Maricopa (people)

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Maricopa reserves

The Maricopa or Piipaash belong together with seven neighboring tribes - among them the powerful Quechan (Kwtsaan or Kwtsan) , Mohave ('Aha Makhav or Pipa Aha Makav) and Cocopa (Xawiƚƚ kwñchawaay or Kwapa) - linguistically, culturally and geographically to the river Yuma . At the time of the first Spanish contact, the Maricopa, who numbered around 2,000 to 3,000 tribesmen, lived along the central Gila River at the mouth of the Salt River in southwest Arizona in the USA .

The now common tribal name Maricopa is the Spanish version of Kokmalik'op ("Enemies in the great mountains"), the name of the neighboring, once hostile Akimel O'Odham for their future allies. They call themselves, however, Piipaa , Pipatsji , Piipaash or Pee-Posh ("people" or "people").

Many of today's tribe members, who call themselves Maricopa of Lehi in English , are descendants of the Halchidhoma , who also belong to the River Yuma and who joined the Maricopa around 1825, but they were able to retain their own identity and therefore call themselves Xalychidom Piipaa or Xalychidom Piipaash (“people who live by the water, that is, who live along the river”). Other tribes that also belonged to the Yuma River and who fled the Colorado River to the Maricopa - the Halyikawamai , the Kohuana (Cajuenche) and the Kavelchadom (Kaveltcadom) - were unable to retain their own language and separate identity and identify themselves today commonly called Maricopa .

language

Their language, Maricopa or Piipaash , formerly Cocomaricopa , belongs to the Yuma subgroup of the Yuma languages ​​of the Cochimí-Yuma language family , which is often counted among the Hoka languages . Their language was divided into three dialects - the actual Maricopa or the Piipaash chuukwer dialect of the Maricopa (Piipaash), the Halchidhoma or Xalychidoma chuukwer dialect and the Kaveltcadom or Kavelchadom dialect (†). All dialects show the greatest linguistic similarities with Mohave (Mohaje) or Hamakhav der Mohave ('Aha Makhav or Pipa Aha Makav).

The last dialect variant as well as the Halyikwamai and Kahwan or Kohuana dialects (†) are now extinct, all three tribes - the Kavelchadom (Kaveltcadom), the Halyikwamai and the Kohuana (Cajuenche) - have lost their independent identity as a tribe and are today part of Maricopa.

It must also be noted that the Halyikwamai and Kahwan or Kohuana dialects were variants of the Cocopa or Kwikapa , which, however, belonged to the Delta Yuma or Cocopa branch of the California Delta Yuma or Diegueño-Cocopa subgroup of the Yuma languages and linguistically to the actual Cocopa the Cocopa (Xawiƚƚ kwñchawaay or Kwapa) .

Due to the later coexistence of two groups originally speaking Cocopa dialects with three groups speaking Maricopa dialects, their language was erroneously referred to as Cocomaricopa .

Today about 100 Maricopa and Halchidhoma (Maricopa of Lehi) still speak their language, although there is no separate count that distinguishes between the Piipaash chuukwer of the Maricopa and the Xalychidoma chuukwer of the Halchidhoma (Maricopa of Lehi) (Golla 2007).

residential area

The Maricopa originally inhabited an area on the lower Colorado River . But they were driven out by constant wars with other Yuma tribes in pre-Hispanic times and gradually migrated eastward along the Gila River . Around 1774 they lived in the middle Gila east of today's city of Gila Bend at the mouth of the Salt River . Under the pressure of their traditional enemies, the Mohave and Quechan , they moved further east to the Pimeria Alta , the land of the so-called Upper Pima . Today they inhabit two reservations in southern Arizona , together with groups of the Akimel O'Odham (mostly referred to as Pima ). The Gila River Indian Reservation (1,505 km²) is jointly inhabited by Maricopa ("Pee-Posh") and Akimel O'Odham (also Akimel Au-Authm - "people who live along the Gila River") and the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community (188 km²) is home to the Maricopa of Lehi ( Xalychidom Piipaash ) and the Onk Akimel O'Odham (also On'k Akimel Au-Authm - "people who live along the Salt River ")

history

Ethnic composition of today's Maricopa

It is known that the intertribal wars between the River Yuma were generally highly ritualized , harsh and cruel - and soon the weaker groups could no longer withstand the pressure of the Quechan , Mohave and their temporary allies, the Cocopa , so that at first the Maricopa themselves fled west along the Gila River to the Akimel O'Odham ; At the beginning of the 19th century, the following other River Yuma tribes moved to the Maricopa to find protection from their enemies:

