Key Takeaways
- Fluent speakers were not always available
- Navajo speaks were easier to hire at the time
- An Apache speaker would notice the difference
In Hondo (1953), the Apache characters—specifically the Chiricahua Apache—are depicted speaking a form of Apache, but in reality, the dialogue is mostly spoken in Navajo.
When the movie was filmed, Hollywood productions often wanted “Native-sounding” dialogue, but didn’t always have fluent speakers of each specific tribal language. Navajo speakers were more available at the time, so filmmakers frequently used Navajo for scenes involving Apache or other tribes.
The Apache people speak several related Athabaskan languages, most notably Western Apache, Chiricahua Apache, and Mescalero Apache. They’re distinctly different from Navajo, though they are from the same broader language family. A fluent Apache speaker would immediately notice the difference.
In Hondo, the film identifies the tribe as Chiricahua Apache, and their leader, Vittorio, speaks in short bursts of dialogue that sound authentic to audiences but are largely Navajo or simplified Hollywood Apache.
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About the Author
Jay Coffin has worked in journalism, digital media, television, communications, and the media fields for the last three decades. Most of that time has been spent in the sports and golf industry, helping to raise the profile of two prominent golf websites, appearing regularly on television, creating two successful podcasts, and boosting numerous social media accounts to record engagement metrics. He lives in Orlando, Fla.
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