Experience Our Culture – Wild Horse Pass

History

The story of our people begins with the land and the Gila River, which flows westward across south-central Arizona. Around 6,000 years ago, the Archaic peoples, hunter-gatherers, settled along the riverbanks and surrounding uplands. Around 300 B.C., these early inhabitants were joined by people from central Mexico, bringing new ideas and technologies. This fusion gave rise to the Huhugam, our ancestors. They were skilled farmers and traders, their influence stretching across vast distances. Using the Gila River’s water, they built an impressive network of canals—some 500 miles long, averaging 10 feet deep and 30 feet wide—irrigating thousands of acres. They transformed the desert into fertile gardens, growing cotton, corn, melons, beans, fruits, tobacco, and other crops. They also hunted, gathered wild foods, and traded, allowing them to establish large villages. The Huhugam developed sophisticated arts, creating fine pottery and jewelry using imported shells and other materials. During their “Classic Period” (circa A.D. 1150-1450), their population likely reached 50,000 to 60,000, with some villages boasting thousands of residents, large adobe buildings, religious centers, and sunken clay courts for ritual ball games. However, around A.D. 1450, these urban centers were mysteriously abandoned, possibly due to drought, the arrival of new tribes like the Apache, or a crisis of leadership. The Huhugam culture dispersed.

Early Contact

Missionaries introduced Roman Catholicism, new crops (cattle, horses, sheep, and goats), and new technologies, which we readily adapted. However, during the Spanish and early Mexican periods, we were largely left to ourselves, our lives continuing much as they had before. This changed dramatically in the following historical phase. 19th and 20th Centuries

Akimel O’otham (Pima)

A vibrant revival of traditional and contemporary arts and cultural activities is underway in our Gila River community. The Akimel O’otham and Tohono O’odham were renowned basket makers, a tradition that the Tohono O’odham maintain strongly, and which the Akimel O’otham are actively reviving. Cultural gatherings and arts events are growing, and more tribal members are supporting themselves through the sale of their art and crafts. In 2004, we opened the Huhugam Heritage Center, a premier facility for preserving and showcasing Native artifacts.

Pee-Posh (Maricopa)

The Maricopa people were small bands along the lower Gila and Colorado Rivers, migrating eastward at different times. The Xalychidom (Maricopa of Lehi) left around 1825-1830, with the last bands departing the Colorado River in the late 1830s. These bands eventually united and became known as the Maricopa. During their migration, they formed an alliance with the Pima for protection against the Yuman and Apache tribes. Some Maricopa, primarily the Xalychidom Piipaash, migrated to the area now known as Lehi on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community due to dwindling water resources on the Gila River. When the Salt River Indian Community was established in 1879, it included both tribes. The Maricopa are known for their distinctive red clay pottery. Using natural materials and dyes, they created jars and bowls decorated with geometric designs. Examples of Maricopa pottery are on display at the Community’s Huhugam Ki Museum.