ST. LANDRY PARISH — The Canneci Tinne Apache Tribe—part of the Lipan Apache (Ndáwe) Nation—will present the Xactci (pronounced Hahch-kee) ceremonial dance on Saturday at the Opelousas Museum. Tribal leaders say the dance is a spiritual tradition rooted in protection, healing, and the clearing of negative energy.
Chief Cougar Goodbear has spent years working to restore the ancient ceremony. He credits support from the Opelousas Interpretive Museum for helping bring the dance back to life.
“The Canneci Tinne Apache Tribe is going to revitalize our ceremonial dance — the Xactci dance,” Goodbear said. Although the tribe practices multiple forms of dance, the Xactci ritual is considered one of their most sacred. It hasn’t been performed publicly since the 1800s, when the U.S. government banned Native American dancing and labeled many ceremonies “offensive.” People who participated could be jailed or have their rations withheld.
For the tribe, reviving the Xactci dance is about reclaiming identity.
“We’re revitalizing our history from oppression,” Goodbear said. According to the tribe’s historical archive, the Canneci Tinne Apache people have lived in Louisiana since the 1700s, with communities in St. Martin Parish and Lafayette Parish. Despite displacement, persecution, and cultural suppression, the tribe has continued to preserve its language, traditions, and regalia.
Saturday’s performance will be broken into four chapters, each representing a different part of Apache history and spiritual tradition. Goodbear hopes the revival will help reconnect Apache families across the region.
“Once this is revived, we can bring more Apaches here to Louisiana so we can all celebrate the dance together,” he said. The public is invited to attend the ceremony at 11:00 a.m. this Saturday at the Opelousas Museum, where visitors can watch, learn, and honor Native American heritage during National American Indian Heritage Month.
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