Yavapai People - Yavapai Chiefs and Headmen

Yavapai Chiefs and Headmen

Tonto leader (bilingual Kwevkepaya-Tonto-Apache or Kwevkepaya-Pinaleño-Apache leader)

• Delshay (Delshe, Delchea, Delacha or Tel Che'e - ′Red Ant′, the Yavapai called him Wah-poo-eta or Wapotehe - ‘Big Rump’, Kwevkepaya-Tonto-Apache leader, his bilingual mixed band of the Matkawatapa local group of the Walkamepa-Kwevkepaya and Southern Tonto-Apache with about 200 members lived in the Sierra Ancha with their western limit forming the Tonto Creek and in the east Cherry Creek, but often they were reported living in the Mazatzal Mountains west of their core range, not to be confused with Wah-poo-eta, * about 1835; was involved in the killing of Lt. Jacob Almy at San Carlos in 1873 and fled after the murder along with Chuntz, Cochinay, and Chan-deisi into the wilderness, was tracked down by Apache scouts under Desalin and killed on 29. July 1874, his head together with 76 captured Kwevkepaya-Tonto were brought in Camp McDowell)
• Wah-poo-eta (Wapotehe, Wapooita - ‘Big Rump’, the Apache called him Delacha or Delshe - ′Red Ant′, Kwevkepaya-Tonto-Apache leader, about 750 band members, mostly Kwevkepaya and some Southern Tonto-Apache of the Mazatzal band, his band living in the southern Mazatzal Mountains was known to be the largest and fiercest band, because he refused to make peace with the Americans little is known about him, not to be confused with Delshay, *?; killed † 15. August 1869 by a band of 44 Maricopa and Akimel O'odham under the Maricopa war leader Juan Chivaria in Castle Creek Canyon)
• Eschetlepan (Chalipun, Cha-Thle-Pah, Choltepun, called by the US Army Charlie Pan, Kwevkepaya-Tonto-Apache leader, was himself a Southern Tonto-Apache of the Mazatzal band, his band consisted mostly of Wikedjasapa-Kwevkepaya, his Apache following belonged to the Mazatzal and four of the six semi-bands of the Southern Tonto, his band of about 100 people lived southwest of Green Valley and south of the East Verde River, about ten miles east of the Verde River into the northern slopes of the Mazatzal Mountains, therefore they could easily raid in the Prescott and Wickenburg areas)
• Ashcavotil (Ascavotil, in Apache Escavotil, Kwevkepaya-Pinaleno-Apache leader, his band of about 200 warriors was living east of Cherry Creek southward along both sides of the Salt River and in the Pinaleno Mountains, next to Wah-poo-eta he was the most warlike leader in central Arizona, heavily armed and well supplied with ammunition from Apache on the Fort Goodwin reservation, his warriors raided and warred as far south as Tucson, Sacaton and Camp Grant)
• Oshkolte (Hascalté, Has-Kay-Ah-Yol-Tel, Tonto-Apache-Kwevkepaya leader, to his band belonged 70 warriors, 20 women and 20 children, his band - made up mostly of Southern Tonto-Apache and some Kwevkepaya - ranged on both sides of the Tonto Creek north to the East Verde River and south to the Salt River, close ally of Ashcavotil and Wah-poo-eta, his warriors were well armed but depended on Ashcavotil and Wah-poo-eta for ammunition, lived east of the Four Peaks in the Mazatzal Mountains towards the Salt River, killed † March 1873)
• Nanni-chaddi (Tonto-Apache-Kwevkepaya leader, *?; was responsible for many raids on Akimel O'Odham and white settlements along the Salt and Gila River, killed † 28. December 1872 in the Battle of Salt River Canyon, also called Skeleton Cave Massacre, 130 troopers from the 5th Cavalry Regiment led by Captain William H. Brown and 30 Indian Scouts, killed 76 men, women and children, 15 more were dying, only 18 women and 6 children survived and were taken into captivity)
• Skiitlanoyah (Skitianoyah, in Yavapai Skitlavisyah, Kwevkepaya-Tonto-Apache leader, his mixed band of about 80 people resided north of Delshay's band between the middle East Verde River and the upper Tonto Creek north to the Mogollon Rim)
• Piyahgonte (Pi-yah-gon-te, Yavapai-Tonto-Apache leader in the 1860s and 1870s, with his band of about 75 people he was living along both sides of the upper East Verde River north to the Mogollon Rim, he was believed to be responsible for the most of the depredations around Prescott)
• Natatotel (Natokel or Notokel, Kwevkepaya-Tonto-Apache leader, killed † June 1873)

Kwevkepaya leader

• Pawchine
• Sygollah (Saygully, went to Washington with John Clum and Arivaipa Apache Chief Eskiminzin, a Pinaleño Apache of the San Carlos Apache by birth)
• Sekwalakawala
• Wehabesuwa (leader of a band in the Bloody Basin)

Wipukepa leader

• Motha (“Fog: Mist”, leader of a band in the Oak Creek Canyon, later assigned “Head Chief” of Verde Indians - Tolkepaya, Yavapé, Wipukepa, Kwevkepaya and Tonto Apache - on the Rio Verde Reservation)
• Paquala (“Tall Man”)
• Tecoomthaya (led in the summer of 1872 about 200 Wipukepa to the extreme north of their territory in order to escape the Army and camped dispersed in the Bill Williams Mountains, there they hoped to get ammunition and guns from the Havasupai and Southern Paiutes in exchange of buckskins. However, a force of U.S. soldiers with the aid of Pai scouts tracked them down and attacked them without warming and option of surrender. While most of the Yavapai escaped, the soldiers burned all of their supplies and food)

Yavapé leader

• Hoseckrua (also Hochachiwaca, killed † January 1864 as soldiers from Fort Whipple attacked his band, killing 28 Yavapé, including Hoseckrua)
• Coquannathacka (“Grean Leaf”, leader of the Hwaalkyanyanyepaya in the Bradshaw Mountains and Mingus Mountains)
• Makwa (“Quail's Topknot”, leader of the Wiikvteepaya (Wikutepa, also known as “Granite Peak Band”) in the Bradshaw Mountains and Granite Mountains)

Tolkepaya leader

• Quashackama (also Quacanthewya)
• Ohatchecama (Ochicama, A-wha-che-ka-ma - “Striking the Enemy with the Fist” or simply “Striking Enemy”, leader in the first Skull Valley massacre)
• Chawmasecha (“Looking Over”)
• Chemewalasela
• Pakota (Pocati - “Big Man”, called by Whites José Coffe, travelled with Takodawa as spokesman in 1872 to Washington, D.C. and met with President Ulysses S. Grant)
• Takodawa (later called Washington Charley, accompanied Pakota to Washington in 1872)