The Apache Crown Dancers

The Apache Crown dancers are an integral part of the Changing Women Ceremony , (which is also known as: The Sunrise Ceremony, Apache Puberty Rites, White Painted Lady Ceremony, Coming of Age Ceremony and or the Apache Devil Dance.) Christian missionaries call the dance erroneously, “The Devil Dance” because of the black hoods.

There are five. They are called “Gahns” by the Apache Medicine man, which he said doesn't have an english translation and is referred to in the ceremonies as “Mountain Spirits,” These “Gahns” or “Mountain Spirits” ascend down from the mountains to protect the maiden during the ceremonies from outside harm, evil or distracting thoughts from the crowd or the other visitors.

One is the Imp or the “whirlwind” which has the smaller crown and who usually appears with a bullroarer whirling it around and motioning at, and dancing through the crowd frightening away evil thoughts.

The other four represent the Gahns that are holding up the earth. One of them stands in the east, one stands in the south, one of them stands in the west and one stands in the north. The Imp is the Whirlwind, which brings wind and air to the earth, “because we can't breath without the air.”