19th Annual Student Research Conference
Social Science
Naishan Dene: The Exception in Apache Studies
Christopher S. Lindley
Dr. Michael Davis, Faculty Mentor
The Naishan Dene of southwestern Oklahoma preserve a distinctive linguistic and cultural background despite more than a century of cultural and ethnic lumping with other Apaches and with neighboring tribes. The recent trend in scholarship on the Naishan Dene has illuminated much regarding their traditional background as Plains Indians. This paper reexamines the traits that mark the Naishan Dene as Apache Indians. In doing so, I highlight the differences that distinguish the Naishan Dene from the other Apache tribes, providing clarification on their often cited place as “the exception” in Apache research.
Keywords: Naishan, Dene, Apache, Plains Indians, Native American, Apachean
Topic(s):Sociology/Anthropology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 29-4
Location: VH 1412
Time: 10:30