Survival of the Spirit: Chiricahua Apaches in Captivity - Hardcover

Stockel, Ms H Henrietta

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 087417208X ISBN 13: 9780874172089

Publisher: University of Nevada Press, 1993

Synopsis

Examines the medical hardships endured by the Chiricahua Apache prisoners of war after the United States imprisoned them in the humid regions of the East. By the author of Women of the Apache Nation: Voices of Truth.

About this title

Synopsis:

After the United States imprisoned the Chiricahua Apaches in damp, humid regions of the East, they were devastated by contagious diseases. Numerous books have been written about Geronimo's infamous band, but none has focused specifically on the Chiricahua Apaches' healing practices, or on the dramatic effects captivity had on the health of these first Americans. The author addresses the medical maladies suffered by the Chiricahuas while they were incarcerated for nearly 30 years. By harvesting information from diverse and often obscure sources, Stockel describes the arrival of the Chiricahua Apaches in the Southwest, their use of natural medicines, and their reliance on cultural customs and sacred ceremonies to promote healing. She provides the reader with a thorough background on the most contagious ailments of the Spanish, Mexican and Anglo frontier-folk, including popular and often amusing remedies. Records of "the white man's" diseases that assaulted the Chiricahua Apaches during their confinement have been researched by the author from data at the imprisonment sites in Florida, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

Her interviews with contemporary Chiricahua Apaches present their points of view about the experiences of their imprisoned ancestors and add an important dimension to the author's primary research accounts.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Nevada Press
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 087417208X
• ISBN 13: 9780874172089
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 331