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Cocopa Indian Tribe
History
Cocopa (ko'-ko-pa). A division of the Yuman family which in 1604-05 lived
in 9 rancherias on the Rio Colorado, 5 leagues above its mouth. At a later
period they also extended into the mountains of Lower California, hence were
confined almost. exelusively to Mexico. According to Heintzelman, in 1856, the
tribe was formerly strong in numbers and could muster 300 warriors; their total
number was estimated by Fray Francisco Garcés
in 1775-76 at 3,000, but there are now only 800 in north Lower California, in
the valley of the Rio Colorado. The Cocopa were reputed to be less hostile than
the Yuma or the Mohave, who frequently raided their villages; nevertheless they
were sufficiently war-like to retaliate when necessary. Garcés
said of them in 1776 that they had always been enemies of the
Papago, Jalliquamai (Quigymna), and
Cajuenche, but friendly toward the
Cuñeil.
Although spoken of as being physically inferior to the cognate tribes, the males
are fully up to and in some cases rather above normal stature, and are well
proportioned, while the females appear also to be of at least ordinary size and
are also well developed. Heintzelman (H. R. Ex. Doc. 76, 34th
Cong. 3d sess. ,43, 1857) says" they so much resemble the Cuchan (Yuma)
in arms, dress, manners, and customs it is difficult to distinguish one from
another." They depended for subsistence chiefly on corn, melons, pumpkins, and
beans, which they cultivated, adding native grass seeds, roots, mesquite beans,
etc. The Cocopa houses of recent time range in character from the brush arbor
for summer use to the wattled hut, plastered outside and in side with mud, for
winter occupancy Polygamy was formerly practiced to some extent. They
universally cremate their dead. The Cuculato are mentioned as Cocopa division
and Llagas as the name applied by the Spaniards to a former group of Cocopa
rancherias.
The books presented are for their
historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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