Gouyen (in

Mescalero Mescalero or Mescalero Apache ( apm, Naa'dahéńdé) is an Apache tribe of Southern Athabaskan–speaking Native Americans. The tribe is federally recognized as the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Apache Reservation, located in south-cen ...

''Góyą́ń'', "the one who is wise") (c. 1857-1903), was a 19th-century

Apache The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...

woman noted for her heroism.

Early life and education

''Góyą́ń'' (Gouyen) was born circa 1857 into Chief

Victorio Victorio (Bidu-ya, Beduiat; ca. 1825–October 14, 1880) was a warrior and chief of the Warm Springs band of the Tchihendeh (or Chihenne, often called Mimbreño) division of the central Apaches in what is now the American states of Texas, New ...

Warm Springs Apache Chiricahua ( ) is a band of Apache Native Americans. Based in the Southern Plains and Southwestern United States, the Chiricahua (Tsokanende ) are related to other Apache groups: Ndendahe (Mogollon, Carrizaleño), Tchihende (Mimbreño), Sehend ...

or ''Chihenne'' band of

Chiricahua Apache Chiricahua ( ) is a band of Apache Native Americans. Based in the Southern Plains and Southwestern United States, the Chiricahua (Tsokanende ) are related to other Apache groups: Ndendahe (Mogollon, Carrizaleño), Tchihende (Mimbreño), Sehende ...

. She married as a young woman.

Vendetta against the Comanche

Gouyen's first husband was killed in a

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

raid in the 1870s. She took heroic actions to avenge his death, which have become legendary in Apache

oral history Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people wh ...

.Stockel, H. Henrietta. 1993. ''Women of the Apache Nation: Voices of Truth''
/ref>Robinson, Sherry. 2000. ''Apache Voices: Their Stories of Survival as Told to Eve Ball''
Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. She tracked to his camp the Comanche chief who

scalped Scalping is the act of cutting or tearing a part of the human scalp, with hair attached, from the head, and generally occurred in warfare with the scalp being a trophy. Scalp-taking is considered part of the broader cultural practice of the tak ...

her husband. There she found the chief watching a victory dance around a bonfire, and he was wearing her husband's scalp from his belt. Gouyen donned a buckskin puberty ceremony dress and slipped into the circle of dancers. She seduced the drunken chief to go with her to a secluded spot. After a struggle, she stabbed the Comanche to death with his own knife, scalped him, and took his beaded

breechcloth A loincloth is a one-piece garment, either wrapped around itself or kept in place by a belt. It covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks. Loincloths which are held up by belts or strings are specifically known as breechcloth or ...

and

moccasin A moccasin is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole (made with leather that has not been "worked") and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp (additional panel o ...

s. Stealing a horse, Gouyen rode back to her camp. She presented her in-laws with the Comanche leader's scalp and clothing as evidence of her triumphant revenge.

Battle of Tres Castillos

Gouyen was a member of Victorio's band during their final days evading U.S. and Mexican troops along the U.S.-Mexican border. On October 14, 1880, the group was resting at Tres Castillos, Mexico when they were surrounded and attacked by Mexican soldiers. Victorio and 77 other Apache were killed, and several taken prisoner. Only 17 Apache escaped, including Gouyen and her young son ''Kaywaykla''. Her infant daughter was said to have been killed in the attack.

Later life

Gouyen married a second time, to an Apache warrior named ''Kaytennae''. He also escaped during the Battle of Tres Castillos. Afterward, ''Kaytennae'' was a member of

Nana Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana (c ...

and

Geronimo Geronimo ( apm, Goyaałé, , ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache ba ...

's band during the early 1880s. He and Gouyen escaped with Geronimo from the

San Carlos Reservation The San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation (Western Apache: Tsékʼáádn), in southeastern Arizona, United States, was established in 1872 as a reservation for the Chiricahua Apache tribe as well as surrounding Yavapai and Apache bands removed fro ...

in 1883.Harden, Paul. "Nana's raid — Apaches in Socorro County"
, ''El Defensor Chieftain'', 3 July 2004 During their maneuvers to evade capture, Gouyen saved Kaytennae's life by killing a man who was trying to ambush him. In 1886, Gouyen and her family were taken prisoner by the U.S. Army, along with others in Geronimo's band. They were held as

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...

Fort Sill, Oklahoma Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...

, where she died in 1903.

References

External links

Eve Ball, "The Vengeance of Gouyen"
Southwestern Crossroads

Desert USA {{DEFAULTSORT:Gouyen Native American women in warfare Female Native American leaders Mescalero Apache people 1850s births 1903 deaths Women in 19th-century warfare 19th-century Native American women 19th-century Native Americans 20th-century Native American women 20th-century Native Americans