Havasupai

Relation with Hualapai Ethnically, the Havasupai and the Hualapai are one people, although today, they are politically separate groups due to U.S. government policy. The Hualapai (''Pa'a or Pai) had three subtribes: the Plateau People, Middle Mountain People, and Yavapai Fighter. The subtribes were divided into seven bands, which themselves were broken up into thirteen regional bands or local groups. The local groups were composed of several extended family groups living in small villages: The Havasupai were just the Havasooa Pa'a regional band (or local group) of the Nyav-kapai ("Eastern People") of the Plateau People'' subtribe. Pre-1882 The tribe had traditionally relied heavily on agriculture, hunting, and gathering as their means of survival. Although living primarily above and inside the Grand Canyon, which consists mostly of harsh terrain, the tribe's reservation was also home to some lush vegetation and the aquamarine blue water of Havasu Creek. Their name, meaning "the People of the Blue-Green Waters," reflects this. The Havasupai are said to have existed within and around the Grand Canyon for over eight centuries. Little is known about the tribe before their first recorded European encounter in 1776 with Spanish priest Francisco Garcés. In the first half of the 19th century, with the exception of the introduction of horses by the Spanish, U.S. westward expansion affected the Havasupai less than it did other indigenous populations of the West. Even as interaction with settlers slowly increased, day-to-day life did not change much for the tribe until silver was discovered in 1870 by Cataract Creek. The migration of prospectors to the area was unwelcome. The Havasupai sought protection from the intrusion of Western pioneers on their land and sought out assistance, but to little avail. An executive order by President Rutherford Hayes in 1880 established a small federally protected reservation for the tribe, yet it did not include the mining areas along the Creek (Hirst, 1985). During this era, Havasupai relations with other Native American tribes were generally mixed. Bonds and interactions with the Hopi tribe, whose reservation was in close proximity, were strong, as the two peoples did a great deal of trading with each other. The loss of almost all of their land was not the only issue that the Havasupai were contending with: the increase in the number of settlers in the local region had depleted game used for hunting, and soil erosion (a result of poor irrigation techniques) touched off a series of food shortages. In the 1800s, the continental railway system was greatly expanded. In 1897, construction opened on a spur line of the Santa Fe Railroad, which was to lead directly to the Grand Canyon; 1921–1975 Issues regarding health within the Havasupai population reduced its growth to the point where almost an entire generation was lost due to infant and child mortality. Low morale spread throughout the tribe, leading to an increase in gambling, alcoholism, and violence. As the years progressed, the Havasupai came to realize that they could not hope to survive in their American social situation without embracing at least some aspects of it. Breaking horses, working on farms, or even serving as employees of the Grand Canyon National Park were all options for tribal members. The court findings stated that the Havasupai had portions of their land taken from them illegally in 1882 and that the tribe was entitled to recover the land from the US at fair market value (ICC 210). That value ended up being 55 cents an acre, totaling just over one million dollars. Although the case was a landmark for the Havasupai in the sense that it was proven in a court of law that the federal government had inappropriately taken their land, it had still not been properly returned to the tribe. where the campground now resides. Below Mooney Falls, the famous pipe "ladder" ascended to a vanadium deposit. 1976–present Following the return of a large share of their land, the Havasupai as a tribe have once again begun to flourish. Although many of the day-to-day customs that existed before 1882 are not well established today, the Havasupai have continued to respect and preserve the traditions of their ancestors. As of 2019, the tribe consists of about 730 members, of which about 400 live on the reservation. Presently, the tribe has begun to take advantage of the beauty of its land by turning it into a tourist destination for visitors to the Grand Canyon. Tribal members often work as packers and/or workers for tourist ventures or work at the lodge, tourist offices, the café, etc. 2003–2010 blood sample controversy In 2003, protests ensued when it was found that Arizona State University had used blood samples consensually acquired from the Havasupai people to "study the causes of behavioral/medical disorders," with an initial goal of determining whether the high rates of Type 2 diabetes among Havasupai adults were due to the same gene that causes high rates of diabetes in the Pima people. This included one that indicated that their ancestors migrated from Asia to North America, which contradicts the traditional Havasupai belief that the tribe originated in the canyon. Another showed a relatively high level of consanguinity, which can result in health problems. Havasupai participants US$700,000. == Traditional culture ==

