Kwi I’ivakithak Mashath, Sape Elithag/Proper Respect 2025

Submitted by

Huhugam Heritage Center

The name for this month translates to budding of the Mesquite Tree Moon, which refers to the new seasonal growth of the Kwi. Now that we are moving forward into spring, we need to be reminded of how we relate to our family, relatives, friends and community members. Our upbringing not only involved the proper use of hand tools and assigned chores, it also included other aspects of Life.  Those instructions in proper behavior were taught to us by our Elders, parents and other relatives.  One of the first lessons in morals was the phrase “Sap ‘o ‘e ve:machak!”  (Be good and get along with others).  This was especially important when we interacted with other community members not in our immediate family.  As we grew old enough to attend school it became more essential, as we had to get along with our teachers and classmates. As we grew older the phrase “Sap hekachith heg ‘e mashchammig!” (Use what you learned in the right way.), became crucial, as we learned how to properly cut firewood without injuring ourselves and safely ignited the cooking fires.  We were taught never to play with fire, but to treat it with respect, because it could kill someone if not attended properly.  That was back in the day when there was no fire department.  Another lesson taught to us was how we were to conduct ourselves at school, church and out in public.  The phrase “Sap haichu ‘ab wa:th!” (Conduct yourself in the proper manner.)  That was especially important when we attended large communal church gatherings on the holidays, or large public events, such as the Mul-Chu-Tha.  It was often the case that an older brother or sister took charge of us on our outings.  We all had fun and rode the different rides and ate good foods.  By the end of the night we were totally exhausted and fell asleep as soon as we had loaded into our family pickup truck for the ride home.  One other phrase that was drilled into us was the instruction of “Sape ah ve:mthath heg hemachkam!” (Help others when they need your help.)  This was important because not only were we expected to help our immediate family, but also our relatives on both our father’s and mother’s sides of the family.  As we grew older, we were sent to live with our grandparents for the summer and helped them with everyday chores. We encourage you to learn these phrases and practice them with your family members. Some phrases may be slightly different between the villages. Speak with an Elder, or speaker in your family and learn how to pronounce the phrases. Test your knowledge with the Sape Elithag/Proper Respect word match. 

A special Thank You to community Elders for sharing their knowledge of Sape Elithag/Proper Respect that made this article possible.  Additional source related from A Pima Past, Anna Moore Shaw, 1974, University of Arizona Press.