Lozen is an Apache Woman and the most Formidable Female Warrior in History
Lozen was a brave woman warrior who fought American Forces in Victorio’s War between 1879 and 1881. We might not find her story in history articles; she has definitely not got enough credit for her sacrifices. Her Brother, Victorio, was the famous and prominent chief of the Chiricahua Apache ( An American tribe in the southwestern United States). He was a trustworthy friend of the renowned leader Geronimo. As per Victorio, Lozen had super-amazing powers, which were very helpful in the war. She acted as a guard for her people, and they felt protected under her shield.
Name Meaning
By the age of 18 year old, she got expertise in stealing horses, and people bestowed her with the name “Lozen.” It means “skilled horse thief.”
Birth Details
Lozen was born in 1840 in the Chihenne Chiricahua Apache near Oje Caliente (present-day New Mexico.)
What is Chihenne Chiricahua Apache
It is an American tribe in the southwestern United States which includes tribes like Lipan, Salinero, and Jicarilla.
The Ally of Lozen
Like Lozen, a female named Dahteste, a member of the Chokonen band and an efficient warrior, escorted Lozen on many raids to safeguard people.
Lozen Childhood
Lozen was brought up within a band known as Warm Spring Apache. His father was the leader of the band. Lozen began learning the art of war and horse riding early. While most of the females of her age and community indulged in house chores, cooking food, and early marriages, Lozen had a keen interest in strategies during war, sword fighting, and archery. She was considered competent enough to participate in battle by the paramount chief of her community.
Lozen saw a traumatic childhood during an early stage. She had a loving family and a happy place to live, but stories from her father about Mexicans’ invading their home shook her inside. Once when she returned after playing with her brother, U.S. Military people were trying to lure them with expensive gifts and were asking them to leave the place and shift to a new given site. When Apache people denied the offer, the Military started shooting them. Lozen ran away with her brother Victorio; however, many people in the band died. It had a horrible and fearful impact on baby Lozen’s mind. She then swore to save her homeland and its people at any cost.
Why was Lozen Called a Medicine Woman
During her first menstrual ceremony, Lozen wanted to have superpowers from their deity. She ran to the top of the mountain and fasted for three to four days. She gained two superpowers. One was to heal the wounds with the help of herbs and songs, and the second was to detect the enemy’s place. She used to heal people’s wounds with the help of songs and herbs. She would apply herbs on wounds and sing songs praising their highest deity. Lozen used this power many times to heal her people.
Why was Lozen Famous
Lozen used her surprising superpowers in war. She could detect the movement of the enemy before the attack. Lozen also had exceptional war strategy skills, which were essential for victory. Her brother called her his right hand; strong as a man; braver than most; and a cunning strategist. Due to her incredible expertise on the battlefield, people called her “Apache Joan of Arc.” She was a medicine woman, a proficient fighter, and a skilled horse-rider. She actively fought beside her brother, Victorio, against the U.S. government invading their homeland.
Lozen’s Rise while Facing Strict Gender Roles
Apache lived a very disciplined life and had strict gender roles. The women were food gatherers and performed household tasks. Apache women were trained to collect household items and run to a safe place during the war. They would wake up before sunrise and run to the top of the mountain, which was a massive part of their physical training. At the time, Lozen created a special place for herself; she was a runner and a skilled horse rider. Lozen could easily use a spear, bow, and rifle. She would help the age of her girls to become proficient in sword-fighting and horse riding.
Married Life
Lozen never married and had children. She loved children a lot and wanted to have her own kids. But her life struggles did not allow her to give birth to her kids. She saw her own child in Apache Kids and sacrificed her life for the safety and upliftment of her community’s children.
Her Efficient Strategy In and Out of the War Field
Lozen and its people were travelling from one place to another to find food and shelter, and the American Military was chasing them. There were many women and children in these groups. These people could not walk for an extended period without food. As a strategy, Lozen and her female followers managed meat, water, and other food while crossing forests and rivers. They ensured that nobody was without food for a long time. Lozen could slaughter a cow or calf only in one attempt; she always had her dagger near her sword to easily use it in her time of need.
Victorio’s War and Role of Lozen
In simple words, Lozen lived a heroic life. She lived and died only for her homeland and its people. The prime reason behind the war was the movement of Apache bands from their homeland to the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona. The new place was not appropriate for Apache people. The main motive behind the war was to get the land back. In 1870, Victorio and the Apache band were shifted to Arizona from New Mexico’s Black Mountain. This new place was not worth living in; these Apache people could not adapt to the new climate. The new land was called: Hell’s forty acres.” Apache people were facing hunger and disease. This community did not like the new land and left the reservation around 1877 and began looting and pillaging for revenge on encroachment. The aim of the Apache people’s life was to get their homeland New Mexico back.
