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EPISODE FOUR :
SAN CARLOS APACHE TRIBE
Arizona’s San Carlos Apache Tribe is made up of the descendants of Gerónimo, the revered Apache spiritual and military leader who fiercely fought the United States government for the freedom of his people. Today, that warrior spirit lives on, with community leaders continuing the battle for their cultural, religious, and territorial sovereignty around the spiritual site of Oak Flat. Meet Twila and Wendsler, two leaders fighting to preserve their traditions and keep their community’s spirit alive.
OUR STORYTELLERS
OAK FLAT
Chi'chil Biłdagoteel
(Apache)
Oak Flat, known to the Apache people as Chi’chil Biłdagoteel, is a sacred place in what is now eastern Arizona. It holds profound spiritual, cultural, and historical meaning for the San Carlos Apache and other Apache nations.
According to Apache belief, Chi’chil Biłdagoteel is a place of origin where the Creator, Usen, formed the land. Here, a direct connection was established between the spiritual and physical worlds. The site is understood as a dwelling place of the Ga’an, sacred mountain spirits who act as guardians and messengers between humans and the Creator.
The land itself is alive with meaning. Its oak groves, springs, and diverse plants are sacred gifts that have sustained Apache life for generations. From time immemorial, Apache people have gathered acorns, medicinal plants, and ceremonial materials at Oak Flat. Knowledge of the land is passed down through oral tradition and lived practice.
Chi’chil Biłdagoteel is especially significant as a required ceremonial site. Most notably, it is used in the Sunrise Dance, a coming-of-age ceremony for young women that marks the transition to womanhood and affirms strength, responsibility, and spiritual balance. Ceremonies cannot be separated from the land itself, as its spiritual power is believed to be unique and irreplaceable.
In 2014, a land exchange authorized by the United States Congress transferred Oak Flat from public protection to a multinational mining company. The company planned to develop a large underground copper mine. This decision was made without the free, prior, and informed consent of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. It also ignored decades of tribal opposition.
Apache leaders and supporters argue that the proposed mine would permanently destroy the sacred landscape. The project would create massive land subsidence and eliminate access to ceremonial grounds, burial sites, and natural resources. These cannot be replaced or relocated.
The conflict has raised national and international concerns about religious freedom, environmental protection, and Indigenous sovereignty. Apache spiritual practices are inseparable from the land where they occur.
Today, the future of Oak Flat remains uncertain. Apache people continue to return to Chi’chil Biłdagoteel to pray, gather, and conduct ceremonies. They reaffirm their spiritual responsibilities to the land and to their ancestors. Grassroots movements and spiritual encampments emphasize that protecting Oak Flat is an act of resistance and an expression of living tradition.
Apache beliefs and traditions remain alive despite centuries of displacement and ongoing threats. Chi’chil Biłdagoteel stands as a powerful symbol of Indigenous survival. It reminds future generations that sacred land is not a resource to be consumed but a living relative that must be honoured and protected.
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