Spiritual dances are often practised to bring improvements to the lives of the tribes, such as rain and good harvests. The tribes have a deep spiritual connection with the land, passed down through stories of heroes and spirits. Woe betides the enemy who angers the Apacheans enough to go on the warpath. The Apachean warriors are brave, fearless, and highly skilled at warfare, whether using bows, spears, hatchets, or weapons taken from their enemies. Some tribes use dogs to haul their belongings and carry trade goods, which they exchange for goods such as corn.

Most peoples of the Apachean tribes hunt bison on the plains and live in hide tents that are easily constructed and taken down, so they can follow the movements of the herds. Many tribes, such as the Navajo, Kiowa, and Jicarilla, are linked through common cultures and languages, but are fierce competitors for territory and resources, even amongst themselves. On open plains and under a pale blue sky, around mountains and rugged mesas, the many Apachean tribes roam far and wide over the north of the New World.