Set of Five Apache Gaan Dancer Wooden Doll Carvings

This is a rare set of five wood carvings by Vincent Dawahongva, a highly regarded artist known for his depictions of ceremonial dancers that honor Apache tradition and culture. Though these carvings depict Apache subjects, they were skillfully created by Dawahongva, a carver of Hopi ancestry who was married to an Apache.

The Gaan dance is a sacred healing and renewal ceremony performed to protect the Apache people from disease and their enemies. In this ritual, the dancers embody the Mountain Spirits, known as the Gaan, transforming into these powerful beings. They wear hooded masks adorned with elaborate painted crowns—earning them the alternate name "Crown Dancers"—and carry painted wands as part of their ceremonial attire. The group of Gaan dancers is highly structured, consisting of four members and a Clown, each fulfilling specific roles. The leader is distinguished by the highest crown, while the Clown may wear the smallest crown or exhibit unique features that set them apart.

The Gaan dancers play an essential role in the final night of the Sunrise Dance Ceremony, held in early July. This centuries-old rite of passage is reserved for chosen Apache girls, the future caretakers of their tribe. Over four days, these young girls don heavy ceremonial dresses, practice traditional tasks, and endure an all-night ritual open only to fellow Apache. Through this process, they affirm their commitment to tribal traditions that were once banned for nearly a century and pledge their allegiance to the Apache Way.

During the ceremony, the dancers chant and move in synchronized steps, leading the participant and her guests around the plaza. Eventually, the girl follows the Clown Gaan, with the guests forming a procession behind her. Upon returning to her original position, the Gaan surrounds her. The Clown holds a sacred mixture of ochre and corn pollen, which the other Gaan sprinkle or brush over the girl. Any remaining pollen may be poured over her head and body from the basket. This profound act infuses the ceremony with powerful spirituality, symbolizing the girl's transformation and marking her passage into womanhood.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Set of Five Apache Gaan Dancer Wooden Doll Carvings is from Adobe Gallery's collection.

Recommended Reading: The Mescalero Apaches (Volume 51) (The Civilization of the American Indian Series) by C. L. Sonnichsen

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Vincent Dawahongva