“Tucson and Marana Yoeme (Yaqui Indian) Communities”

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

TOUR FILLED – LONG WAITING LIST! SEE FEB. 25 “ENCORE” TOUR LISTING FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. On Saturday, February 11, 2017, Old Pueblo Archaeology Center will lead a car-caravan cultural sites tour with Yoeme historian Felipe S. Molina, starting at Bwe’u Hu’upa (Big Mesquite) site at 1317 W. Irvington Rd. (on west bank of the Santa Cruz River south of Irvington Road), Tucson. from 8 a.m. to noon; $25 ($20 for Old Pueblo Archaeology Center and Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary members).

A steady stream of Yoeme (Yaqui Indians) 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. Felipe S. Molina, a Yoem Pueblo resident, was taught the indigenous language, culture, and history of the Yoemem (Yaquis) by his maternal grandfather and grandmother, his grandmother’s cousin, and several elders from Tucson’s original Pascua Village. 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, Yoem Pueblo (including the San Juan Church and plaza), Wiilo Kampo, and possibly others.
Reservations and prepayment required by Wednesday February 8: call 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.
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