The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1878-06-22
Customs of MOhaye Indians of
Arizona.

lI-S-l ld-Ut \NllO olSo III OItObOl ,
1874, was for many years head
chief of the Mohave tribe of In
dians, who inhabited the valley
of the Colorado river in Arizona,
roaming from Fort MOhave to
near Yuma, a distance of some
800 miles. This was prior to their
being placed upon the present Col
orado River Reservation in 1865.
Ir-e-ta-ba was an Indian of ster-
ling worth, and after entering in
to a treaty with the whites, faith
fully kept his compact until his
death, prior to which he enjoined
his tribe to live in peace with the
whites forever, He had an inn
mense influence with the NumaS,
Cocopahs, Chimehuevis, Cahuillas
and other tribes, until a few years
before his death. The cause of
this loss of confidence was occa-
stoned by a visit to Washington
of Ire ta-ba, who, upon his re-
turn, told the Indians of what he
had seen in his travels; how he
had ridden in a large wagon that
run upon iron, and was drawn by
an iron horse, and travelled far
ther in one fay than any Mohave
could travel on horseback in a
week; how great were the num-
berS Of the white men, cOmpar-
ing them with the Indians as a
handful of sand to pebble; but
when he told them of the tele-
graph, how a man could sit in his
house, distant eight or ten days
travel, and talk with his friends
freely, then their faith began to
WaVer, and as he continued to tell
of all he had seen and done, their
confidence in him was entirely
destroyed, and he was openly de-
nounced as a liar, and from that
time his power over them was
gone.
At last death claimed MIN, and
for five days prior to it, the whole
tribe assembled round his house
aad kept up their accustomed rites
OF crying, singing, shouting, etc,
and when he died his body was
burned, Gas is their custOm), then
his clothing, horses, grain and
everything of which he was pos
sessed, was cast upon the fire.
Sacrifices were made by all the
tribe, each one donating to the
fiery element some articles, as
beads, calico, clothing, Beans,
corn and -four, all articles of sub
Sistencc burned, were for Ire, ia
ba's support in his happy hunting
ground.
In a few days Ho-ko-row was
chosen as his successor, and all
began to feel sorry that they had
disbelieVed Ire ta-ba, While some
believed that his spirit would re-
turn and haunt them for their bad
faith.
A medicine-man Of the tribe
told them that Ire ta-ba's spirit
would come back to them and de-
stroy their crops and houses if
they did not offer up greater sacri-
fees. Committees were appoint
ed to invite the Yumas, Pimas,
MaricopaS and other tribes, to
feast to come off October 4, 1876,
two years, after his death. In due
course of time the visitors arrived,
and it was determined to re-burn
Ir-e-ta-ba, and perform anew their
religious ceremonies. A dummy
was manufactured of baked mud,
clothed from head to foot, looking
very natural, and a guard placed
over the sacred remains. a house
was erected upon the river bank,
sufficiently large to accommodate
the whole tribe, and upon the ap-
pointed day all assembled, and the
worship commenced by the head
chief haranguing the crowd for
about half an hour, and then all
hands Joined III general cry.