With new funding for a special project to research Apache clans, the San Carlos Apache Culture Center will begin the Apache Clan Project by announcing the selection of their new project coordinator, Tia Early. Mrs. Early comes into this project with past history in working with the San Carlos Apache Tribal Historic Preservation and Archaeology Office, as well as working administratively with various San Carlos Apache Tribal departments and business enterprises. Most recently, Mrs. Early was the assistant project coordinator at SCTI before the pandemic closure and has marketing experience with the Apache Gold Casino Resort. Mrs. Early’s maternal clan is Tse’kineh and her paternal clan is Tsebina’zt’I’eh’. Mrs. Early says she is looking forward to being a part of this exciting position with the Apache Clan Project and all of the participants.
Mrs. Early will be working on a part-time basis with the San Carlos Apache Culture Center Director, Marlowe Cassadore, on the 15-month grant project to research and better understand the Apache clans and the traditional Apache foods and plants found in their clan homelands.
Tribal members will share and learn about their clans, where they come from, and the foods and plants found in their homeland. The project originators hope their findings will help Tribal members to identify themselves as being from a certain clan with positive characteristics and traits that will strengthen their awareness of who they are and also learn of the healthy foods their clans ate in their homelands along with more historical information about the clans. Project activities include travel to clan homelands, clan member interviews and a collection of historical data that will be available at the San Carlos Apache Culture Center for future reference.
Small workshops and a finale conference are also planned for the community to participate in and gather the research findings.
If you would like to learn more about your clan or would like to share, keep in mind the San Carlos Apache Culture Center and the Apache Clan Project are actively seeking elders, youth and community members who are interested in sharing their clan information as well as traveling to their clan homelands.
If you have any questions regarding this new Apache Clan Project, please feel free to contact Marlowe Cassadore or Tia Early at 928-475-2894 or feel free to send an email to marlowe.cassadore@scat-nsn.gov or tiamtearly@gmail.com
