Location: The Yuma were North American Indians of the southwest. They traditionally lived in the Colorado River Valley. Other areas of residence include Southern California, Arizona and Northern California. Throughout their history they can be split into two categories, the river dwellers and the upland Yumans. Many other non-Yuman tribes adopted their language. The Yuman culture generally lived at the junction of the Gila and Colorado rivers, which was near Yuma, Arizona. They were originally thought to live on the California side of the Colorado River. Where Fort Yuma is today is thought to be where the Yuma Indians, today called the Quechan Indians, lived and made their home.
Language: Yuman
Daily Life:These Indians wore very little due to the extreme heat of southwest Arizona. The men wore a loincloth, which was made of skin of animals. The women wore a short apron (or skirt) which was made out of bark. Both of them painted their bodies and also had various tattoos over their bodies.
There were not many areas for the Yuma Indians to grow crops, so they tended to dwell in oasis-like spots near rivers. They relied mainly on wild plants, game, farming, which contributed for 40% of their diet, and fish, which were very scarce. They were also restricted to farm near the bottoms of areas that were flooded annually, due to the rain. Their plots were marked by boundaries and land was usually inherited from father to son.
The Yuma Indians had a distinct kind of house, which was called the Mojave type, after another Indian tribe. It was made with a frame of logs and poles and had a thatch or arrow weed covering, which was also covered with sand. Their house was only usually visible from one side to keep the extreme heat out and they used to ground to help cool their homes. The ground plan of their homes was usually rectangular or had a square shape, and the dimensions were 20 by 25 feet. The door was in the middle of one side of the house, and it was always located on the south side due to the extreme heat. The roof was very flat and had four pitches, and this was also covered with sand. Their fireplace was near the door because there was no smoke hole and because the warm climate made it unnecessary for them to use heat during much of the year. These houses were usually occupied by a number of family members.
The Yuma Indians were grouped into loose bands of an average of 135 people, but during most of the year they broke into small extended families of 25 people. These bands were usually lead by headmen who had good war records and who spoke freely about economic and military matters. They were also sometimes organized into tribes of 2,000 to 3,000 members who were then lead by chiefs. The chief was a very versatile man who kept peace and who led them in economic pursuits and religious festivals. These Indians were also known as fighters, and they lived up to their reputation. They also lived in non-definite towns, but did live on little farms scattered around the floodplain of the river.
The Yuma Indians had a vocal technique that was smooth and relaxed. It also contained a higher pitch. They used percussion instruments, which were part of their religious ceremonies. Alcohol was also related to these ceremonies, where they had intoxicated dreams that were thought to have supernatural potency. The women of the tribe would usually hide the weapons during these drunken festivals to avoid trouble. The Yuma Indians believed that medicine men were born, not made. They thought that their power and knowledge came from divine sources through revelation in dreams. One of the most significant crafts of the Yumans was the paddle-and –anvil technique that produced a complete fusing of separate pieces of clay to make a pot. This technique was highly developed by the Yuma Indians.
The Yuma Indians were a very small and almost unheard of group of Indians. Because they lived in only a small area in the extremely hot desert, not many people encountered them.
Written by: Andrew Hedlund & Nicolle Wigham