Arizona weekly citizen., 1896-03-07
EARLY HISTORY.
Mr.. l. D. Smith, an Indian Ling
uist, Discoursas Learn
edly on the
Names and Traditions of the Aborig-
inese-Some ething for Hon. Sam
Hughes to Ponder Over.

, TUCSON, Feb. 2S, 1896.
Ed. CITIzEN-In your issue last even
ing read the opinion of the Hon. Sam
Hughes in regard to the early settle
ments of Arizona, etc. / for one appre-
ciste toe work be has done heretofore
on the subject.
| The explanation which l am about to
make now, and to correct Mr.. Hughes
in part, L learned from very aged IN
dlans twenty-five years ago. About the
year 1880, the Santa Cruz valley was
numerously peopled by Indians from
Arivsca. meaning rotten ground"-
to Tucson - Chuke-Zone meaning
black spring. There were 9TH
er large settlements of Indians in the
vicinity Of what is known as Blue Water
mountain, Dorth OF Picacho, at which
point the Jesuits established mission
in or about the year 1855, but before the
Jesuiis get the mission fairly started
the Papagos and the Pima Indians had
domestic difficulties IN regard to the
new custom Of cutting the hair short.
whica the Jesuits compelled the Papa
gOs to adopt.
Tne Papagos and Pimas belong to the
same tribe, talk the same language aad
nave the same tribal customs, with this
exception-the Pimas wear their bair
long. They considered that those In
disns, now known as Hapagos, disgraced
themselves and their tribe by cutting
their hsir short, and thus the family
quarrel was created. The Pspagos
were then compelled to leave the Pima
country and retire to the Santa Cruz,
and the Jesuits finding they had no pro-
lection had to retire with them.
The name Papago means in the In- |
dian language, belonging to the Pope" |
For 2OJ ears prior to the establish |
ment or the little mission at Pic6sco, |
the Apaches and Pima Indians We're |
deadly enemies. Many times l have
listened to the old Pima Indians relate |
The hend to hand combats which their /
forefathers bad on the PLAINS with the /
Apaches; how they used to send out a /
numIe er OF their strong young men, arm
ed with club e3d shield, to encounter
an equal number of Apache warriors,
and how the multitude used TO cheer
when either side would be victor
ious.
As to the name Arizona, there is very
little mystery about 1t. Ii q person feels
like travelling eighty five miles south
west fr> N Tucson to place called Ba-
ners, west of Sasate about eight milss,
and south OF the boundary line about
one mile. At that point about 300 years
ago. we'd great many Indians, and in
the vicinity Ii a small creek, which toe
MexIcans now call SucalI.o, but which
the Indians Gall AISLE Zon-Asle, meaning
meaning "young-spring.' At the
head Of this creek is spring. but dur
ing rainy weather other small springs
start up, hence the name.
This large village the Spsnisrds ces-
troyed, about 100 years ago. At the
present time there are only . few hun
ired Indians who live there. and from
the villrge and creek, Arizona received
her name.
The Indian name of Arivsca, is Cher
rotten ground.
The proper Indian name for Tucson
g Chuke-zon, Black spring. l saw it
stated 10 the CITIZEN not long eince that {
Il
lian name of blsckwater is Chuks-su-
attic.
Ii is curious, but nevertheless a fact, @,
hat the first horse seen by the Pimas or e,
oapaROs was In the hands OF the APP
,cnes and the tradition is that one APP I,
,che, on horse back. cleaEed upa village
II several hundred Pimss, They had
lever before seen a man with two heads
md four feet.
The small village which this one Apa
he and horse devastated was situated i
Ibout six miles south of Salt River, and {
lue south Of Tempe, and was under the
government Of great chief called Cox
makum, meaning doghssd.
1t Is the tradition that this chief
iilied in one dPy. single handed, twenty :
\ psches, with only bis club and shield. !.
The Apaches lost their head chief
III / had not taken so much of your
'sluable paper, l would give you the
indian tradition of the meaning Of the &!
vord Pima, it dates from about ten 7
ears after the Spanish conquest of
Mexico, and is sorrowfull history OF
he children OF the desert.
Isaac ID. SMITH.