance is still performed today, but is declining. The dance lasts four days, in which, it will test and provide her endurance. During the ceremony, the girl is believed to possess the power to heal. Furthermore, she is given sacred tools such as an eagle feather, an abalone shell, and a cane (to name just a few) that will protect and guide her throughout her adult life. In the next passages, I will discuss my personal experience and beliefs in this particular ceremony and how the people of the White Mountain tribe feel about the Sunrise Dance.

The tradition of the White Mountain Apache tribe is passed down from generation to generation. One traditional celebration is when a girl experiences her first menstrual cycle. This celebration is a ceremony called "The Sunrise Dance". It exemplifies the understanding of our Apache beliefs. The ceremony signifies a girl entering womanhood.

The Sunrise dance is performed on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. However, it is decreasing, due to the introduction of the Christian religion that has changed some of the Apache's beliefs. 'in the Apache culture, ceremony or ritual symbolizes significant events or items. When a girl has her first menstrual cycle , she is changing from a girl into a woman. I feel the Sunrise dance is a very important part of an Apache girl's life because each stage of the dance is a learning experience. In the beginning of each stage of the dance, the girl is molded into a new woman.

The decision to have a Sunrise Dance for a girl is not made hastily. It comes from the traditional values and beliefs of the girl's family. The Apache family believes that the girl who performs the dance will be provided with special blessings. The family will support and encouraged the girl while she is performing the dance. By participating in the dance, the girl will keep the tradition alive. The decision to have the dance is not an easy task because of the financial expense, the preparation, the responsibilities, and the support of the kinship.

The next step after agreeing to have a Sunrise Dance, is the selection of god parent The godmother should be someone who will be an example and provide wisdom for the girl to follow in life. In addition, the godparent should be spiritually strong in the Apache way. When the selection has been made, the next step is to ask the god parents if they will accept the responsibilities of being traditional god parents to the special girl. Furthermore, I feel it is important for the chosen couple to have accomplished a lot of things already in their lives. Because the Sunrise dance takes place only during the summer season, it must be planned a year in advance. During the winter, the girl's parents would ask the god parents to sponsor the dance, which will be performed during the summer. Because the element of surprise is important, the request is made in the morning hours before the sun rises (3, 4, 5 a.m.). This is an important part. Since the parents of the child want the god parents to say yes, they give them no warning. On the chosen morning before they go to the future god parents, the family of the girl loads their vehicle with food and drinks to offer the couple to persuade them to accept. In addition, an eagle feather with a turquoise stone is given to the couple in appreciation of their acceptance.

The ceremony itself has different stages with procedures that must be followed. One of these stages involves selecting a medicine man who will officiate the ceremonial event. This including special prayers and songs. In choosing a medicine man, he must have these qualities: strength, respect, and good moral character. To have a knowledgeable medicine man means a more successful dance.

The Sunrise Dance is a four day event that begins on a Friday and ends on a Monday. The first day is Friday, an important day for the medicine man because it is now his duty to take over the spiritual preparations. In addition, he will have to obtain helpers, including the girl's godfather, to help him perform his duties. A sweat lodge is built by the girl's family, in which the medicine man prepares and makes the scared tools the girl uses in the dance. He will make the cane which the girl will use in her old age. In addition, he will bless all the special tools, such as the eagle feather, abalone shell, deer-skin, ribbons, prayer stones, and anything else that is used in the ceremony. As the medicine man prepares the tools, there are many sacred songs sung in the Apache language. The men in the sweat lodge will sing and pray most of the day. While this is taking place, the woman also have a role to fulfill. They cook special food for everyone who comes into the camp., The special girl is also expected to take food into the sweat camp at noon and to leave the food at the outskirts of the lodge.

Before sundown on this special Friday, everyone is gathered for the occasion of the dressing of the girl. This is when the godmother dresses the girl with the sacred tools the medicine man has made and blessed. The items that were prepared and blessed are placed on top of a tarp on the ground. The purpose of the sacred tools are as follows. The eagle feather in the girl hair is for strength and guidance. The abalone shell that is tied to her hair is positioned in front of her forehead as a symbol of the changing woman. The deer-skin (buck-skin) symbolizes the sacred animal. The design sewed on the dress and the tin cones placed on the fringes of the outfit represent the spirits. The cane that she uses through the dance is to support her and also provide her with strength. The ribbon attached to the cane signifies the cardinal colors of black, blue, yellow, and white.

