Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. sings an ancient Apache song after praying at the edge of Ga’an Canyon. This canyon is one of the sacred places at Oak Flat, where the Apache believe the Ga’an People, or angels, travel. White settlers named it “Devil’s Canyon,” encoding their deep prejudice against native religion into the name. Dr. Nosie regularly reminds audiences that at 65, he’s “first-born reservation,” since San Carlos did not become a reservation officially until the 1930s. His parents were born as prisoners of war in a concentration camp; his great-grandfather was captured by the United States military only a month after Geronimo was sent to Fort Sill as a prisoner. The original prisoner-of-war camp in Old San Carlos, known as “Hell’s Forty Acres,” was chosen for its harsh desert climate. Surrounding mesas housed snipers who would shoot any Apache who attempted to leave. Today, remnants of military barracks are still visible. Many Apaches I’ve spoken with, including Dr. Nosie, still identify themselves as prisoners of war. March 30, 2023
Archival Giclee Digital Print
Felix Schooller True Baryta 310gsm
AR70
800 x 600
1100 x 830
