It was sad for me to find out over 40 years later that my ancestors and I are Native Americans. I was led to believe by my father that I was another race. My father traumatized by his own parents into thinking that he would be killed if he would let it be known that he was Native American. -Richard Gonzales Read More….

School Presentations

2008 - 2009 Texas Schools Presentations hosted by Richard Gonzalez & Anita Anaya

Starting in 2006 Anita and Richard, members of the Lipan Apache Band of Texas were invited to share their Lipan Apache family culture and history with children of the Fresno and Clovis, California area schools. They were also invited to go to Texas and share their culture and traditions with Texas schools as well. After a couple of years, during one of Richard's trips he acquired two tipi's one small 8 ft. and one large 18 ft. tipi that he now uses for personal and demonstration purposes for their presentations and Pow wows. Sometimes they are joined by friends like Naki Breen and tell stories handed down from past generations to children from the schools they visit.Anita remembers when she visits the schools the kids often enjoyed the smaller tipi.

Anita showing children the types of foods that Lipan Apaches ate.

"We learned and enjoyed." -Anita Anaya Click here for more presentation links

The tipi

In the big tipi (pictured below) Richard would tell the Lipan Apache 1873 "Mackenzie's raid" story to as many as forty children at a time in. The only change to the story is that he tells the story from the prospective of his great grandmother as she went through the ordeal. His great grandmother was 8 years old and survived the raid in spite of a soldier killing her 18-month-old brother, which she held in her arms while hiding under a bush. Click here for more about the story.....

Food for thought

At some of the visits Anita would sometimes cook nopales (cactus) and offer pita flower or corn to the children. They could taste and see what foods Apaches ate. On one trip Anita remembers leaving Eagle Pass, TX and finding some Pita flowers also known as Yucca plants and gave out samples during one of the presentations, she explained that everyone loved it! Given to them by a friend Rudy they would also use different types of leathers and gourds for show and tell at the presentations showing how the Lipan Apache used the natural resources around them for survival and ceremonial purposes.

Lipan Apache culture

Lipan Apache Chief Richard and Anita share a passion for passing on there knowledge of the Lipan Apache culture and history to the thousands of children who have attended there presentations, families and friends to help everyone better understand the Lipan Apache way of life as it once was. Anita once said "We are living historians." I could not agree more! There are many presentations at schools that Richard and Anita hosted but unfortunately you will only find a few of the many presentation hosted by Anita and Richard here on this website.

Lipan Apache Band of Texas