The Cocopah Indian Tribe, known as the River People, have lived along the lower Colorado River and delta for centuries, maintaining their traditional and cultural beliefs throughout many political and environmental changes. Descended from the greater Yuman-speaking people who occupied lands along the Colorado River, the Cocopah had no written language, however, historical records have been passed on orally and by outside visitors. Established in 1917, the Cocopah Reservation comprises approximately 6,500 acres. Currently about 1,000 tribal members live and work on or near the Reservation. In 1964, the Tribe founded its first Constitution and established a Tribal Council. Located 13 miles south of Yuma, AZ, the Reservation is home to Cocopah Casino, Cocopah Resort & Conference Center, Cocopah Rio Colorado Golf Course, Cocopah Museum, Cocopah RV & Golf Resort, Cocopah Speedway and Wild River Family Entertainment Center. Visitors enjoy golfing, gaming, shopping, learning about the Tribe’s culture and taking in the great scenic beauty of the region.
The Cocopah Indian Tribe is a federally-recognized, sovereign tribe located in the most southwestern corner of Arizona, 13 miles south of Yuma and along the Colorado River. The Cocopah (Kwapa), also known as the River People, have historically lived along the lower Colorado River and delta. They are descendants of the Yuman-language speaking people that occupied the lands along the Colorado River. The current Cocopah Reservation is comprised of three noncontiguous regions: East, North and West Reservations. The boundaries of the First Things First Cocopah Tribe Region match those of the Cocopah Reservation.
OUR COCOPAH WEBSITES
Cocopah Language
Information and language learning materials from the Cocopah Indian language.
Cocopah Facts for Kids
Questions and answers about Cocopah culture.
Cocopah Legends
Collection of Cocopah Indian legends and folktales.
COCOPA TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY WEBSITES
The Sovereign Nation of the Cocopahs
Official homepage of the Cocopah Indian Tribe of Arizona.
Cocopah Casino
Homepage of the Cocopah tribal casino.
Cocopah Tribe
Profile of the Cocopah Indian tribe from the Intertribal Council of Arizona.
COCOPA LIFESTYLE AND TRADITION
Cocopa Indian History
Brief overview of Cocopa history.
Cocopa Tribe
Facts about the Cocopa Indians.
Cocopa Legends
Collection of Cocopa Indian legends and folktales.
Cocopah Authors
Cocopa writers, their lives and work.
The Cocopah or Cocopa are Native American people who live in Baja California and Sonora, Mexico, and in Arizona in the United States. The Cocopah language belongs to the Delta-California branch of the Yuman-Cochimí family. In Spanish, the Cocopah are termed Cucapá. Their self-designation is Xawiƚƚ kwñchawaay or “Those Who Live on the River.”
Cocopah Indian Tribe Official Website
Cocopah Nation Wikipedia
Cocopah Tribe of Arizona, Constitution.
A copy of the Constitution and By-laws for this tribe is available at the Sandra Day O’Connor Law Library at Arizona State University.
Cocopah Indian Tribe
14515 South Veterans Drive
Somerton, AZ 85350
Phone: 928-627-2102
Director of Tribal Health Maintenance Program: Josefina Chavez chavezj@cocopah.com(link sends e-mail)
Tribal Administrator: Elizabeth Benitez beniteze@cocopah.com(link sends e-mail)
Tribal Education Coordinator: Wynnie Ortega cocoed@cocopah.com
Cultural Resources Manager: Justin Brundin brundinj@cocopah.com
The Cocopah are also called the Cucapá (in Cocopa: Kwapa or Kwii Capáy. This translates as “Cloud People,” referring to the fog along the Colorado River). The Cocopah language belongs to the Delta–California branch of the Yuman family. The Spanish term for Cocopah is Cucapá. Their self-designation is Xawiƚƚ kwñchawaay, translating to “Those Who Live on the Cloudy River” (from Xawíƚƚy – “river”, kwii – “cloud”, (ny)way – “to live”, llyay/nyaam – “many”). According to the US Census, there were 1,009 Cocopah in 2010. Ancestors of the Cocopah inhabited parts of present-day Arizona, California, and Baja California and are known by western academics as belonging to the Patayan culture. Patayan is a term used by archaeologists to describe prehistoric Native American cultures who inhabited parts of modern-day Arizona, west to Lake Cahuilla in California, and in Baja California, between 700 and 1550 A.D. This included areas along the Gila River, Colorado River and in the Lower Colorado River Valley, the nearby uplands, and north to the vicinity of the Grand Canyon.They are mostly likely ancestors of the Cocopah and other Yuman-speaking tribes in the region. The Patayan peoples practiced floodplain agriculture where possible and relied heavily on hunting and gathering.
The Cocopah (Kwapa), also known as the River People, have long lived along the lower Colorado River and delta. For centuries, the Cocopah people have maintained their traditional and cultural beliefs through various political environments and ever-changing landscapes. The Cocopah Indian Tribe is one of seven descendant Tribes from the greater Yuman language speaking people who occupied lands along the Colorado River. Cocopah Tribal ancestors also lived along the lower Colorado River region near the river delta and the Gulf of California. The Cocopah people had no written language.
Indigenous Peoples Literature 