The Chiricahua were perhaps the most nomadic and aggressive of the Apache west of the Rio Grande, raiding into northern Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico from their strongholds in the Dragoon Mountains.

What did they eat? They raised crops of corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers, as well as cotton and tobacco. The men also hunted deer, antelope, and small game.

The traditional dress for women vary between the Hill Tiwas and the Plain Tiwas. The women wear a Phaskai for the upper body, Nara around the waist (like a belt), and a Kashong for the lower body. The women wear Riha for the upper body and Mekhela for the lower body.

The Tiguas were an agricultural people and once brought to this region they grew corn, beans, and chile, with irrigation from the Rio Grande. Eventually, the Tiguas accepted Christianity but still kept their own beliefs. “The Spaniards never let them (Tiguas) continue with their culture and traditions.

They also raised cotton that they used to make cloth. They also raised gourds that could be dried out and used as containers. They stored and cooked their food in well-made pottery. The Tigua and other Pueblos are famous for their beautiful pottery.

Available Native American Benefits

• Funds saved for potential disaster relief.
• Law enforcement on reservations.
• Tribal prisons and other detention centers.
• Administrative services for land trusts and natural resource management.
• Tribal government payments.
• Construction or roads and utility services coming into reservations.

Most tribes require a specific percentage of Native “blood,” called blood quantum, in addition to being able to document which tribal member you descend from. Some tribes require as much as 25% Native heritage, and most require at least 1/16th Native heritage, which is one great-great grandparent.