11/13/2025
Gouyen was born in 1857 into the Chihenne band of the Chiricahua Apache. Her name, Góyą́ń, means "The One Who Is Wise" or "Wise Woman."
A legendary story of her bravery has been passed down in Apache history. After her husband was killed in a Comanche raid, Gouyen sought revenge. Disguising herself in a ceremonial buckskin dress, she infiltrated the enemy's camp during their victory dance. She seduced the Comanche chief responsible for her husband’s death, lured him away, and killed him. She then scalped him, took his breechcloth and moccasins, and presented these to her husband's parents as proof of her vengeance.
In 1880, during Victorio's campaign along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Chiricahua Apache were attacked at Tres Castillos, New Mexico. Victorio and 78 others were killed, including Gouyen's baby daughter. Only Gouyen, her young son Kaywaykla, and a few others escaped.
She later married Kaytennae, an Apache warrior who also survived the Battle of Tres Castillos. Together, they joined Nana and Geronimo in their resistance against U.S. forces. While on the run in 1883, Gouyen saved Kaytennae's life by killing an enemy attempting to ambush him.
In 1886, when Geronimo and his followers were captured by the U.S. Army, Gouyen and her family were taken prisoner and sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where she lived until her death in 1903.
A true warrior and symbol of Apache resilience, Gouyen's legacy remains an inspiration.