The Hualapai (, , yuf-x-wal, Hwalbáy) is a federally recognized Native American tribe in Arizona with about 2300 enrolled members. Approximately 1353 enrolled members reside on the Hualapai Reservation, which spans over three counties in Northern Arizona ( Coconino, Yavapai, and Mohave). The name, meaning "people of the tall pines", is derived from , the Hualapai word for

ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is the ...

The Hualapai Tribe Website
Accessed 2020-01-16 and "people". Their traditional territory is a stretch along the pine-clad southern side of the

Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a m ...

and the

Colorado River The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. s ...

with the tribal capital at Peach Springs. Other communities on the reservation include Valentine and Grand Canyon West.

Government

The Hualapai tribe is a sovereign nation and governed by an executive and judicial branch and a tribal council. The tribe provides a variety of social, cultural, educational and economic services to its members.

Language

The Hualapai language is a Pai branch of the

Yuman–Cochimí languages The Yuman–Cochimí languages are a family of languages spoken in Baja California, northern Sonora, southern California, and western Arizona. Cochimí is no longer spoken as of the late 18th century, and most other Yuman languages are threate ...

, also spoken by the closely related Havasupai, and more distantly to Yavapai people. It is spoken by most people over 30 on the Reservation as well as many young people. The Peach Springs School District runs a successful bilingual program for all local students, both Hualapai and non-Hualapai, in addition to immersion camps.

Reservation

The Hualapai Reservation (), covering , was created by the Presidential

Executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of t ...

of Chester A. Arthur on January 4, 1883.

History and culture

Ceremonies

Major traditional ceremonies of the Hualapai include the "Maturity" ceremony and the "Mourning" ceremony. Nowadays the modern Sobriety Festival is also celebrated in June.

Afterlife

The souls of the dead are believed to go northwestward to a beautiful land where plentiful harvest grow. This land is believed to be seen only by Hualapai spirits.

Traditional dress

Traditional Hualapai dress consists of full suits of deerskin and rabbit skin robes.

Traditional housing

Conical houses formed from cedar boughs using the single slope form called a

Wikiup A wigwam, wickiup, wetu (Wampanoag), or wiigiwaam (Ojibwe language, Ojibwe, in Ojibwe syllabics, syllabics: ) is a semi-permanent domed dwelling formerly used by certain Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First N ...

Reservation life

The Hualapai Reservation was created by executive order in 1883 on lands that just four regional bands considered as part of their home range, like the Yi Kwat Pa'a (Iquad Ba:' – "Peach Springs band") or Ha'kasa Pa'a (Hak saha Ba:' – "Pine Springs band"). The other Hualapai regional bands (including the Havasupai) lived far away from the current reservation land.

Hualapai War

The Hualapai War (1865–1870) was caused by an increase in traffic through the area on the Fort Mojave-Prescott Toll Road which elevated tensions and produced armed conflicts between the Hualapai and

European American European Americans (also referred to as Euro-Americans) are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes people who are descended from the first European settlers in the United States as well as people who are descended from more recent Eu ...

s. The war broke out in May 1865, when the Hualapai leader Anasa was killed by a man named Hundertinark in the area of Camp Willow Grove and in March 1866. In response, a man named Clower was killed by the Hualapai, who also closed the route from

Prescott, Arizona Prescott ( ) is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the city's population was 45,827. The city is the county seat of Yavapai County. In 1864, Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona ...

to the

ports due to the conflict. The most important and principal Hualapai leaders (called ''Tokoomhet'' or ''Tokumhet'') at that time were: Wauba Yuba (''Wauba Yuma'' of the ''Yavapai Fighters'' subtribe), Sherum (''Shrum'' or ''Cherum'' of the ''Ha Emete Pa'a'' i.e. "Cerbat Mountain band" of the ''Middle Mountain People'' subtribe), Hitchi Hitchi (''Hitchie-Hitchie'' of the ''Plateau People'' subtribe) and Susquatama (''Sudjikwo'dime'', better known by his nickname Hualapai Charley, ''Hualapai Charlie'', ''Walapai Charley'' or ''Walapai Charlie'' of the ''Middle Mountain People'' subtribe). It was not until William Hardy and the Hualapai leaders negotiated a peace agreement at Beale Springs that the raids and the fighting subsided. However, the agreement lasted only nine months when it was broken with the murder of Chief Wauba Yuba near present-day Kingman during a dispute with the Walker Party over the treaty. After the chief's murder, raids by the Hualapai began in full force on mining camps and settlers. The cavalry from

Fort Mojave Fort Mohave was originally named Camp Colorado when it was established on April 19, 1859 by Lieutenant Colonel William Hoffman during the Mohave War. It was located on the east bank of the Colorado River, at Beale's Crossing, near the head of t ...