The name of the prominent chief of the Apache band was Victorio (brother of Lozen). With the help of his sister, he was able to make unprecedented strategies for the rights of their people. During the war, Lozen inspired women and children to confront the situation without fear and dismay. Lozen had been armed only with a rifle, a knife, and a cartridge belt. Victorio and his sister Lozen were on a mission to send all Apache people to New Mexico from Arizona
Lozen and her people endured hardships of life due to encroachment on their land by the U.S. Military. They confronted many raids, wars, fires, hunger, and marauds. At that time, Lozen escorted women and kids to safe places while riding in front as a safeguard for her people. People felt very safe under Lozen’s direction. After reaching a safe place with women and children, she would ride back to her comrades, assigning the duties to the most efficient person in the group.
Lozen dared to steal Mexican cavalry horses to help her people. She passed through gunshots, fires, and bombardments to take her homeland back. Once, Lozen helped an Apache woman deliver a baby in a hot desert while the U.S. Army was chasing them. She has undoubtedly defied gender norms and protected her people.
Her Supernatural Power
During childhood, Lozen continued learning to cook, sew, clean the house, and do household chores. She found a ray of hope at her coming-of-age ceremony. This ceremony was celebrated during the first menstrual period of a girl. It was considered that a girl entered into womanhood at the time of her first period. While everybody was singing and enjoying, she got her calling from their highest deity, “Unseen, the Apache Creator of Life.” Lozen told Apache people that she could see and detect the enemy.
Victorio believed Lozen with utmost reliance and called her brave like a man. Lozen could shoot, ride and fight like a powerful man. People called her a better strategist than her brother Victorio. When making a strategy to know the enemy’s next move, Lozen helped Apache with her supernatural ability. She could find out the exact place where the enemy was going to be after praying to the Apache deity, Useen, and begging for guidance. She would close her eyes, whisper prayers in the name of their highest God, lift up her hand, make a circle until his palm tingled and was able to get an answer.
With this help, Apache people could predict the next move of the enemy and plan according to that. It also helped her avoid being captured by the enemy. Due to her god-gifting ability to detect the enemy’s whereabouts, she was usually compared to her European Counterpart, Joan.
How did Lozen’s Life Come to an End
After the death of her brother, Victorio, many Apache people sacrificed their lives in the war. The Government offered peace treaties to Lozen and her people. Lozen, along with leader Geronimo, denied it and continued to rebel. In later years, the Apache band agreed to a few of the terms of the Government to meet their kith and kins. Lozen and her people surrendered then and were imprisoned at a military arsenal in Alabama. Lozen had a magnificent persona, and people were amazed at her art of war.
Where is Lozen Buried
Lozen died of tuberculosis in imprisonment on June 17, 1889, and was buried in an unmarked grave in Alabama. Later people discovered it and paid due respect, and an epitaph is also inscribed on the tombstone.
Greatest Accomplishments
- Lozen proved herself an intelligent woman and an apt example of woman empowerment even in the 18th Century.
- She outranked and overshadowed many males of her age, and proved that women are not physically weak than men
- Entering into a marriage institution is not everybody’s goal; some may find peace and solace in a war field like Lozen.
- She was an expert in horse riding, sword fighting, and archery.
- Lozen was a great example of gender equality, and she led the Apache band with a cunning strategy of war
- Lozen used to wear manly clothes and did not pay attention to her beauty or charm. She defied pre-set beauty standards of society.
- She was a brave woman who sacrificed her life for her homeland and its people, proving that women also have the courage to do anything they want.
- She was not only an Apache war woman but also a prophet. She would sing hymns and give sermons in praise of their God.
Novels Written on her life
| Novel Name | Writer Name | Year |
| The Warrior’s Path | Karl Lessister | 1998 |
| The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden | Robert J. Avrech | 2006 |
| Victorio’s War | John Wison | 2012 |
| Ghost Warrior | Lucia St. Clair Robson | 2016 |
| Ours | Philippe Morwan | 2018 |
Lozen’s Story and the U.S. History
We have read many about the biography of various famous people from U.S. history who gave their contributions. However, the story of Lozen has become obsolete and is not much talked about. Lozen sacrificed her life for her homeland but has definitely not got enough credit, praise, or recognition. Her life is nothing less than a Hollywood movie based on a brave woman and her struggles. Hence we can say that Lozen was the toughest female warrior in history.
