Apache Religion and Ceromonies
These are Apache Devil Dancers
Devil Dancers: Devil Dancers were not deities or gods. They were more like men with special abilities. One of those abilities was to be invisible. Devil Dancers would show up after a dance had started. To honor the Devil Dancers, some Apache men dressed up like Devil Dancers. Their costumes had bells sewn on the elbows and sleeves and leggings. When the dance started, they would come running out from wherever they had been hiding. They would yell and scream and shake their elbows and stomp to the beat of the drums.One was always dressed like a clown to delight the children. The clown would do all kinds of foolish things like fall over or chase a youngster. Because dances went on for days,new Devil Dancers might take the place of the old ones,to give them a rest. People loved all the Devil Dancers - the invisible ones, and the costumed Apache men.