responded, with the assistance of the Mohave, by attacking Hualapai rancherias and razing them. The pivotal engagement took place in January 1868, when Captain S.B.M. Young, later joined in by Lt. Johnathan D. Stevenson, surprised the rancheria of Sherum with his more than one hundred warriors. Known as the Battle of Cherum Peak, it lasted all day. Stevenson fell in the first volley. The Hualapai managed to escape, but lost twenty-one warriors, with many more wounded. The Battle broke the military resistance of the Hualapai. The Hualapai began to surrender, as

whooping cough Whooping cough, also known as pertussis or the 100-day cough, is a highly contagious bacterial disease. Initial symptoms are usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough, but these are followed by two or t ...

and

dysentery Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...

weakened their ranks, on August 20, 1868. They were led by Chief Leve Leve (''Levi-Levi'', half-brother to Sherum and Hualapai Charley) of the Amat Whala Pa'a (''Mad hwa:la Ba: – "Hualapai Mountains band") of the ''Yavapai Fighters'' subtribe. The warrior Sherum, who was known for his tenacity as a warrior, later surrendered, thus marking the end of the Hualapai Wars in 1870. It is estimated that one-third of the Hualapai people were killed during this war either by the conflict or disease.

Hualapai bands and villages

Ethnically, the Havasupai and the Hualapai are one people, although today, they are politically separate groups as the result of U.S. government policy. The Hualapai (''Pa'a'' or ''Pai'') had three subtribes – the ''Middle Mountain People'' in the northwest, ''Plateau People'' in the east, and ''Yavapai Fighter'' in the south (McGuire; 1983). The subtribes were divided into seven bands (Kroeber; 1935, Manners; 1974), which themselves were broken up into thirteen (original fourteen) regional bands or local groups ( Dobyns and Euler; 1970). The local groups were composed of several extended family groups, living in small villages: The Havasupai were one band of the ''Plateau People'' subtribe.

Plateau People

''Ko'audva Kopaya'' ("The People Up Above") included seven bands in the plateau and canyon country mostly east of the Truxton Canyon Wash (with "Qwa'ga-we'/Hackberry Springs") and Grand Wash Cliffs, planted in Quartermaster Canyon (with "Metipka/Mati'bika Spring"), Meriwhitica Canyon (with "Meriwhitica Spring/Indian Gardens"), Milkweed Canyon (with "Hê'l/Milkweed Springs"), Spencer Canyon (with "Matawidita Spring"), Peach Springs Canyon (with "Yiga't/Lower Peach Springs" and "Hake-takwi'va/Peach Springs proper"), Diamond Creek Canyon (Gwada), Prospect Canyon, Mohawk Canyon, and National Canyon, they also occupied portion of the eastern Hualapai Valley and

Peacock Mountains The Peacock Mountains are a small, 26 mi (42 km) long mountain range in northwest Arizona, US. The range is a narrow sub-range, and an extension north, at the northeast of the Hualapai Mountains massif, which lies to the southwest. The ra ...

, the Music Mountains, this area include the current Hualapai Reservation, bands listed from west to east: * Mata'va-kapai ("Northern People") ** Ha Dooba Pa'a / Haduva Ba:' ("Clay Springs band", lived in the Grand Wash Cliffs, Music Mountains and Aquarius Cliffs, suffered heavy losses during the war.) ** Tanyika Ha' Pa'a / Danyka Ba:' ("Grass Springs band", were largely able to stay away from the fighting.) Villages (along the edge of the Grand Wash Cliffs): Hadū'ba/Ha'a Dooba ("Clay Springs"), Hai'ya, Hathekáva-kió, Hath'ela/Ha'thi-el (" altySpring"), Huwuskót, Kahwāga, Kwa'thekithe'i'ta, Metipka/Mati'bika, Oya'a Nisa ("spider cave"), Oya'a Kanyaja, Tanyika'/Danyka ("Grass Springs") * Ko'o'u-kapai ("Mesa People") ** Kwagwe' Pa'a / Qwaq We' Ba:' (" Hackberry pringsband" or "Truxton Canyon/Crozier Canyon band", later merged with the "Peach Springs band") ** He'l Pa'a / He:l Ba:' ("Milkweed Springs band", lived from Truxton Canyon (or Crozier Canyon) to Ha'ke-takwi'va ("Peach Springs"), suffered heavy casualties.) Villages (the largest settlements were near Milkweed Springs and Truxton Canyon): Yokamva (today: Crozier pring an American appellation), Djiwa'ldja, Hak-tala'kava, Haktutu'deva, Hê'l ("Milkweed Springs", was used in particular for the irrigation of tobacco), Katha't-nye-ha', Muketega'de, Qwa'ga-we'/Kwagwe' ("Hackberry Springs"), Sewi', Taki'otha'wa, Wi-kanyo * Nyav-kapai ("Eastern People") (occupied the

Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau, also known as the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. This province covers an area o ...

and canyon lands, except for the "Peach Springs band" the northeastern local groups – the "Pine Springs band" as well as the later Havasupai – were able to keep away from the fights successfully and thus avoid heavy losses.) ** Yi Kwat Pa'a / Iquad Ba:' ("

ower Ower is a hamlet in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. Its nearest towns are Totton – approximately to the southeast, and Romsey – around to the north-east. Ower lies on the A36 road northwest of Totton. It lies mo ...