Halchidhoma or Xalychidom Piipaa , also Xalychidom Piipaash ("people who live by the water, ie along the river", also called Xalchidom )
Their residential area was originally on the lower Colorado River in Arizona, roughly in the area where the Gila River flows into the Colorado. Their northern neighbors on the river were the Mohave, while the Quechan lived in the south and, in pre-Hispanic times, the closely related Maricopa. In order to avoid the repeated raids and war expeditions of the enemy Quechan Alliance, they moved together with some Kohuana (Cajuenche) in the 1820s up the Gila River to the east to seek protection with the Maricopa and Pima. Most joined the Maricopa, but the rest moved further north to the Salt River, where they settled in the town of Lehi (north of today's Mesa ). They were able to retain their independent identity and still speak their own dialect - the Halchidhoma or Xalychidoma chuukwer dialect. Today they mostly identify themselves in English as Maricopa of Lehi .
Kavelchadom (also Kaveltcadoms , also called Grandpa or Cocomaricopa by the Spanish)
Their tribal areas were once along the lower Colorado River, north of the delta - however, they had already left their homes a few decades before the Halchidhoma and had moved up the Gila River eastward to seek shelter with the Maricopa. From the Maricopa and Halchidhoma they are regarded as a band that once belonged to the latter ( English " tribal group "), but they differed in their habitat and culture . Since about 1840 they have lost their separate identity among the Maricopa on the Gila River; however, on the Salt River there are some Halchidhoma families of Kavelchadom ancestry. Today, the majority in English - like the Halchidhoma - mostly identify as Maricopa of Lehi , but the minority as Maricopa
Halyikawamai (also called Halykwanis or Quicama )
Traditional enemies of the Quechan, they were met by the Spanish (1540–1771) on the east bank of the Colorado River, north of the also sometimes hostile Cocopa. However, in 1775 it was reported by Padre Francisco Garcés that they now lived near the Kohuana (Cajuenche) on the west bank of the Colorado River. They later joined the Kohuana (Cajuenche) and accompanied them on their hikes and escape from the Quechan and Mohave. When the last Kohuana (Cajuenche) left the Colorado River, the Halyikawamai were among them, but both were already recognized as a tribal unit. The Halyikawamai and Kohuana each spoke dialects that were close to the dialect of the Cocopa. Today they identify themselves in English as Maricopa .
Kohuana (also called Kahwan , Cajuenche , Coana , or Cutganas )
According to Padre Garcés, they lived on the east bank of the Colorado River south of the mouth of the Gila River. Constant armed conflicts with Quechan, Mohave and Cocopa always forced them to flee from the enemy, once they migrated to today's California, then to northern Mexico and later back to the area around today's Parker in Arizona on Colorado, where the Halchidhoma once mostly settled. The linguistically and culturally related Halyikawamai had already joined them on these hikes. In 1781, however, they were finally defeated by the Quechan, but could not leave their homeland like the Halchidhoma, as the mighty, hostile Mohave prevented this and forced them to settle near what is now the Mohave Valley . After about 5 years they fled south to the Quechan, where they were treated like prisoners, so that half of them fled after about 5 years. More Kohuana-Halyikawamai joined the Halchidhoma, who now also moved further east along the Gila River, in the 1820s, in order to find shelter with the Maricopa upstream. The majority of the tribe, however, fled between 1835 and 1840 to the Maricopa on the Gila River and some to the Halchidhoma on the Salt River; at that time both - Kohuana and Halyikawamai - were already understood as a tribal unit. Today they identify themselves in English as Maricopa .

By around 1840 the tribal territories along the lower Colorado River had completely changed - the aforementioned River Yuma tribes, including the Maricopa, had completely left the Colorado Valley and moved further east up the Gila River, some further northeast to to the Salt River. There the Maricopa had already allied themselves with the Akimel O'Odham (Pima) and various O'Odham groups. The lower Colorado River upstream now dominated the Mohave, the Quechan this up to the confluence of the Gila River and the Cocopa its delta area up to the Gulf of California.

Intertribal disputes and alliances

The various tribes in the southwest were already organized in pre-Hispanic times in various loose defensive and tribal alliances - especially to be able to assert themselves against the river Yuma and Apache , known as fearless warriors ; here in historical times the Quechan (Yuma) Alliance dominated the Colorado River and the Maricopa-Pima Alliance dominated the area of ​​the Gila River and Salt River.

The Maricopa and Akimel O'Odham (Pima) and various O'Odham (Pima Alto) groups formed the so-called Maricopa-Pima Alliance to oppose the hostile attacks of the enemy Quechan (Yuma) alliance of Quechan , Mohave , and at times the Cocopa in the west as well as against the raids and war expeditions of the Western Apache and Chiricahua Apache in the east and north.

These tribal alliances usually also had influence on or support from neighboring tribes, which were often linguistically, ethnically or culturally related - the Maricopa-Pima , for example, joined the fled Halchidhoma , Kavelchadom (Kaveltcadom) Halyikwamai and Kohuana (Cajuenche) as well as some southern Californian tribal groups and later also the Cocopa. The Quechan-Mohave were often supported by the Chemehuevi of the Southern Paiute and the Ɖo: lkabaya / Tolkepaya band of the Yavapai . Since the latter belong to the highland Yuma and had close cultural contacts with the River Yuma, they were often incorrectly referred to as Yuma-Apache or Apache-Yuma .

