The Coconino sun. (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1898-1978, 1921-12-30
ANCIENT HISTORY OF
ARIZONA FOUND

uentS ana SMALLEST OF chances tnere
has been discovered by pioneer Tue
sonan an unheralded writing by
former citizen of the Old Pueblo which
has upset or at least placed under in
quiry every established tradition as to
the origin of the word ARIZONA" and
has even further connected the region
through the same channel with the
beginning of the entire human race.
Basing its facts upon an ancient
Aztec myth, the theory is further sub
stantiated by the Mohave language,
purest of Indian tongues, by the au-
thor, who while remote and unknown
in Arizona has without doubt obtained
his traditions through personal inves-
tigation conducted in Arizona.
A small publication, little more than
a pamphlet and coming from the press
40 years ago, was the source of the old
yet novel theory as to the name of Ari-
IONA, and was accidentally located by
Harry Drachman, local merchant,
during recent trip to Washington,
ID. G. Upon the shelves of magnifi-
cent library in the capitol city "Ari-
zona As 1t Is" was found in a remote
section of another valuable library
which had been the heritage left by a
late citizen.
Hiram c. Hodge, author of the lit
tie book, had according to its state
ments spent several years in Arizona
in the early days of its development,
probably about 1870, and had spent
considerable portion of this time un-
doubtedly in Tucson. Many pages of
the publicat i, now out of print, were
devoted to Tucson and those desiring
information in regard to the then
growing town, were cited the names
of several prominent merchants of the
early days with whom they might
communicate. Names familiar to the
pioneers of the Old Pueblo were found
within the pages of the book, proving
personal Investigations of Hodge by
the accuracy of their information and
data.
Who Hodge may have been and
whether he is still living are unknown
and investigation to that end has
been without avail. The few of those
pioneers yet living who remember
Tucson in the early seventies fail to
recall to their minds any such person
as Hodge, this however, being empha-
sized by them as no reason whatever
to assume any doubt as to the truth
of his statements since many thous-
ands were virtually transients in that
period and remained only a few
weeks, months or years in the Old
Pueblo.
That the author also conducted his
investigations among the Mohave In
dams is also a likelihood, this being
concluded from the manner of his
writings and his apparent familiarity
with their language and traditions.
The Mohave language is described by
him as by far the most perfect and
complete of any of the Indian dia-
lects of this country, this being sur
prising information to many language
students.
Submitted to many persons who
have familiarized themselves with the
myths in regard to the naming of
this state and the origin of its tradi-
tons, the new definition, meaning
"sun beloved Maiden" has failed to
call any memory forth and creates a
virgin field for research in traditions.
Definite connection is given between
the origin of Arizona and that of the
human race of Indians to the Mohave
tribe who adopted it as their own, the
word Aribunia being based upon the
Aztec myth and upon the later Ian
guages of the Mohaves.
Words would be wasted in attempt
- - 1o<. Ill 81 nd
pleasingly the tradition than does
Hodge himself in the selection CO.
pied by Mr.. Drachman while in WASH
ington as follows:
The Mohave language, which is by
far the most perfect and most COM
plete of any of the Indian dialects of
the country, has two words of nearly
the same meaning: "Ari," meaning the
sunf holy, good, or beautiful, and
"Zunia," maid or maiden; which to-
gether means the land of the beauti-
full or lovely maiden. This may be the
true meaning of the word Arizona.
Another definition is this, "Ari"
from the Mohave, meaning beautiful,
or good, and "zuna" from the Spanish,
zone, and taken together, the land
of the beautiful zone.
Both of these definitions seem to be
well made, and both are quite signifi-
cant and expressive.
Old Aztec Tradition
'The earth is the offspring of the
sky. Long prior to the present race
Of men, the earth was peopled by a
race of giants who in time died of
leaving the earth uninhabitated. After
a long time, celestial virgin, child
of the thirteen great dieties who
ruled all things, came down to earth,
and being well pleased, remained for
a long time its sole inhabitant-
"Once when in deep sleep, drop
of dew from heaven fell on her, and
she conceived and bore two children,
a son and daughter, from whom have
sprung all the people Of the earth.
The name of this celestial virgin was
Arizzuna, the beautiful, or sun be-