After the dressing of the girl take place, the next stage is to have the medicine man make a speech. The medicine man's speech is to focus on the gifts of the Sunrise Dance Ceremony and how important it is to be prayerful during the next four days. He also stresses to the girl her role, responsibilities, and the learning in which she will partake. One special role is the healing powers she alone will possess during the dance. The medicine man also will address the god parents as to their roles and responsibilities. The responsibilities of the god parents are especially important because part of the time the girl spends with the godmother. Many small rituals must be performed and abided by. The medicine man explains to the girl that she must not touch her body, therefore, she is given a scratch. Because the girl cannot touch water, a reed is given to her through which to drink from. These observances are procedures that must be followed. The medicine man hopes that the girl will listen, learn, and open her heart to all that she will face. This will mold her into a knowledgeable woman. It is said that the girl will pick up qualities from her godmother that will benefit her in her life, and she is four songs are sung that officially beings the ceremony.

After the sun sets and continuing into the night, songs and prayers are performed. The medicine man and his singers will began singing the thirty-two songs. Each of these songs are taught and learned through different generations. When the dance begins, the special girl selects another girl who has already performed this dance. This girl will accompany and encourage her to be strong throughout the ceremony. The dance will continue until the thirty-two songs are completed. Than the girls will go back to the camp and rest, for the next day is another stage through which her endurance will be tested again.

The second day, early Saturday morning, the girl is told that one of the medicine man's helpers will come to the camp to awaken her. However, the girl is already awake, even before the helper comes. The girl and her friend are escorted to the dance ground, where she must prepare the blankets. Four blankets are placed flat on the ground. The four blankets are obtained from the girl's camp and the god parents camp. Then, a buck-skin is placed over the blankets. The purpose is for the girl to dance on them and to be massaged upon it. After this takes place, a large abalone shell, which is full of pollen, is placed at the east front of the buck-skin. A personal burden basket full of candy and money is placed next to the abalone shell to be given away after the completion of the dance on Sunday. Now the girl will begin the actual dance. The dance will last approximately three to six hours and is a real test of her physical and spiritual endurance. On this , second morning, the girl will dance in a camp dress, which is two piece long length dress. This dress is fashioned after the white settlers, and a buck-skin top is placed over the dress.

Another stage of dancing occurs when the girl is stretched out. Face down, on the pile of blankets, the godmother massages the girl. Bending over her, the godmother gently "molds" her so that she will have a good disposition all her life. This is why it is important to pick a godmother who has a good disposition. As the godmother massages the girl, she prays that this young girl will become a strong person and grow up to be a fine lady. According to the Apache culture, the girl walks in the foot prints that are outlined in pollen. Putting her moccasin foot in each print, the girl will "walk in the footprint of the god," and she will be fortunate and healthy.

Yet, another stage in the Sunrise Dance during this particular day is when the girl is positioned on her knees on the stack of blankets. She "dances" on her knees with her hands upraised, fingers straight and flat together, and sways back and forth. This is the representation of "The Changing Woman". At no time is the girl imposed beyond her strength. It is her choice, at any moment, to cease this activity, but it is in her favor to continue. This endurance will obviously give her the gift of strength. The dance will continue until each stage is completed on this Saturday morning. The girl will once again go back to her camp to rest and prepare for the evening dance.

