|
Statistics of the Moquis, 1890
Statistics of the Moquis,
1890-The statistics of the population,
wealth and social condition of the Moqui
Pueblos show that, although isolated from
the Anglo-Saxon, the Moqui Pueblo is amply
able to care for himself if aided merely by
an issue of those things which will multiply
in the future to his advantage.
The enumeration was made by Francis M. Zuck,
under the direction of E.S. Clark,
supervisor of census for Arizona, as a
special census, and the numbers are not
included in the general census. The
statistics of property and values were
secured by Julian Scott, special agent, and
the special agent in charge.
The population of the 7 Moqui pueblos in
1890 was 1,996; males 999; females 997; over
18 years of age, 1,118; under 6 years of
age, 288; over 5 years of age and to 18
inclusive, 590; heads of families, 364;
house owners, 364; farmers and weavers, 456;
day laborers, 6; medicine men, 2; pottery
makers, 366; governors, 7. One thousand
seven hundred and forty-nine speak nothing
but the Indian language' 6 speak Spanish, 51
speak English, 33 read it, and 25 write
English. This does not include the 44
children at the United States Indian
boarding school at Keams Canyon. The Indians
noted as writing Indian are able to
represent Indian words with the Roman
letters.
All the Indians wear Indian clothing. The
oldest man is 96 years and the oldest woman
is 94 years of age. By location the
population is as follows:
| First mesa: |
|
|
| Pueblo of Tegna (Tewa) |
161 |
|
| Pueblo of Sichumniva (Sichumnavi) |
103 |
|
| Pueblo of Walpi |
232 |
|
| Total |
|
496 |
| Second mesa: |
|
|
| Pueblo of Mishonginivi (Mishougnavi) |
244 |
|
| Pueblo of Shepauliva. (Shipaulavi) |
126 |
|
| Pueblo of Shemopova (Shimopavi) |
225 |
|
| Total |
|
595 |
| Third mesa, Oraibi (a) |
905 |
|
| Total for the 7 Moqui
pueblos |
|
1,996 |
The Moquis consume
annually 2,500 of their own sheep and
goats, beside what they procure from the
Navajos. They sell 26,000 pounds of wool
a year to the traders at from S to 9
cents a pound and utilize the remainder
in making blankets or garments. They
also sell each year many blankets and
baskets and some pottery and ornaments
and trinkets, in all about $1,000 a
year. Money is not as essential to them
as to white people, as they produce
everything they eat, drink, or wear,
except coffee, tea, sugar, and some
spices. These they buy from the traders.
They have considerable personal property
in the way of silver, jewelry,
turquoise, household furniture, and
blankets. Silver is preferred to gold
for jewelry or ornamentation.
The amount of cotton raised and made
into cloth is not estimated, but the
Moquis used to spin and weave enough
cotton to make light summer clothing for
their people. Of late years they wear
but little clothing of their own
manufacture, as they can buy cloth
cheaper of the traders than they can
raise the cotton.
The Annual Food Supply Of Tue Moqui
Pueblos.-The Moqui pueblos contain
1,996 people; to properly feed and
clothe so many people requires thrift
and labor, especially when the barren
country in which they live is taken into
consideration. In 1890 they planted for
corn, as estimated, as follows: first
mesa, 1,000 acres; second mesa, 1,000
acres; third mesa (Oraibi), 1,600 acres;
total, 3,600 acres.
The yield per acre is about 12 bushels,
and there are about 56 pounds to the
bushel, so that in the 3,600 acres,
there would be about 43,200 bushels, or
2,419,200 pounds.
Its disposition may be estimated as home
consumption, 919,200 pounds; bartered to
Navajos for sheep, goats, and other
items, 650,000 pounds; sales to traders,
150,000 pounds; surplus stored, 700,000
pounds.
This estimate is made from information
gathered at the trading posts and s,
general observation of the land under
cultivation.
The peach orchards and vegetable gardens
yield ample fruit and small vegetables
and melons. The onion garden at Weepo,
used in common, is of great service to
these people. There are about 2,000
acres planted in vegetables between the
7 villages that are tilled by the Moquis
collectively, distributed thus: first
mesa, 500 acres; second mesa, 500 acres;
third mesa (Oraibi), 1,000 acres.
There are fully 1,000 acres in peach
trees, distributed as follows: first
mesa, 300 acres; second mesa, 200 acres;
third mesa (Oraibi), 500 acres.
The peach orchards are located among the
sand hills at the foot of the mesas,
with the exception of 2 on the first
mesa, 1 on the second, and about 20 on
the third. Oraibi is built on one of the
lower "benches" of the third mesa: The
sands have drifted over the bench toward
the north and northwest, forming large
hills, which have all been covered with
peach trees. The peach, vegetable, and
melon crops are worth at least $10,000
per year. The Indians eat great
quantities of the peaches when ripe and
dry the remainder for winter use.
Value Of The Moqui Realty.-The
total estimated value of the Moqui
realty only includes the area they now
use There is water enough to irrigate
6,000 acres more of agricultural land,
which would be worth $40 per acre, or
$240,000. Besides, the grazing lands
adjacent would be greatly benefited.

