Cocopah Tribe to host cultural celebration

The Cocopah Indian Tribe wants to get back to its roots by teaching young generations about their rich history, and to do so, they are inviting the public to attend their annual Cocopah Cultural Celebration Day.

The event is set for Saturday at Cocopah Casino, instead of Cocopah Reservation West as in past years.

"During the celebration we celebrate culture itself, not just Cocopah, but all of the cultures represented in our region," said Joe Rodriquez, office manager of the Cocopah Museum.

The celebration, will include tribal vendors, artisans and native foods. The event is free and open to the public.

"There will be tribal performances, including the Elders Cultural Council (ECC) who will present 'Bird Singing,'" Rodriquez said. "There will be traditional singing and dance in traditional clothing. There will be other tribal groups there as well, including a youth group and a group from the Cocopah Tribe living in Mexico. The celebration commemorates the opening of our Cultural Center, which opened in 1996."

The celebration will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the outdoor event area of Cocopah Casino, 15318 S. Avenue B near Somerton. For more information, call 627-2102.

The Cocopah (Kwapa), also known as the River People, have lived along the lower Colorado River and delta for thousands of years.

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, and historical records were passed on orally or interpreted in documents written by outside visitors.

Currently, there are about 1,000 enrolled Cocopah Tribal members who live and work on or near the reservation.

Several members of the ECC gathered the week before the celebration at the Cultural Center to make native crafts in preparation for the event.

"I'm making doll clothes for a Cocopah man," said ECC member Flora Palmer. "I'm trying to the make it the way they used to dress a long time ago. I used to see them when I was small. They don’t really dress like that anymore and I miss seeing that sometimes.

"I haven’t made dolls for a while, so I have to learn it all over again. Now I have arthritis in my fingers, so it's hard."

Palmer said it is important to connect the youths with their history.

"I want people to know about our culture, and a lot of times the younger ones don’t know," the tribal elder said. "By doing this, they can learn more about themselves from way back then."

Felicia Gutierrez, also a member of the elder council, said some young people may have forgotten their heritage by getting caught up in the modern world.

"I’m making a man doll, and I’ve never done it before, but we need to bring our culture and our traditions back," Gutierrez said. "Bringing that culture back is important because we are fading away. Our language, arts and crafts are fading away.

"There aren't many people who still make the bead work or loom work, and it's not the same anymore, and that is really sad. I'm hoping (our traditional culture) will come back, but it will be hard."

Gutierrez said life on the reservation is much different than it was when she was a little girl.

"We used to be very poor. Our houses was just mud, and we had no running water. We are very fortunate to get homes now. We used to meet outside and now we have the Cultural Center to meet in. We are fortunate, and the casino has helped a lot."

Gutierrez said the cultural celebration is a good way for the Cocopah to reconnect and preserve their history.

"That is our main thing, and we look forward to it. That is when we get to visit each other. We get to wear traditional dresses and beaded necklaces. The guys will sing and we can dance, and it is really nice."