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The Apaches and Navajos (First Book)

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The Apaches and Navajos are two separate families of tribes that inhabit a large area of the American Southwest. Since their traditional areas of inhabitation were contiguous and the climates were the same, they shared most of their economic and cultural traits. This book is a brief history of their existence as well as many of their traditions. Written for young people, their diet, religious beliefs, social structures, and the crafts that they currently produce are described.
The most interesting point is that the Apache tribes were matrilineal, in that when a child married, the couple became part of the tribe of the mother of the wife. Enormous changes took place when the Spanish arrived. The introduction of the horse and sheep dramatically increased the range of these nomadic people, which led to an increase in the food supply. At first, they were able to drive the Spanish away, but it was not long before their battles became a string of defeats.
This book is an excellent introduction to the main class of Native American tribes that live in the desert southwest. Both the history and present conditions of the tribes are well covered in only a few pages.