Dahteste

Who is Dahteste?

Dahteste was a Chiricahua or a Mescalero Apache woman and the sister of Ilth-goz-ay, the wife of Chihuahua, chief of the Chokonen local group of the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua. Despite being married with children, she took part in raiding parties with her first husband Ahnandia. She was a compatriot of Geronimo and companion of Lozen on many raids. Dahteste was fluent in English and acted as messenger and translator for the Apache. She also became a mediator and trusted scout at times for the U.S. Cavalry, and was instrumental in negotiating Geronimo's surrender to the U.S. Cavalry. She spent 8 years as prisoner of war at Fort Marion in St. Augustine in Florida, where she managed to survive pneumonia and tuberculosis. Thereafter she was shipped to a military prison in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. During the confinement she and Ahnandia divorced in the Apache way - during this time she was always with Lozen. Later she married the widower scout Cooni, nineteen years later both were released and lived out the rest of their life at Whitetail on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

Unlike the masculine description of Lozen, Dahteste was a well-groomed, beautiful woman who took pride in her appearance and dressed in feminine attire. Although she rode and fought just as well as Lozen, she was described as carrying herself with more sophistication.