Peach Springs band", the present administrative headquarters Peach Springs (Hàkđugwi:v) of the Hualapai Reserve is located in its former territory, the "Hackberry band" joined the "Peach Springs band" after severe losses) ** Ha'kasa Pa'a / Hak saha Ba:' ("Pine Springs band", also known as "Stinking Water band", joint use areas in the northeastern part of Hualapai territory with the ''Havasooa Pa'a'' band) ** Havasooa Pa'a / Hav'su Ba:' ("Cataract Canyon band", call themselves ''Havasu Baja'' or ''Havsuw' Baaja'' – "People of the Blue Green Water", lived in several groups along

Havasu Creek Havasu Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Arizona associated with the Havasupai people. It is a tributary to the Colorado River, which it enters in the Grand Canyon. Stream course and features Havasu Creek is the second largest tributary ...

in the Cataract Canyon (Havasu Canyon) and in adjacent valleys of the Grand Canyon, today known as Havasupai.) Villages (not included are that of the Havasupai): Agwa'da, Ha'ke-takwi'va/Haketakwtva/Hàkđugwi:v ("Peach Springs proper", literally: "a series/group of springs"), Haksa', Hānya-djiluwa'ya, Tha've-nalnalwi'dje, Wiwakwa'ga, Wi Kasala ("Many Sharp Points Mountain"), Yiga't/Yi Kwat ("Lower Peach Springs")

Middle Mountain People

''Witoov Mi'uka Pa'a'' ("Separate Mountain Range People") lived west of the ''Plateau People'' subtribe and mostly north of today's city Kingman, ranged over the Cerbat and Black Mountains and portions of the Hualapai, Detrital, and Sacramento Valleys. * Soto'lve-kapai ("Western People") ** Wikawhata Pa'a / Wi gahwa da Ba:' ("Red Rock band", lived in the northern part of the area up to

Lake Mead Lake Mead is a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in the Southwestern United States. It is located in the states of Nevada and Arizona, east of Las Vegas. It is the largest reservoir in the US in terms of water capacity. L ...

and Colorado River in the north, joined the "Cerbat Mountain band" after heavy casualties.) ** Ha Emete Pa'a / Ha'emede: Ba:' (literally: "White Rock Water band", better known as "Cerbat Mountains band", lived in the southern portion of the area, principally in the Cerbat Mountains (Ha'emede:) north of Beale's Springs) Villages (most settlements were near springs along the eastern slopes of each mountain range): Amadata ("Willow Beach" near

Hoover Dam Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on S ...

), Chimethi'ap, Ha'a Taba ("Whiskey Springs"), Ha-kamuê'/Ha'a kumawe' ("Beale's Springs"), Ham sipa (near Temple Bar, flooded by Lake Mead), Háka-tovahádja, Ha'a Kawila, Hamte'/Ha'a Emete/Ha'emede: ("White Rock Water", name of a spring in the Cerbat Mountains), Ha'theweli'-kio', Ivthi'ya-tanakwe, Kenyuā'tci, Kwatéhá, Nyi'l'ta, Quwl'-nye-há, Sava Ha'a (" Dolan Springs"), Sina Ha'a ("Buzzard Spring"), Thawinūya, Tevaha:ja (today: "Canyon Station"), Waika'i'la, Wa-nye-ha'/Wana Ha'a, Wi'ka-tavata'va, Wi-kawea'ta, Winya'-ke-tawasa, Wiyakana'mo

Yavapai Fighters

''Yavapai Fighters'' were the largest group, occupied the southern half of the Hualapai country and were the first to fight the enemy Yavapai – called by the Hualapai Ji'wha', "The Enemy" – living direct to their south, were almost wiped out during the Hualapai War by fighting, systematic destruction of supplies and fields by the US Army and by famines and diseases erupting thereby, bands listed from west to east: * Hual'la-pai / Howa'la-pai / Hwa:lbáy ("Tall

Ponderosa Pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is the ...

