The Western Apache ceremony celebrating a girl’s first menstruation and entry into womanhood is the Sunrise Ceremony.
Also called the Apache Sunrise Ceremony, it is a multi-day rite associated with puberty and the Apache figure White-Painted Woman. The initiate is ceremonially identified with this important cultural and spiritual figure, while relatives and ceremonial specialists help conduct songs, prayers, dances, and other observances.
The ceremony traditionally includes an early-morning run, dancing, blessing, and the preparation of special foods. It may last several days, although contemporary versions can be adapted to the family’s circumstances and the community’s resources.
The name can cause confusion because “sunrise ceremony” is also used descriptively for unrelated events. In this context, the capitalized term refers specifically to the Western Apache coming-of-age tradition, not to a generic dawn gathering or a Navajo Kinaaldá.