The Approach to the Village of Oraibi,
Third Mesa, Arizona

Street Scene in Pueblo of Oraibi
The Moquis farm 3,600
acres of corn land. They have water for
this, and these lands are cheaply
estimated as of the value of $30 per
acre (the water being the real value),
or $108,000.
They have 1,000 acres of peach orchards
of a value of $20 per acre, or $20,000,
and 2,000 acres of garden land, at $30
per acre, $60,000; but the water, making
cultivation possible, is the real value;
in all, $188,000.
This estimate of value of the lands is
based upon the common and average value
of lands of like character in New Mexico
and Arizona adjacent to the Moquis, and
in view of the fact that considerable
outlays for ditches and irrigation will
be necessary. Similar lands with water
are held in New Mexico and Arizona at
from $40 to $50 per acre, and more when
buildings are included.
The value of the houses is nominal;
still, they are homes. The springs about
the Moqui pueblos constitute the value,
as water commands the lands. About the
first mesa, near Sichumnavi, Tewa, and
Walpi, there are three springs, and 3
miles beyond to the north, at Conellabah
and Weepo, 1 each, and a mile and a half
northeast of Weepo, at Mishongnavi, 2;
at Shipaulavi, 1; at Shimopavi, 3; at
Oraibi, 5 small ones. There is a spring
at Kearns Canyon post office, 1 at the
school, 3 miles northeast, and 1 near
the ruins of Awatubi.
Houses And Population Of The Moqui
Pueblos.-The total number of houses
in the 7 pueblos is 347. It is difficult
to count the houses in any of the 7
Moqui pueblos, there being three ways of
counting them, all of which might be
correct, yet varying greatly in numbers.
For instance, there are 5 long rows of
buildings at Oraibi, each row divided
into from 28 to 41 sections, and nearly
all 3 stories high, thus: first row, 32
sections; second row, 41; third row, 28;
fourth row, 30; fifth row, 29; total,
160.
Some of these sections accommodate more
than 1 family; then, if the 5 rows be
regarded as so many tenement houses,
each section could be counted as 2 or 3
houses, but they were estimated in
sections and counted, as the houses in
our large cities are numbered, thus:

The individual
landholders number 255, the areas being
from 1 to 16 acres, as follows:
Areas Of Individual Holdings Of Lands
For Farming, 1800.

Condition of the Indian by State, 1890
Notes About the Book:
Source: Report on Indians Taxed and Indians not Taxed in the United States, Except
Alaska at the Eleventh Census: 1890, Department of the Interior, Government
Printing Office, Washington DC., 1894
A
Report to the Secretary of War of the United
States on Indian Affairs, by Rev. Jedidiah
Morse, 1822, Printed by S. Converse
Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and
then ocr'd. Minimal editing has been done, and readers can and should expect
some errors in the textual output. Several spellings have been used for the same
tribe of Indians.
This site includes some historical materials that may imply negative
stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place.
These items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be
interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes
implied.
Free
Genealogy |
Indian
Genealogy |
Condition of the Indian by State, 1890
|
|