Late in the evening, the Crown Dancers will appear. They are Mountain Spirit Dancers who will bless and guide the girl through the dance this evening. The Crown Dancers have crowns that are made in advanced by the medicine man. They will be blessed by the medicine man. The total number of Crown Dancers is five. There are four regular dancers and one clown. The Crown Dancers will dance to their own special songs, as well as, the thirty-two songs sung on this night. The girl, her friends, and three other selected friends will dance with the Crown Dancers around a big fire. The fire is full of huge logs that will burn until the early morning. The special girl is lovely as she dances holding in her hand the cane decorated with ribbons. The dance with the Crown Dancers will give the special girl blessings and will guide her through the dance around the fire. Her friend will give her the gift of encouragement by dancing with her. This dance is a very spiritual dance because while the Crown Dancers and the girls dance, they form a spirit that is felt, not only by them, but by the surrounding people. The girl has danced at sunrise and now she dances until midnight. The dance is completed for the night, and tomorrow will bring to the girl a greater gift than today. The girl will rest now, for a few hours because at sunrise, she will awaken and be ready again for the Sunday dance.

On Sunday morning, some of the most impressive of all the rites are performed on this day. It is the men who now take over. Saturday was the woman's day, and Sunday is the man's day. Prior to this day, the girl grinds some corn and other natural ingredients for the sacred clay that she will be painted with this morning. The men are directed to mix these ingredients continuously. The dance will have thirty-two more songs, and the girl will dance close to three hours, in which her endurance is amazing. Her godfather appears and he approaches her while singing. He paints her with a brush that is dipped into the mixture. As he brushes the clay onto the girl, he must pray powerful prayers and encourage the girl to finish. The painting is a blessing for peace, prosperity, and fertility. The godfather bestows all these blessings on the girl as he finishes painting her. He then sprays the crowd with the paint as he flicks the brush in the air.

The molding into a woman is to bring powers to the girl, in which, she is able to cure sickness, emotional illness, and is able to bless the people who come to her. The power she has is used. After the painting of the girl, people go up to her and bless her. At the same time, they ask for blessings from her., The first to line up, is the medicine man, the men of the tribe, and then the woman of the tribe. After receiving the last blessing, the dance is over.

After the painting ceremony is over, the young men who were the Spirit Dancers must now dance one more time. Special prayers are said to them by everyone. Then a special person comes up to speak, following the Crown Dancers, and the prayer sworn by the Crown Dancers shall be put to rest forever. These prayers are sacred and no one else will repeat what has been said by the dancers. The young men will dance to four more songs. The prayers of the medicine man lead the dancers, as they are now free to leave. The Apache people send them on their way with thanks for having come as special guests, because they are considered sacred beings. On Sunday after this is done, the girl is finally free to rest.

On the fourth day, Monday morning, the final prayers are said by the medicine man. First the girl is undressed. Each item that has been worn is now taken off, one by one, by her godmother. In conclusion,, the medicine man, again talks to those who are present and reminds them of their own responsibilities. He addresses the traditional family, friends, and has special words for the girl and her god parent The medicine man is strong, powerful man and what lie speaks will linger in everyone's mind until they meet again. The Sunrise dance has now been completed.

For me this is a special event that once was acquired by every young girl. It is true that the Apaches have changed their traditions. Because of the change, there are less girls who have participated in this dance. With this in mind, I would like to discuss how it effected me.

From the beginning of my life, I was taught from the Bible and I was "saved" when I was only eight years old. This "new life" changed my traditional belief because in church it was not considered to be the right way. It was considered a sin to participate in this great event. This really didn't bother me because I mostly lived off the reservation for the first nine years of my life. My parents continue their education by attending two Christian colleges. The first Christian college they attended they both received two year degrees in Christian Studies. In addition, my father attended another Christian college, Grand Canyon College. A year after that, the family moved back to the reservation.

During the time my parents where educating themselves, we lived in three different states: Kentucky, Texas, and New Mexico. I feel this is important because I never felt any indifference among the people I encountered. For instance, in Kentucky, my father preached to different small churches and our family got close to one family. I remember at the time one of my friends asked me where my bow and arrows were and if we still lived in teepees. I thought this was funny, and I was certainly not offended. In all the states we lived or passed through, my cultural tradition was never considered until we moved back to the reservation.

