Apache War Leader

A Living Legend.

Geronimo was one of the most famous Native American leaders of the late nineteenth century. He has earned a reputation in American history as the ultimate holdout, a renegade willing to fight for his freedom long after many of his people had accepted defeat. His tribe, the Apache, lived in present-day Arizona and New Mexico. A group of nomadic bands that relied upon hunting for their subsistence, they were considered one of the most warlike tribes in the Southwest. In fact, the tribe's name was derived from the Zuni word apachu, meaning "enemy."

Early Life.

Geronimo was born near present-day Clifton, Arizona, in 1829. His Indian name was Gokhlayeh or "One Who Yawns." Why the Mexicans called him Geronimo (Spanish for Jerome) is not certain. Some believe it was a Spanish attempt to pronounce the name Gokhlayeh. Others maintain that his...