Yavapai People

Yavapai People

Yavapai are an indigenous people in Arizona. Historically, the Yavapai were divided into four geographical bands that considered themselves separate peoples: the Ɖo:lkabaya, or Western Yavapai, the Yavbe', or Northwestern Yavapai, the Guwevkabaya, or Southeastern Yavapai, and Wi:pukba, or Northeastern Yavapai - Verde Valley Yavapai. Another Yavapai band was the Mađqwadabaya or "Desert People" and is believed to have mixed with the Mojave people and Quechan people and no longer exists. Several Mohave and Quechan families trace their family history to Yavapai roots. The Yavapai have much in common with their linguistic relatives to the north, the Havasupai, the Hualapai. Often Yavapai were mistaken as Apache by American settlers, variously being referred to as "Mohave-Apache", "Yuma-Apache" or "Tonto-Apache". Before the 1860s, when settlers began exploring for gold in the area, the Yavapai occupied an area of approximately 20,000 mi² (51800 km²) bordering the San Francisco Peaks to the north, the Pinaleno Mountains and Mazatzal Mountains on the southeast, and the Colorado River to the west, and almost to the Gila River and the Salt River to the south.