Sobaipuri Indians. Significance unknown. Also called: Rsársavinâ, Pima name, signifying “spotted.”
Sobaipuri Connections. The Sobaipuri were intimately connected with, if not a part of, the Papago, of the Piman division of the Uto-Aztecan linguistic stock.
Sobaipuri Location. In the main and tributary valleys of the San Pedro and Santa Cruz Rivers, between the mouth of the San Pedro River and the ruins of Casa Grande, and possibly eastward of this area in southern Arizona.
Sobaipuri Villages
- Alamos, on Rio Santa Cruz, southern Arizona.
- Aribaiba, on the San Pedro River, not far from its junction with the Gila.
- Babisi, probably Sobaipuri, at the southern boundary near Suamca.
- Baicadeat, on the San Pedro River, Ariz.
- Busse, probably Sobaipuri, apparently on Arivaipa Creek, a tributary of the San Pedro, east of old Camp Grant, Ariz.
- Camani, probably Sobaipuri, on the Gila River, not far from Casa Grande, Ariz.
- Causac, on the San Pedro.
- Comarsuta, on the San Pedro, between its mouth and its junction with Arivaipa Creek.
- Esqugbaag, probably Sobaipuri, on or near the San Pedro, near the Arizona-Sonora boundary.
- Guevavi, on the west bank of the Santa Cruz, below Tubac, at or near the present Nogales.
- Jiaspi, on the western bank of San Pedro, probably near the present Prospect, Ariz.
- Juamalturgo, or Pima, in Arizona south of the ruins of Casa Grande.
- Muiva, on the San Pedro, probably near the mouth of Arivaipa Creek.
- Ojio, on the eastern bank of the San Pedro River, near its junction with the Gila River and not far from the present Dudleyville, Ariz.
- Optuabo, probably Sobaipuri, near the present Arizona-Sonora boundary and probably in Arizona.
- Quiburi, on the western bank of the San Pedro, perhaps not far from the present Benson, Ariz.
- Quiquiborica, on the Santa Cruz, 6 leagues south of Guevavi, near the Arizona-Sonora boundary.
- Reyes, probably Sobaipuri, on the Santa Cruz, in the present southern Arizona.
- San Angelo, near the western bank of the Santa Cruz, below its mouth, in southern Arizona.
- San Clemente, probably Sobaipuri, on the western bank of the Santa Cruz, north of the present Tucson, Ariz.
- San Felipe, at the junction of the Santa Cruz and Gila Rivers.
- San Salvador, on the San Pedro River, above Quiburi, southern Arizona.
- San Xavier del Bac, on Santa Cruz, 9 miles south of Tucson in the northeast corner of what is now the Papago Reservation.
- Santa Eulalia, probably Sobaipuri, slightly northwest of Busanic, just south of the Arizona-Sonora boundary line.
- Sonoita, on the Santa Cruz, north of the present Nogales and 7 leagues east north-east of Guevavi.
- Suamca, on the headwatersof the Santa Cruz, in the vicinity of Terrenate, Sonora, Mexico, just below the Arizona-Sonora boundary line.
- Tubo, probably Sobaipuri, apparently on Arivaipa Creek, a tributary of the San Pedro River, east of old Camp Grant, Ariz.
- Tumacacori, probably Sobaipuri, on the Santa Cruz, south of Tubac and 8 leagues north northwest of Guevavi.
- Turisai, probably Sobaipuri, probably on or near the Santa Cruz River, southern Arizona.
- Tusonimon, about 4 leagues west of Casa Grande, near the Gila River.
- Tutoida, on the San Pedro, probably between Arivaipa Creek and the Gila.
Sobaipuri History. The Sobaipuri were visited by Kino, 1694-1702, and missions were established among them, but at a later period the tribe was broken up by the Apache and seems to have sought refuge among the Papago, with whom it became merged.
Sobaipuri Population. Mooney (1928) estimates that there were 600 Sobaipuri in 1680. They are now extinct as an independent tribe.
