Havasupai
Land: Nestled 3,000 feet deep into Havasu Canyon lies the land of the Havasupai (ha-va-soo-pie).
The area is known around the world for its blue waters and spectacular water
falls. The Havasupai share their name with the area, Ha (water) vasu
(blue) and pai (meaning people). Havasu Canyon is a part of the Grand
Canyon and is located in the northeast corner. The only ways to reach the
village is by foot, horseback or helicopter. Mail and supplies are brought in
weekly by horse or mule train.
The Havasupai have descended from the ancient Yuma tribe and have inhabited
the canyon for 1,000 years. There are two major divisions of the Yuma
people. One division was called the River Yumas, who lived along the
lower Colorado and middle Gila rivers and included the Mojaves, Hakchidhoma,
Yuma, Cocopa and Maricopa. The other division was the Upland Yumas which
included the Hualapai (Walapai), Havasupai and Yavapai.
Language: They speak a form of Yuman, which was derived from Hokan languages. These
languages use prefixes and suffixes and compound words to form longer words
made up of several elements. A complete sentence or phrase may be expressed by
one word.Religion: They believe in a Supreme Being and have accepted Christianity but
still cling to ancient traditions and prayers. They draw their strength
and spiritual direction from their land and consider their land sacred.Daily Life: Their main
occupations are farming and packing. They have a lodge for guests but visitors
are limited. The women are still practicing basket weaving, using cottonwood
and willow coils. Other native crafts are sold on the reservation and
surrounding areas. Children are schooled on site eleven months of the year.History: In 1880 an executive order was issued that restricted them to 38,000 acres
and was amended in 1882 to restrict them to only 500 acres. Presently, the
tribe consists of 639 members and they live on 188,000 acres.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not
claim expertise on Havasupai culture.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the web address of this page.
If you are a Havasupai, your feedback is much appreciated.
Havasupai Tribe: http://www.havasupaitribe.com/
Sources:
Today with the Havasupai Indians, John Grifith, Imperial
Lithographers, Phoenix, AZ, 1972
People of the Blue Water, Flora G. Iliff, Harper and Brothers, 1954
“Yuman”, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, http://search.eb.com/bol/topic?eu=80245&sctn=1#s_top,
accessed December 7, 1999.
“Hokan languages”, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, http://search.eb.com/bol/topic?idxref=605219,
accessed December 8, 1999.
Written By: Cheryl Dawley
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