People", "Pinery People") ** Amat Whala Pa'a / Ha Whala Pa'a / Mad hwa:la Ba:' (literally: "Ponderosa Pine Tree Mountain band", better known as "Hualapai Mountains band", inhabited the Hualapai Mountains east of present-day Kingman and south of Beale's Springs westward to the Colorado River Valley) Villages (were concentrated near springs and streams at the northern end of the range): Walnut Creek, Hake-djeka'dja, Ilwi'nya-ha', Kahwa't, Tak-tada'pa * Kwe'va-kapai / Koowev Kopai ("Southern People") ** Tekiauvla Pa'a / Teki'aulva Pa'a ("Big Sandy River band", also known as "Haksigaela Ba:'", occupied the reach of permanent river flow along the Big Sandy River between Wikieup and Signal, although ranged over in the adjacent mountain slopes.) ** Burro Creek band (lived on the southern tip of the territory of the ''Tekiauvla Pa'a'' partly in Upper Burro Creek Wilderness, farmed along streams and throughout canyons and plateaus along both sides of Burro Creek, intermarried oft with adjacent Yavapai – therefore they were oft mistaken by the Americans for Yavapai, joined after the war larger Hualapai local groups and some Yavapai) Villages: Burro Creek, Chivekaha', Djimwā'nsevio'/Chimwava suyowo' ("Little Cane Springs", literally: "He dragged a

Chemehuevi The Chemehuevi are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. They are the southernmost branch of Southern Paiute.ofer Ofer (, ''lit.'' Fawn) is a moshav in northern Israel. Located south of Haifa, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaCarmel Regional Council. In it had a population of . History The moshav was founded in 1950 by immigrants from India (mainl ...

Hot Spring"), Kwakwa', Kwal-hwa'ta, Kwathā'wa, Magio'o' ("Francis Creek"), Tak-mi'nva/Takaminva ("Big Cane Springs") * Hakia'tce-pai ("Mohon Mountain People") also known as "Talta'l-kuwa", occupied rugged mountain country. ** Ha'a Kiacha Pa'a / Ha gi a:ja Ba:' (literally: "Fort Rock Creek band", better known as "Mohon Mountains band" or "Mahone Mountain band", "Fort Rock Creek" is the American appellation of a spring and their main settlement on Fort Rock Creek, headwaters of Trout Creek, lived in the Mohon Mountains.) ** Whala Kijapa P'a / Hwalgijapa Ba:' ("Juniper Mountains band", lived in the Juniper Mountains) Villages: Cottonwood Creek (or "Cottonwood Station"), Hakeskia'l/Ha'a Kesbial ("where one creek goes into another"), Ha'a Kiacha/Hakia'ch/Hakia'tce ("Fort Rock Creek Spring", main settlement), Ka'nyu'tekwa', Knight Creek, Tha'va-ka-lavala'va, Trout Creek, Willow Creek, Wi-ka-tāva, Witevikivol, Witkitana'kwa

Education

Sections of the Hualapai Reservation in Mohave County are within the

Peach Springs Unified School District The Peach Springs Unified School District is the school district in Peach Springs, Arizona. It consists of one elementary and middle school; there is no high school in the district, though Peach Springs once did have its own public high school, M ...

and the Hackberry School District. According to the

Valentine Elementary School District Valentine Elementary School District 22 is a public school district based in Mohave County, Arizona. It consists of a single K-8 school, Valentine Elementary School, in Truxton, with a Peach Springs postal address. its student body was fewer ...

, some Hualapai students go outside of the reservation to that school district. – The address states "Peach Springs, AZ" but the school, as per the page, is in Truxton. As Peach Springs USD closed its high school (

Music Mountain Junior/Senior High School Music Mountain Junior/Senior High School is a junior and senior high school grades 7 through 12 in Peach Springs, Arizona, established in 2001 and was closed in 2008. For the 2022/23 school year the school was reopened and is back serving the comm ...

) in 2008, high school students may attend school in the Kingman Unified School District or the

Seligman Unified School District Seligman Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Seligman, Arizona. It includes Seligman Elementary School and Seligman High School. Since 2008 Peach Springs Unified School District of Peach Springs sends its high school st ...

. According to Coconino County's parcel viewer, the Hualapai reservation sections in that county are in the "Unorganized School District #00". According to Arizona law, an unorganized school district is one that does not have a high school. The portion of the Hualapai Reservation in Yavapai County is within the Seligman district.

Notes

References

Intertribal Council of Arizona (Hualapai)

Hualapai Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, Arizona
United States Census Bureau

*

External links

The official Hualapai Tribal website

Grand Canyon Skywalk news
{{authority control Native American tribes in Arizona American Indian reservations in Arizona Federally recognized tribes in the United States Grand Canyon Grand Canyon history History of Coconino County, Arizona History of Mohave County, Arizona Native American history of Arizona Prescott, Arizona