On Saturday, October 10 at 12pm, Chiricahua Apache Nation President Joe Saenz will give a virtual talk about the return of the Apache to their homeland here in the Gila. On Saturday, October 10 at 12pm, Chiricahua Apache Nation President Joe Saenz will give a virtual talk about the return of the Apache to their homeland here in the Gila. He will be joined by Doug Dinwiddie of the Fort Bayard Historical Society.

Register and attend at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pCYp_2GwQyGec2Ts36f_MA, or look on silvercitymuseum.org.

Silver City and the Gila forest are at the center of the Nde Benah - traditional homelands of the Chiricahua Apache. From the mid 1800s to the early 1900s, Apache bands living in the area were scattered, executed, or sent to distant lands to perish. Join Joe Saenz and Doug Dinwiddie as they offer insights on the return of Apaches to the Gila Region and the plans to establish a Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache headquarters at Fort Bayard where the Apache can sustain and celebrate their heritage and again be a voice for protecting their original territory.

Joe Saenz, a Warm Springs Apache descendent and current Nantan (President) of the Chiricahua Apache Nation, has been a cultural and environmental activist for most of his adult life. At home in the wilderness, Joe has spent more than 40 years in the far-reaches of the Canadian, Alaskan, Northern Mexican and New Mexican wilderness as a guide focused on educating people about Apache culture and environmental stewardship - living in right relationship to this land. He is the owner and operator of WolfHorse Outfitters guiding intimate groups of international and national clients on horseback as they get to know and appreciate our beautiful Gila Wilderness.

This special program is co-sponsored by the Silver City Museum and the Western Institute for Lifelong Learning (WILL).

The Silver City Museum creates opportunities for residents and visitors to explore, understand, and celebrate the rich and diverse cultural heritage of southwestern New Mexico by collecting, preserving, researching, and interpreting the region's unique history. It is nationally recognized through its accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums.

Based out of Silver City, NM, WILL is an intentional community fostering friendships, challenging the mind, body and spirit, and exploring creativity and self-expression. We offer experiences in lifelong learning and opportunities for volunteering that optimize life’s potential, satisfy personal curiosities, and encourage socially responsible communities.

For more information, please contact the museum at (575) 538-5921 education@silvercitymuseum.org, or visit the museum's website: www.silvercitymuseum.org