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Native American languages Native American cultures Native American art






MOJAVE INDIAN FACT SHEET



Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the
Mojave Indian tribe for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage students
and teachers to visit our Mojave language and culture pages for in-depth
information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are
most often asked by children, with Mojave pictures and links we believe are
suitable for all ages.

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   Mojave Tribe

How do you pronounce the word "Mojave"? What does it mean? Is the correct
spelling "Mojave" or "Mohave"?
Mojave is pronounced "mo-hah-vee." The spelling Mojave comes from Spanish, and
the spelling Mohave comes from English. Both are used today, although the tribe
officially uses the spelling Mojave. This name is a shortened form of their name
for themselves in their own language, Hamakhaave, which means "beside the
water."

Where do the Mojaves live?
The Mojave are natives of southwestern Arizona and southeastern California.

How is the Mojave Indian nation organized?
The Mojaves live on two separate reservations. An Indian reservation is land
that belongs to a tribe and is under their control. One of these reservations,
the Fort Mojave Reservation in Arizona, is only home to Mojave Indians. The
other one, the Colorado River Indian Reservation in Arizona and California, is
shared by members of several local tribes. Each of these reservations has its
own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However,
the Mojaves are also US citizens and must obey American law.

In the past, each Mojave village was ruled by its own chief, who was similar to
a mayor. Village chiefs were chosen in religious ceremonies based on the visions
they had. Today, the two Mojave tribes are led by tribal councils elected by all
the citizens of the tribe.

What language do the Mojave Indians speak?
Almost all Mojave people speak English today, but some of them, especially
elders also speak their native Mojave language. Mojave is a complex language
with many long words. If you'd like to know a Mojave word that's not too hard to
say, "kwichkamaduum" (sounds a little like kwitch-kah-mah-doom) is a friendly
greeting in Mojave. You can also read a Mojave picture glossary here.

What was Mojave culture like in the past? What is it like now?
Here is an article on Mojave history and culture written by the Fort Mojave
Indian Tribe. On this site you can find information about the Mojave people in
the past and today.


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How do Mojave Indian children live, and what did they do in the past?
They do the same things all children do--play with each other, go to school and
help around the house. Many Mojave children like to go hunting and fishing with
their fathers. In the past, Indian kids had more chores and less time to play in
their daily lives, just like colonial children. But they did have dolls, toys,
and games to play. Mojave people were known as excellent swimmers and runners,
and Mojave kids liked to swim in the rivers and compete at footraces. A Mojave
mother traditionally carried a young child in a cradleboard on her back. Here is
a website with pictures of cradleboards and other Indian cradles.

What were men and women's roles in the Mojave tribe?
Mojave husbands and wives worked together to farm their fields. Men planted and
watered the crops, and women harvested them. Mojave women did most of the
cooking and child care, and men sometimes went to war to protect their families.
Both genders took part in storytelling, music and artwork, and traditional
medicine.

What were Mojave homes like in the past?
Mojave people built two different types of houses. Close to the Colorado River,
the Mojaves lived in thatched huts raised off the ground with stilts, to protect
against summer flooding. Further from the river, Mojave people built sturdier
earth lodges, which are made of a wooden frame packed with clay. The thick earth
walls kept this kind of house cool in the heat and warm in the cold, making it
good shelter in the desert.



Mojave people do not live in these old-fashioned dwellings today, any more than
other Americans live in log cabins. Mojave families live in modern houses and
apartment buildings, just like you.

What were Mojave clothes like? Did the Mojaves wear feather headdresses and face
paint?
Originally, Mojave people didn't wear much clothing-- men wore only loincloths
and women wore knee-length skirts. Shirts were not necessary in Mojave culture,
but the Mojaves sometimes wore rabbit-skin robes or ponchos at night when the
weather became cooler. After Europeans arrived, the Mojaves began to adapt some
Mexican fashions such as cotton blouses and colorful blanket shawls. Unlike most
Native American tribes, the Mojaves never wore moccasins. They either went
barefoot or wore sandals. Here are some photos and links about Southwest Native
American clothing in general.



