Photo: Image of Downtown Kingman, Arizona, from Mohave Museum
A Memoriam Mađwiđa
While in Mađwiđa two boys were throwing mud balls at each other. In the story of Mađwiđa, it says – Two boys were throwing mud balls. In the Paiute’s story, it’s told as a Hualapai and Paiute children. That situation started a fight. The parents took sides. In today’s world, when this happens, sometimes families split because they don’t resolve their differences. In Mađwiđa the Chieftainship was named Waqayesma.
After the dispute. Waqayesma told the people who were all fighting to leave. The Havasupai stayed in the canyon and went to what is called Havasupai, in today’s world.
Our Pai come from the canyon- Paiute, are Aboriginal to the land Patterns. The Havasupai/ Yavasupai are Aboriginal to the land Patterns. The Hopi are Aboriginal to the land Patterns. The Navaho, have their own Plateau and part of the canyon. Although the tribes from the canyon are from the Ame-rican continent. The Navaho are “A’tha:baskan” from what is Canada and Alaska, in today’s world. But, of the Mongoloid, with the “Roots” of the Pai. “Dine’, traveled home thousands of years before Anglo-Saxon came. Dine, meaning “People”, as one or Darkness. As they carry the healing of the darkness.
“Hu”-alapai (Aboriginal), or Hagu’alla pai, we have always been with the people, Ja’gu’allapai, Ja:bay. As a family member of the Honga, Pine Springs band and Quasula family. Of the Plateau People of Hak’sa ha ba:ja, Hu:wal Tovokova, Miđđle Mountain Pa’a and Yavapai fighter bands. We are keepers of life. Life is healing for us. An elder mentioned we came out of the Vale Of “HE”aven. It’s our belief that we come from everything physical, “Creation”. We are Mankind, (Ba’gi yo’Va) creator. A spirit (Ha), of the physical realm.
BEFORE THE COMING OF ANGLO-AMERICAN (Henry Dobyns), there was a People, a tribe of the Southwest that were connected by “Bloodline” relations. This tribe, chosen family inhabited a “God-given Homeland”, in “Southwest Arizona”.
This has been something that has been in my soul since birth. I understand that everything ain’t perfect but it is what it is. It made me appreciate my family, our family. Our history: Family of Indian’s- “Indian Honga”. Family of Indigenous.
“Chief Wauba Yuma”, was murdered over our lands, violating treaties. The agreement that he was murdered for, was the railroad, coming in through Hualapai/ Wallapai country. An agreement regarding that “All” be unarmed. One day, while showing a settler (squatter), a Fire man from Prescott Arizona. By the name of Sam Miller, the document. It was said that Mr Miller pulled a gun and shot Chief Wauba Yuma and his two sons that were with him that day. The document mentioned that Miller was arrested and released then congratulated for shooting an “Indian”.
On March 27, 1863, Lt. Col. Price, while traveling, marched up the “Valley”, in “The Big Sandy” area. Lt. Col Price had destroyed twelve rancherias, on that March day. Through the Wallapai war the Anglo-Saxon, were using the water of the “Big Sandy”, Lt. Col Price destroyed many “Rancherias”, fields. Fields that kept “Aboriginal” - “Seeds”, of the people. In places like the “Ha’Ki’ tha’ela” (Mud Springs) and “Hak’nyimsava” areas. The range of homelands of the Hualapai/ Wallapai, are from the “Bill Williams” on through the Bill Williams forks, on the Colorado River (View map).
Lt. Col Price dug up corn fields, wheat fields that belonged to the Pai. It was testified by a Havasupai Indian, that he knew where, by the Hualapai Mountains. There was a place called “Big Sandy”/ “Hak’sa Gaela”. “Where they planted crops for a long time”. 1868, while traveling the Fort Mojave to Ft Whipple, Ha’ coes, area. Lt. Price destroyed more rancherias, properties, “(Pai) Settlements”, in Mat Ka thi’da (Round Valley). “As later in that year, in the Summer. Lt. Col. Price was trying to persuade the “Hu-alapai”/ “Wallapai” to leave their homeland,of “Big Sandy”, to live under the watch of the Military of Ft Mojave.
