A’AGA: Something to be told or talked about

Submitted by

Billy Allen

Most O’otham ceremonies I can attend are tied less to the beginnings of life but more to the end of life. However, I did attend a tribal ceremony which lifted my spirits. The setting, food, and company was excellent.

Gila River Tribal Education held the Antonio Azul Scholar and Citizenship Awards banquet. Headman Azul encouraged O’otham to seek education as a way towards self-determination and self-sufficiency. The banquet proved we are following our headman’s dream. Listening to the accolades of GRIC students was a glimpse into the future.  I came away with less doubt and fear for our people and the world.

So who was Antonio Azul, “one who is high or above us?” K hedai ‘o wud i:da u:gkcu? 

O’otham himdag had villages select a man as a representative. In turn these men chose one man to make decisions for all. The word chief can either be respectful or condescending. I prefer the term headman as there is no word in O’otham for chief.

First, some history. Around 1820, Shondal Keli/Old Soldier was the O’otham headman. He led men upriver to repair a brush diversion dam, to raise the water level in order to flood a kui/mesquite grove on the low bank. (This was roughly 30 miles east of Florence, near Riverside.)  When the kui/mesquite beans ripen, it was gathered, crushed in round holes on rocks, then the vihog/beans could be ground like flour. The O’otham repair party was attacked and Shondal Keli was killed.

Following O’otham himdag, Shondal Keli’s weapons, shield and body were burned on site. The group divided into the wounded, men who had killed an enemy, and the main party. Once it was determined the wounded could travel, the walk home began. Enemy killers had to be separated for sixteen days, in order to be cleaned and atone for the killing of another person. At the end of sixteen days, then and only then would they be allowed back to daily life.

Shondal Keli was from Mound Top Village, 3 miles east of the va’aki/Casa Blanca. When the main party reached Mound Top, all of Shondal Keli’s cattle, horses, and belongings were distributed to his relatives. His name was no longer to be said out loud. He had no son, so a young sub-leader, Anton, was suggested to stand as the next headman. In time, Keli Anton would summon O’otham-Piipaash/Pee Posh warriors to provide safe escort for soldiers, emigrants along the Gila.

Around 1817-18, Antonio was born. Where Keli Anton went, so did the boy. Keli Anton led many fights against the O:b but could not defeat old age and walked to the other place, as the old people used to say around 1850.  Antonio was selected to be the next headman, for the people felt the qualities of the father were with the son. Many felt Antonio was too young.  After much debate, a tentative consensus was reached.

Antonio saw the bond between us and the Piipaash/Pee Posh community forged at a battle as both fought side by side. Antonio earned another name; Mavith Kavadam or Lion Shield. He would guide O’odham, Piipaash/Maricopa through many changes; the addition of the southern half of our community becoming part of the US, quell a move to Oklahoma, see our reservation created, and the diversion of water from our akimel. He asked for schools and also accepted the Chrisitan word.

Exceeding four score and ten years in age, Antonio Azul became a great grandfather or Vi:kol. He also walked to the other side. West Cemetery in Sacaton, has become a gathering place every December as many celebrate his roles of farmer, statesman, warrior and ambassador for O’otham and Piipaash/Pee Posh. I would like to believe he also has less fear or doubts about us or a:cim.  These young scholars will lead.

Some of the material is taken from the writings of Senator Carl T. Hayden, Arizona Pioneer Biographies@ASU Libraries. Carl Hayden spent 56 years in Congress representing Arizona. Also Peoples of the Middle Gila, John P. Wilson.