The intent of this exploratory study was to discover the cultural significance of an Apache ritual, the Sunrise Ceremony, as it relates to the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the Apache individual, family, and community at large. The ethnographic methodology was used to gather data because this design provided the most systematic and flexible process to generate the widest range of information necessary for describing this culture from the native's point of view. Four culturally relevant domains were developed and analyzed to reveal five cultural themes, including "It's my strength," "Women are the core of living here," "It Tells You the Story of the Beginning," and "Change is Sad--Alcohol is Bad." The findings suggest that because the Sunrise Ceremony is central to the Apache way of life, its values and culture, an understanding of the Sunrise Ceremony can assist in the development of accurate nursing assessments and successful interventions to improve the collective health and well being of the Apache people. Additionally, recommendations for nursing practice and further research are proposed.