Nakaidoklini
Nakaidoklini was a significant figure among the Apache people during a tumultuous period of conflict with European settlers in the late 19th century. He is best known for his prophecy regarding the resurrection of Apache warriors, which he believed could be achieved through a new dance ritual. Central to this ritual was Nakaidoklini himself, who anointed dancing warriors with sacred pollen, symbolizing a connection to their ancestors and a call to rise against oppression. In June 1881, he expressed his intention to perform this dance to revive two Apache chiefs, seeking to galvanize his people in their struggles against white encroachment.
However, Nakaidoklini's activities attracted the attention of military authorities, leading to a confrontation with Colonel E. A. Carr from Fort Apache. Ultimately, tensions escalated when Nakaidoklini was tracked to his village, where he was killed during a skirmish despite his initial surrender. His death incited retaliation from his followers, which marked a significant intensification of hostilities known as the Apache Wars. This period highlights the complex interplay of cultural resilience, spiritual beliefs, and violent resistance faced by Indigenous peoples in the face of colonization.
Subject Terms
Nakaidoklini
- Born: c. mid-1800’s
- Birthplace: Present-day Arizona
- Died: August 30, 1881
- Place of death: Cibecue Creek, Arizona
Tribal affiliation: Apache
Significance: Nakaidoklini was an Apache prophet whose murder precipitated the final stage of the Apache Wars
At the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona, Nakaidoklini prophesied the resurrection of dead warriors through the practice of a new dance. The ritual was performed with Nakaidoklini standing in the center of a group of dancing warriors, anointing them with sacred pollen. In June, 1881, he announced his intention of performing a dance designed to resurrect two chiefs who would aid Apaches in their struggles against whites.
After Nakaidoklini reputedly claimed that his resurrection dance would fail because of white presence in the region, Fort Apache’s commander, Colonel E. A. Carr, was ordered to arrest or kill him. Failing to lure him to the reservation, on August 30, 1881, Carr led cavalry troops and twenty-three White Mountain Apache scouts to Nakaidoklini’s village. Although he surrendered, the White Mountain scouts rebelled; fighting ensued and Nakaidoklini was killed.
In retaliation, Nakaidoklini’s followers attacked Fort Apache, precipitating a new phase of Apache Wars.