Agriculture Before modern times, agriculture was the essential means of progress and survival for the Havasupai. In the winter, the tribe members stationed themselves on the plateau of the canyon; in the summer, irrigation gardening of the crop fields brought the members back inside the canyon walls. These systems were built to conform with the existing contours which allow for efficient irrigation without modern pumps. The community diligently cooperated and helped clear and maintain the canals whenever necessary. They also adapted the orientation of them as the seasons and rainfall changed or if there was large sediment build up. The system of open channel canals included manually operated diversions to send the water where it was needed most. Families of the tribe regulated flow by operating small headgates to ensure water was shared equitably while also preventing erosion and over-saturation. This system also carried nutrient-dense sediment onto the crop fields which replenished the soil year after year and increased crop yields. Hunting The bow and arrow were of primary importance to a Havasupai hunter. Built from an unidentifiable tree, an entire process of crafting, bending, and designing went into the construction of these hunting tools. With westward expansion, however, came the introduction of the rifle; as years went by, the gun became the primary hunting device for men. The word for "arrow" began to stand in for "bullet" as well (Whiting, 1985). Throughout the years, sheep and deer were the dominant game for the Havasupai, but small game, including rabbits and squirrels, were also used as food. Historically, the Havasupai hunted in large groups, and the game distribution amongst the hunters was generally fair. In the twentieth century, however, due to overhunting and neighboring development, the populations of large game animals such as sheep became sparse. As a result, the Havasupai were forced to alter their hunting habits to adjust to the expansionists, making tribesmen less likely to share with others. Gathering The gathering of wild plants and seeds was typically done by Havasupai women. Two primary methods were used: 1) knocking seeds from plants directly, and 2) the heads of plants were gathered before the seeds were ready to fall. It was desirable for the women to locate lighter foods that could easily be moved to the plateau in winter. Additionally, dry foods that could be stored for extended periods of time to prevent spoilage were preferable. Walnuts, wild candytuft, and barrel cacti were only a few of the many plants and seeds gathered by the women throughout the spring and summer months. == Modern culture ==

Government A seven-member tribal council, which handles most policy matters, is elected once every two years. It is led by a chairman who is elected from among the members of the council. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is the entity charged with law enforcement and protection for the Tribe, while the Indian Health Service clinic provides health care and emergency services. Language Havasupai is a dialect of the Upland Yuman language spoken by about 450 people on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in and around the Grand Canyon. It is the only Native American language in the United States spoken by 100% of its indigenous population. The Havasupai variety is nearly identical to the variety of the Hualapai, although the two groups are socially and politically distinct (Kendall 1983:5) and employ different orthographies. The speakers of Havasupai and Hualapai consider their languages separate. It is a little more distantly related to the Yavapai language. Grammatical descriptions, vocabularies, and texts documenting Havasupai have been published (Mithun 1999:578). Supai Supai () is the Havasupai city at at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The town is the capital of the Havasupai Indian Reservation, at in Coconino County. It is home to around 400 The Tribe charges for entering its land, and visitors are required to reserve either a room at their lodge or a space at the campground. == Havasupai Trail ==

The trailhead is at Hualapai Hilltop, Arizona (located at the end of BIA Road 18), where there is a large parking lot, a helipad, and portable toilets. The trail can be traveled by foot or horseback. Alternatively, transportation by helicopter is periodically available. Mule service can also be purchased for luggage/packs only. The trail to Supai is approximately long and descends approximately . The campground is an additional , with another drop of about . == Havasu Creek ==

Havasu Creek runs through Supai. The creek has several waterfalls, including Havasu Falls. == Gallery ==

File:Two Havasupai Indian children, the daughters of Chickapanagie's, enjoy a mellon, ca.1900 (CHS-3362).jpg|Two Havasupai children, the daughters of Chickapanagie's, enjoying a melon, ca. 1900. Both are wearing checkered dresses and are barefooted. They sit on a blanket with a zig-zag pattern with their hands in a half melon between them. Their hair is cut very short. File:Two Havasupai Indian women basket makers, ca.1900 (CHS-4695).jpg|Two Havasupai women basket makers, ca. 1900. The women and a child sit on the ground in front of a house made of branches. They wear long dresses with shawls over their shoulders. They sit among firewood. A child peers out of the entry of the dwelling. A "kathak", a large conical basket, lies on the ground at right. == See also ==