“Tucson and Marana Yoeme (Yaqui Indian) Communities” Cultural Sites Tour

Pascua Yoeme community circa 1938, photograph courtesy of the Southwest Center, The University of Arizona

On Saturday, October 28, 2017, this car-caravan cultural sites tour with Yoeme traditional culture specialist Felipe S. Molina, will start at the Bwe’u Hu’upa (Big Mesquite) site in the Santa Cruz River Park at 1317 W. Irvington Road, Tucson (on south side of Irvington just west of the Santa Cruz River). Time: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; $25 ($20 for Old Pueblo Archaeology Center and Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary members).

Felipe S. Molina was taught the indigenous language, culture, and history of the Yoemem (Yaqui Indians) by his maternal grandfather and grandmother, his grandmother’s cousin, and several elders from Tucson’s original Pascua Village. A steady stream of Yoeme migrated into southern Arizona to escape the Mexi­can government’s war on and deportations of the Yoeme in the 1890s and early 1900s. By 1940 there were about 3,000 Yoeme in Arizona, mostly living in the well-established villages of Libre (Barrio Libre) and Pascua (Barrio Loco) in Tucson, Yoem Pueblo and Wiilo Kampo in Marana, and others near Eloy, Somerton, Phoenix, and Scottsdale. Mr. Molina will lead this tour to places settled his­torically by Yoeme in the Tucson and Marana areas including Bwe’u Hu’upa Village, the San Martin Church and plaza in the 39th Community (Barrio Libre), Pascua, Ili Hu’upa, Wiilo Kampo, and his home community of Yoem Pueblo including its San Juan Church and plaza.
Reservations and prepayment required by Wednesday October 25: 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.

Link to flyer: 20171028(v2)Tucson&MaranaYoeme(YaquiIndian)CommunitiesFlyer