Sometimes all the tribes of these alliances undertook military campaigns against a common enemy, but this was intensified in Spanish and later Mexican times.

The war expeditions of the River Yuma were even sometimes joined by bilingual Tonto Apache of the Western Apache , as they were related to the Wi: pukba / Wipukepa and Guwevkabaya / Kwevkepaya bands of the Yavapai through mutual marriages, as they used every opportunity the Pima- To rob Maricopa and to make war. The Tonto Apache as well as the allied and related Yavapai bands were often incorrectly referred to by the whites generally as Tonto Apache or Mohave Apache .

When the Spaniards, with their better organization, greater resources and better weapons, offered the Pima Alto (Upper Pima) and Maricopa protection against their enemies, the once regionally limited Maricopa-Pima alliance was integrated into a large Indian-Spanish alliance; which now belonged to the Opata , who were formerly hostile to the Pima , as well as related groups of the Pima Bajo (Lower Pima) and Tepehuan, as well as the Pueblo in the north and east , which were now supposed to defend the Spanish and Indian settlements against the Apacheria . Later (from 1786) the Ute and their Jicarilla-Apache allies as well as the Navajo (Diné) as well as the particularly warlike and powerful Comanche were convinced, partly by military force, partly by economic pressure (or benefits), to oppose the Apache and theirs To turn allies and sometimes to undertake joint military operations with the Spaniards against them.

In these constant battles against the Apache and River Yuma, the otherwise peaceful Maricopa and Pima proved themselves as tough and persevering warriors and were happy to make themselves available to the Spaniards, Mexicans and later the Americans as scouts and warriors.

Battle of Pima Butte

In the Battle of Pima Butte ( Battle of Maricopa Wells ) on June 1, 1857, the conflict between the tribal alliances escalated in a major battle near Pima Butte (Maricopa: Vii Vav ), Arizona in the Sierra Estrella (Maricopa: Vii Lyxa ) near Maricopa Wells, which on the part of the Quechan-Mohave, supported by Apache and Yavapai, ended in a decisive defeat against the Maricopa-Pima . The 300 or so warriors of the Quechan-Mohave and their allies under the leadership of the Quechan chief Francisco attacked the Maricopa settlement of Secate, captured it, plundered it and burned it down. The surviving Maricopa sent messengers to the nearby Pima villages, who immediately gathered all the warriors in the area to carry out a counterattack. However, before the Maricopa Pima force arrived, all of the Apache, Yavapai and most of the Mohave had fled, so that the remaining Quechan and Mohave were now outnumbered. The Maricopa and Pima warriors, some on horseback, surrounded the attackers before killing most of the enemies, including Chief Francisco. Exact numbers of the wounded and killed are not available; on the Quechan-Mohave side , around 200 dead or wounded are estimated (the number of dead varies between 90 and 160 warriors); there is no information available for the Maricopa-Pima . After that disaster, the Quechan never went that far up the Gila River again, and their military power was broken.

This battle is one of the largest in the history of Arizona, it was also the last major battle by the Quechan-Mohave Alliance and the last major battle that was only fought between tribes.

Way of life and culture

Pakit, Maid of Maricopa, Edward Curtis , 1908

Despite the close contact with the Pima, the Maricopa retained the typical way of life of the River Yuma. Weaving cotton blankets on a horizontal loom and using a calendar stick to record important events are two of several customs they adopted from their neighbors. They made clay pots in bulk while receiving baskets from the Pima.

Today there is hardly anything left of the old culture. The tribe is known for its red clay pottery adorned with geometric figures made of natural colors. However, only a few pieces of the beautiful, polished red pottery are still made today. Indian dances, healing rites, tribal organization and the great importance of dreams are a thing of the past.

The Maricopa earn their living from farm work, cotton growing, wage labor and the leasing of land to non-Indian agricultural enterprises. Most of the individual lands are too small to be used commercially.

Demographics

James Mooney estimated it to have 2,000 members in 1680 and Francisco Garcés calculated that it was around 3,000 in 1775, compared with only 350 Maricopa left in 1905. The following additional population figures are known: 386 (1910 census); 394 (Indian Office of 1920); 310 (1930 census) and 339 (Indian Office 1937). There are no up-to-date figures because Maricopa and Pima are counted cumulatively in the Salt River Reserve. In the Maricopa reservation (English Ak-Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa) , however, there should be no more Maricopa.

literature

See also

Web links

Commons : Maricopa  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Tom Bathi: Southwestern Indian Tribes. Page 65. KC Publications, Las Vegas, 1997 ISBN 0-916122-01-8