“Sookwanya”, was one of Wauba Yuma’s sons that took the Chieftainship, in the Kingman, lower Plateau of the Yuman People, area. The other son that took the Chieftainship of the Upper Plateau of the “Yuman People”, was Captain “Quasula”. He was one of the powerful Chiefs who stood with his uncles. Chiefs and brothers “Schrum (Cherum)”and “Hualapai Charley”.
When Sookwanya passed, the Mohave’s came to sing him home. Then Chief Schrum (Cherum), who was the same age as Sookwanya took the Chieftainship- Yavapai Fighters and Miđđle Mountain Pa’a, going down river. It was the “Mohave people” that put him in that place when Sookwanya passed.
“The Lower Plateau of the Yuman People”, of “Pai”. Upland Pai from the He’la Pa’a, of the old ones of “Hak sa ha”. The stinky water people.
Hualapai Charley, Look up Dick, Pa’ima and the Peace “Chief LeVy Levy”. With War Chief Schrum (Cherum) and Chief Wauba Yuma were all brothers. Some were half brothers. “Chief Hitch Hitchie” and his son “Tokespeta”, are from the “Red Rock Band”, from “Watum Tehama” lineage, Schrum’s Đala- “ BAJ”ĐI YEV’YA”.
In Generations, we created as four. Si:đa, Hwa:ka, Mu:ka and “Hu”: ba, counting In Hualapai language up to four, but singing in Ho:kan. The Bible talks about the battle of the Vale of Siđđim, “Siđam”, of “Vi: Ganavj Vam”, everyone’s story of the present day.
In Generations, we were taught by aunties, uncles. We were taught by a gentleman by the name “Lavan Martineau and his family “, by family member’s- “Cindy Whatahomigie”, “Jorgine Paya”, “Rex Mahone”, “Sonny Havatone”, “Rosella Siyuja”, “Keithy Mahone- Code name Yaha”, “Cheryl Beecher”, “Bonita Imus”and “Beth Waneka”. We were taught by elders, some old, some young. Some here and still living amongst, and some passed. To the circle of life. Today, the cultural centers enlighten the people.
Our Pa’a, are our River People - Haka’ama Ba:ja, deriving from the “Pine People”, or the “Ancient Eagle”. Down through Arizona, California, to Mexico. As the People escaped “La Paz” and “Ft Beele”. The people in that story were the “Western Hualapai/ Wallapai”. The people were herded, whipped, taken from their homes. Children, elders, women walking with no food, no shoes on the hot, hot desert. Some dying, some hurt. Women and children being raped. The people lost everything that they knew as life. The People ran towards California, Mexico, as there was safety there. Some stayed and walked, our homeland. But noticed that squatters were in their fields, their homes. It was said that there was nothing on paper, saying that the people, families owned the lands they lived on from creation. The story was in the land and in the language of the people.
Although God- Creator’s family, People were mistreated. It is said that the only way to “He”-aven”, is through Je:sus, Christ. The cross, of the people, made of wood. We have always mated with different ethnic groups, naturally- Spaniard, Aztec-Mayan, Hispanic culture. As well as the colors of the medicine wheel- Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid (Three little birds). From different parts of the world. We have always inhabited our ancestral lands, this physical world.
As we move forward in life. Life is like the river. Sometimes, it’s rough but always forward. Water is life, as the Mohave say- Ya’qwid, “Water Protectors”. Schrum (Cherum) means “Protector”, in Saddam.
Today, they drill for materials that are in our lands, for money. Destroying water- aquifers that take decades to regenerate. As one we need to care for our resources. We need to care for our world, our air, our trees and everything physical. We have to respect one another. When our water gets contaminated from drilling, then water will get expensive, scarce. Life will get harder, our governments will continue to slowly kill us as one, over money. If we don’t stand up as one and diligently ask for our lands back. When God- Creator gives you a language, a land, a people. It’s for a reason. Those things, and people will always be yours. It’s how to navigate with them through life.
As my Jiđa always says- “Pray about it”.
With the belief- “The land has a soul, everything physical, has a soul “- “Mah”.
“E’sa Ya’đ đim”- Like a flock of “feathers”- “Hu”
