Mythologies of the Cocopah (Kwapa) Tribe
4515 S. Veterans Drive
Somerton, Arizona
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The Cocopah Indian Tribe, known as the River People, have lived along the lower Colorado River and delta for centuries, maintaining their traditional and cultural beliefs throughout many political and environmental changes. Descended from the greater Yuman-speaking people who occupied lands along the Colorado River, the Cocopah had no written language, however, historical records have been passed on orally and by outside visitors. Established in 1917, the Cocopah Reservation comprises approximately 6,500 acres. Currently about 1,000 tribal members live and work on or near the Reservation. In 1964, the Tribe founded its first Constitution and established a Tribal Council. Located 13 miles south of Yuma, AZ, the Reservation is home to Cocopah Casino, Cocopah Resort & Conference Center, Cocopah Rio Colorado Golf Course, Cocopah Museum, Cocopah RV & Golf Resort, Cocopah Speedway and Wild River Family Entertainment Center. Visitors enjoy golfing, gaming, shopping, learning about the Tribe's culture and taking in the great scenic beauty of the region. The Cocopah (Kwapa), also known as the River People, have long lived along the lower Colorado River and delta. For centuries, the Cocopah people, described as generous and non-materialistic, have maintained their traditional and cultural beliefs through the various political environments and ever-changing landscapes. The Cocopah Indian Tribe is one of seven descendant Tribes from the greater Yuman language-speaking people who occupied lands along the Colorado River. Cocopah Tribal ancestors also lived along the Lower Colorado River region near the river delta and the Gulf of California. The Cocopah people had no written language, however, historical records were passed on orally or interpreted in documents written by outside visitors. Diaries and journals kept by travelers along the Colorado River and migrants into the West documented the Cocopah people. Spanish explorer Hernando de Alarcon, a member of Coronado's marine expedition, traveled the river in 1540 and described members of the Cocopah Indian Tribe as tall, well-built people who carried wooden maces and bows and arrows. The men wore loincloths and the women wore willow bark skirts. The explorer and his crew were offered gifts of shells, beads, well-tanned leathers and food.
A division of the Yuman family which, in 1604-05, lived in nine villages on the Colorado River of Arizona. At a later period, they also extended into the mountains of Lower California and Mexico. They were estimated to number about 3,000 in 1775, but by the turn of the 20th Century, they were reported to have only about 800 people. They were less hostile than the Yuma or the Mohave, who frequently raided their villages but were sufficiently war-like to retaliate when necessary. They resembled the Yuma in arms, dress, manners, and customs and depended for subsistence chiefly on corn, melons, pumpkins, and beans, which they cultivated, adding native grass seeds, roots, mesquite beans, etc. The Cocopah Reservation was established in 1917, about 13 miles south of Yuma, Arizona. The reservation comprises approximately 6,500 acres, and about 1,000 tribal members live and work on or near the Reservation today. In 1964, the Tribe founded its first Constitution and established a Tribal Council.
The Cocopah Indian Reservation is the reservation of the federally recognized Cocopah Indian Tribe (Cocopah: Xawiłł Kwñchawaay), which represents Cocopah peoples in the United States. As of the 2000 census a resident population of 1,025 persons, of whom 519 were solely of Native American heritage, lived on the 25.948 km2 (10.019 sq mi) Cocopah Indian Reservation, which is composed of three non-contiguous sections in Yuma County, Arizona, lying northwest, southwest and south of the city of Yuma, Arizona. The larger section, bordering the Colorado River, lies west of the Yuma suburb of Somerton, while the other section lies just east of Somerton. The Cocopah Indian Reservation was created in 1917 by executive order of US President Woodrow Wilson. In 1964, the tribe established its first constitution and established a tribal council. In 1985, the tribe received an additional 4,200 acres, including the northern portion of the reservation, through the Cocopah Land Acquisition Bill signed by President Ronald Reagan. In 2022, containers were erected along the border with Mexico. They were erected by Arizona in response to the Mexico–United States border crisis. The tribe has protested the presence of the containers on their land. Disputes over construction of the Mexico–United States border wall in tribal land have been ongoing since 2020.
The Cocopah (Kwapa), also known as the River People, have long lived along the lower Colorado River and delta. For centuries, the Cocopah people, described as generous and non-materialistic, have maintained their traditional and cultural beliefs through the various political environments and ever-changing landscapes. The Cocopah Indian Tribe is one of seven descendant Tribes from the greater Yuman language-speaking people who occupied lands along the Colorado River. Cocopah Tribal ancestors also lived along the Lower Colorado River region near the river delta and the Gulf of California. The Cocopah people had no written language, however, historical records were passed on orally or interpreted in documents written by outside visitors. Diaries and journals kept by travelers along the Colorado River and migrants into the West documented the Cocopah people. Spanish explorer Hernando de Alarcon, a member of Coronado's marine expedition, traveled the river in 1540 and described members of the Cocopah Indian Tribe as tall, well-built people who carried wooden maces and bows and arrows. The men wore loincloths and the women wore willow bark skirts. The explorer and his crew were offered gifts of shells, beads, well-tanned leathers and food. When Don Juan de Onate and Father Escobar sailed up the river, there were estimated to be about 6,000-7,000 Cocopah people living along the delta and the lower Colorado River. Fellow travelers, such as Father Kino, Father Garces, fur trapper James O'Patte, military men and ethnographers, kept colorful records from 1540-1917. Westward expansion in the 1840s and the discovery of gold in California in 1849 brought many migrants through the area near the mouth of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon region. The strategic importance of the river crossing was recognized by the U.S. government, and the United States Army established Camp Independence in 1850 to protect the entry route through the tribe's territories. The following year the camp was moved to the site of an old Spanish Mission later named Fort Yuma, which still stands today. Throughout the mid 1800s and early 1900s, the Cocopah Indian Tribe effectively resisted assimilation to an established reservation and maintained its social, religious and cultural identities.
The Cocopah Indians (also called Cocopa), also known as the River People, are one of 22 Native American tribes who live in Arizona. They also reside in Baja, California and a portion of Mexico. They did not have a written language where important historical information could be written down. This is the reason why they have had to rely on what has been passed down through the generations by word of mouth. Travelers to the areas where these Indians lived also kept journals of their observations and experiences when they encountered the Cocopah people. They are described as a generous and non-materialistic group of people who value their heritage. Below are more interesting facts about the Cocopah people. The Cocopah are known for creating beautiful bead art and wearable art. Beaded clothing was created with vibrant colored beads that were woven into complicated patterns. Specifically, they wove intricate beaded shoulder capes that were worn for both ornamental and ceremonial purposes. They were also known for creating beautiful ribbon skirts and dresses. The thin malleable branches of willow trees were skillfully used to make houses and wooden baskets. The bark was used to make a variety of clothing such as shirts, skirts and breech clouts (a form of loincloth). Clay was skillfully used by the Cocopah to create children's dolls and pottery which was used mainly for utilitarian purposes.
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