"The Sacred Messenger" Ga'an Mountain Spirit Painting by Chiffon Lark (Apache)

Sizes: 11 inches x 14 inches 
Framing: 18-inch x 22-inch Black Finish Wooden Frame with black single matting

The Ga'an are the Sacred Mountain Spirits of the Apache people. Usen, or Creator, sent these sacred beings to teach the Apache people how to live in harmony. They are Ancient Messengers and Teachers of the Apache ways. There are 1,000 years of songs that the Ga'an have blessed the Apache people with with these teachings and they are sung in increments of four. Four is a sacred number to the Apache people. It represents the four directions, the four seasons, the four sacred mountains, and the four sacred colors. The Apache Crown Dancers are channels of the Ga'an, meaning they allow the Sacred Mountain Spirits to embody them. Men are the only ones who are able to learn these ways fully and it can take up to 20 years. There are sacred prayers and blessings that must be done in a specific way by someone who walks a sacred path in this life.

You can learn more about Ga’an mountain spirits on Aniwa Digital’s course with Chiffon Lark here.