[Editor's Note: Photos below]
"Where the Mountains Remember"- a mural for all to experience, honoring our Chiricahua Apache Ancestors and acknowledging our continued presence as the descendants of the Chiricahua Apache.
On Saturday, June 20th, Chiricahua Apache, Native, Silver City community friends and allies gathered for the mural dedication and ceremony as a featured 2026 Silver City Clay Festival. It was a moving and historic ceremony and event, along with being very hot that afternoon. Local Chiricahua Apache descendants and visiting Chiricahua Apache traveled from a far to attend.
The mural was envisioned by multi-disciplinary artist Delia deVer over two years ago and is now completed, thanks to a grant from the local 30Something group. The mural can be viewed on the Hacienda Century 21 Realty wall on Yankie Street, between Bullard and Texas Streets in Silver City, New Mexico.
Local Native drummers and singers started the ceremony; Anessa Lang, Anthony and Marina Nolan, Anthony and Lillian Stewart, Tooahyaysay, Sara Davis-Maldonado, Nicole Eleck and Edward Apodaca. Native Flute, hand drum and singer Barbara Aguila Marrow offered her music throughout the ceremony with a beautiful blessing and song closing the event. She also displayed some of her tapestry weavings. Aguila-Marrow as a Tapestry Weaver and deVer as a contemporary basket weaver are both members of the local South West Fiber Arts Collective.
The ceremony and Apache blessing was led by Gil Aguilera and Emilio Tapia. Speakers included Artist Delia deVer, Storyteller Darlene Yahooskin, Chiricahua Apache Nation Nantan Tooahyaysay, Silver City Mayor Wheaton-Smith, Diana Ingalls Leyba Director of the Silver City Youth Mural program, Raven Mackenzie and Isla Weber, YCC Youth mural students and Aldo Leopold Educator, local Chiricahua Apache descendant, Zack Tecca. Event assistant Camille Davis. Sound by Peter Dahl-Bredine.
deVer's composition is informed by her experimental photography, cyanotype work. From spring of 2025 to the end of the year, she researched and collected the historic images, received the usage rights for the project. Contemporary photos of Chiricahua Apache elders and leaders were acquired from Gil ¬¬¬Aguilera and Joe Saenz. The cutout area around the historic images symbolizes the forced removal of the Chiricahua Apache in the 1800s from their Traditional Territory, Nde benah. Silver City and Grant County are within the Traditional Territory that reaches into Northern Mexico, Southeastern Arizona and North of the Gila.
deVer says "My intention in creating this public art piece is to acknowledge the Chiricahua Apache Ancestors and People, the diaspora of Chiricahua Apache living throughout the southwest, the continent and beyond and to show that descendants are still here. The impact of colonialism, genocide, forced removal and the separations of the Bands and Chiricahua Apache People has impacted the Tribe for decades.
I hope to inspire all people with open hearts and minds to be part of the healing needed. To be an ally to the Chiricahua Apache as they work to reconnect, preserve their culture and return to Nde benah their Traditional Territory since Time Immemorial. The Town of Silver City is one that celebrates the eclectic diversity of artistic, western, settler and mining cultures. It's a good time to bring the Chiricahua Apache history and culture more fully to the forefront, led by Chiricahua Apache Cultural holders. The mural is a wonderful start to this transformation and healing process for all".
The tile work production was contracted to Tile Artisans inc. because of their state- of the art process. The mural composition was created in Silver City digitally and sent to the company for the manufacturing. 144 1'x1' porcelain tiles were made for the full 9'x16' size. The detailed imagery of the art translates through the high resolution, precision glace application process utilizing specialized printer technology using glaze rather than ink. The tiles are then kiln fired, insuring durability and color stability for decades. The tiles were shipped in a large crate to the site. deVer brought in husband and contractor Steve Mudge and fellow Creative Kim Strub for their installation expertise and support.
The mural also features the beauty of the land, through deVer's landscape photography with the overlaid imagery of both contemporary and historic photos of Chiricahua Apache people, with visual details that symbolize their forced removal. The work represents the local Tribe's past, present and future, as they return and reestablish their presence within their traditional territory. The overall mural includes a map showing the Chiricahua Apache's Traditional Territory by Joe Saenz and Marion Mac Donald, the 4 directions and handmade ceramic elements by the Silver City Youth Mural program. The YCC team attended workshops by Chiricahua Apache cultural leaders and were inspired to portray Chiricahua Apache stories that includes cultural symbols and nature, along with creating a border inspired by Apache burden basket designs and Mountain Spirit, Gaan dancers.
To schedule private artists led talks at the mural site please contact
Delia deVer is on the Silver City Art Association's Red Dot Studio Tour for 2026. She'll have prints of her mural composition and other works available.
www.deliadever.com
Please consider becoming a sustaining member to support Chiricahua Apache Arts projects
From left are Nicole Eleck, Marina Nolan, Sara Davis-Maldondado, Anessa Lang, Lillian Stewart Photo by Anthony Nolan
Lillian Stewart, Anthony Stewart and Gil Aguilera
Barbara Aguila Marrow, Native Flute player (in red skirt). Photo by Delia deVer
Barbara Aguila Marrow, unidentified man, and Gil Aguilera check out the mural. Photo by Delia deVer
Photo includes multidisciplinary mural artist Delia deVer, Storyteller Darlene Yahooskin, Native Flute player, Storyteller and tapestry Weaver Barbara Aguila Marrow, and Native Drummer Nicole Eleck (looking on). Photo by Camille Davis.