Upon returning to the reservation, everything changed because of the jobs my parents held. My parents obtained teaching jobs. My father was a eighth grade teacher, and my mother became a kindergarten teacher, which only lasted a year. In addition, the second jobs my parents had made gradual changes in all our lives. My father became the tribe's Culture Director, which slowly changed his religion. My mother also received a job at the public school has a teacher's aid. My sisters and myself attended the local public school. The first thing that changed me was when the Apache Indians considered me Anglo, because I couldn't speak Apache. This offended me. Following this incident, it changed my whole life. I did try to learn the language, but I didn't get any support from any of my classmates. As much as I wanted to learn the language, I stopped trying. I made friends who were like me, who were Apache, but didn't now the language, and I also had many Anglo friends. I feel this was one of the turning points in my life which changed my feeling about my culture and led me more into the Christian way of life.

As I continued in my Christian way, I felt welcomed and received a lot of teachings from the Bible-, I felt these teaching guided me in my own personal life. However, it wasn't that way with my father. 'Being the tribe's Culture Director, I geared my father into the belief of the Apache tradition.

My parents learned how to read and write the Apache language, however, they felt we needed to learn English when we were living in other states. The Apache dictionary and the Apache Christian songs were produced and published by my parents. This invaluable knowledge was very important to my father. Today, my father is teaching the Apache language in the local community college and is teaching the Apache language to Kindergarten children in the public schools on the reservation. In addition, my father became more involved in the Crown Dancers. He learned how to make the Crowns, moccasins, and the buc'k-skin worn by the Crown Dancers. Furthermore, the Crown Dancers is a traditional Apache religion, which my father became involved in. He involved his grandsons and performs this dance at many events in different states. My own three sons are involved in this dance with my father. Upon this change in my father and through my sons participation, it has change my religion, a little. I am still the only one in my family attending church, but I have changed my direction toward the Apache religion. The change about the culture took place due to my experience with my mother's beliefs. Her death pulled me toward the Apache religion, there are two religions that are pulling at me: my true Christian religion that I was raised in and the Apache religion, which I will focus on now. Five years ago, my mother discovered she had cancer. Her first reaction was, "Why me Lord?" With this in mind, she changed her ways and started going to Sunrise Dances, and having the medicine man pray for her. For this dramatic turn around caused my four sisters to follow her way, but I kept faithful to the Christian church.

With both parents turning to the Apache religion, it made me feel alone, but it made me want to understand more about the Apache religion. For example, I have been taking classes on Indian Art, Indian History, and Indian Music. Upon taking these classes, it made me look in depth of what Indians were. The tremendous information I found about Indians made me more interested and more willing to understanding my own culture. I started going to watch the Sunrise dance, however not to participate. While I was investigating my own culture, my mother's illness was becoming more severe. She continued to go to the Sunrise Dances to be blessed by " The Changing Woman" and asking to be healed of her illness.

It has been two and a half years since my mother's death, and I find myself going to the Sunrise Dance looking for something. Rather, I might be remembering my mother, who was once there and this makes me feel more closer to her. For me, learning about myself through my religion, whether it be Christianity or the Apache religion, made me aware of who I am. It has provided me with a sense of a more fulfilled individual, who relies on prayers to God for everyday strength and guidance, but also a sense of understanding my own Apache religion, through, both the Crown Dancer and the Sunrise Dance.

As I stated before, the Sunrise Dance is a special event in any girl's life, who is from a traditional family, but the rate of girls having this dance is declining. The White Mountain Apache tribe is split between two religions, Christianity and the Apache religion, which has caused the declining of the dance. When a girl receives her first menstrual cycle, the decision to have a Sunrise Dance is based on the religion of the girl. The decision to have or not to have the dance is respected by the Apache people. My daughter and I did not have the dance', but I did choose a respectable woman to talk to my daughter about what she was going through. I asked this particular woman, because she was also following the Christian religion. There were no feathers involved, just an hour talk, between the woman I respected and my daughter, who I love.

In conclusion, the Sunrise Dance is a special event to an Apache girl, and every stage that she goes through molds her into a changing woman, with gifts only offered through the dance. Although I grew up with the Christian religion and did not participate in a Sunrise dance, I have learned to understand and admire my Apache tradition. In my own personal way, I have combined the two religions to mold myself into a respectable and knowledgeable woman.

Click on the Crown Dancer for Rico Leffante's account of a Sunrise Ceremony, with photography by the author...