Mylyle Ethelbah, White Mountain Apache Buckskin Dress Maker, 2024 | Whiteriver, AZ

Mylyle Ethelbah makes traditional White Mountain Apache buckskin dresses used in the Sunrise Ceremony, a coming-of-age initiation for girls. She will mentor Jayda Alchesay.

Mylyle (she/her) is a White Mountain Apache artist and community educator whose work honors the traditions of her people. Born on April 20, 1990, in Show Low, Arizona, she has focused on creating traditional Apache ceremonial items, including buckskin dresses, moccasins, beaded crowns, and pouches. Her primary focus is on the items used in the Apache Sunrise Ceremony, a vital rite of passage marking a girl’s transition to womanhood.

The buckskin dress, worn during this four-day ceremony, holds profound cultural significance. Each dress is made specifically for the individual, symbolizing her passage into adulthood. Mylyle’s role in creating these dresses and moccasins is highly valued within her community and among sister tribes such as the Yavapai and San Carlos.

Mylyle learned to sew and create traditional items from her mother, who also introduced her to quilting. She is Nádgleeh, a term reflecting her identity as a Two-Spirit individual. While this identity was not accepted in her Christian upbringing, she sought guidance in her cultural heritage. During high school at Sherman High School in Riverside, California, she faced challenges as being Nádgleeh was considered taboo. However, she connected with others who shared her identity, forming bonds through art and the encouragement of supportive teachers who pushed her to enter competitions and visit institutions like the Heard Museum in Phoenix.

As an adult, Mylyle has focused on preserving and reviving endangered traditions. She has learned and taught skills such as basketry, moccasin-making, and beading, ensuring this knowledge is passed down to her family and youth in the community. Her free classes on traditional Apache items reflect her commitment to cultural preservation and education.

Her connection to her heritage deepened through her work with the Fort Apache Museum, where she studied her tribe’s history and artifacts during her teenage years. This experience helped her better understand her Nádgleeh identity and the cultural significance of ancestral creations. She believes many museum artifacts were made by Nádgleeh individuals, underscoring her responsibility to continue this legacy.

As a Nádgleeh, Mylyle is uniquely positioned to create ceremonial pieces for both men and women, a role considered sacred in her community. This includes making buckskin dresses, moccasins, and the Apache fiddle, an instrument traditionally forbidden for women to touch. Her work is regarded as holy and an integral part of her people’s spiritual and cultural life.

Beyond her creative contributions, Mylyle is dedicated to supporting her family and community, especially the younger generation, in reconnecting with their heritage. She encourages positive cultural activities such as storytelling, traditional arts, and education to counter challenges like alcoholism and the erosion of traditions due to external influences. She also maintains ties with other Two-Spirit individuals through gatherings like the Gathering of Nations and the Southwest Two-Spirit Society, drawing strength from these connections.

Mylyle sees her role as a Nádgleeh as a guardian of knowledge, a responsibility passed through generations. Apache tradition teaches that those who follow the traditional way receive a stone and an eagle feather, which guide them to the next world. Mylyle’s possession of both symbolizes her unique role in bridging worlds and preserving her people’s traditions for future generations.

Mylyle will pass along her knowledge to her apprentice, Jayda Alchesay.