The Mojaves did not wear war-bonnets like the Plains Indians. Mojave men twisted
their hair into hair rolls, which looked a little like dreadlocks. Sometimes
they would wind these hair rolls up around their heads or attach eagle feathers
to them. Mojave women wore their hair long and straight. The Mojaves wore face
tattoos and also painted their faces and bodies for special occasions. They used
different colors and patterns for war paint, religious ceremonies, and festive
decoration. Many Mojave people also painted horizontal white or yellow stripes
on their hair.

Today, Mojave people wear modern clothes like jeans instead of loincloths... and
they only wear traditional regalia for special occasions like a dance.

What was Mojave transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle
canoes?
No--the Mojave Indians weren't coastal people, and rarely traveled by river.
Occasionally they used rafts, but more often, they just walked. There were no
horses in North America until colonists brought them over from Europe. Once
Europeans brought horses to America, the Mojaves could travel more quickly than
before.

What was Mojave food like in the days before supermarkets?
The Mojaves were farming people. They planted crops of corn, beans, and
pumpkins. Mojave men also hunted rabbits and small game and fished in the
rivers, while women gathered nuts, fruits, and herbs. Favorite Mojave recipes
included baked beans, hominy, and flat breads made from corn and bean flour.
Here is a website with more information about Native American corn.

What were Mojave weapons and tools like in the past?
Mojave hunters used bows and arrows, and fishermen used nets and wooden fish
traps. In war, Mojave men fired their bows or fought with clubs or spears. Some
Mojave warriors used leather shields to protect themselves from enemy archers.
Here is a website with pictures and information about Indian archery and other
traditional weapons.

What other Native Americans did the Mojave tribe interact with?
The Mojaves traded regularly with neighboring tribes, particularly Southern
California tribes like the Cahuilla and Mission Indians. They especially liked
to trade corn and beans for shell beads from the Pacific coast, which they used
to make jewelry before glass beads arrived from Europe. The Mojaves also fought
wars with some of their neighbors. The Maricopa and Pima tribes were frequent
enemies.

What are Mojave arts and crafts like?
Mojave artists are famous for their fine coiled pottery and beaded jewelry.
Mojave women were especially known for making intricated beaded collars to wear
around their necks. Here is a picture of a Mojave beaded collar.

What kinds of stories do the Mojaves tell?
There are lots of traditional Mojave legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is
very important to the Mojave Indian culture. Here is a Mojave story about the
creation of the world. Here's a website where you can read more about Mojave
mythology.

What about Mojave religion?
Spirituality and religion were important parts of Mojave life, and some people
continue to practice traditional beliefs today. It is respectful to avoid
imitating religious rituals for school projects since some Mojave people care
about them deeply. You can read and learn about them, however. You can visit
this site to learn more about Mojave religion or this site about Native Indian
spirituality in general.

Can you recommend a good book for me to read?
You may enjoy And It Is Still That Way, a book of legends from various Arizona
Indian tribes including the Mojave tribe. If you want to know more about Mojave
culture and history, two good choices are Mojave Native Americans and The Mojave
of California and Arizona. You can also browse through our recommendations of
books by Indian authors. Disclaimer: we are an Amazon affiliate and our website
earns a commission if you buy a book through one of these links. Most of them
can also be found in a public library, though!

How do I cite your website in my bibliography?
You will need to ask your teacher for the format he or she wants you to use. The
authors' names are Laura Redish and Orrin Lewis and the title of our site is
Native Languages of the Americas. We are a nonprofit educational organization
working to preserve and protect Native American languages and culture. You can
learn more about our organization here. Our website was first created in 1998
and last updated in 2020.

Thanks for your interest in the Mojave Indian people and their language!

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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOJAVES

Mojave Indian Tribe An overview of the Mojave people, their language and
history.

Mojave Language Resources Mojave language samples, articles, and indexed links.

Mojave Culture and History Directory Related links about the Mojave tribe past
and present.

Mohave Indian Words Mojave Indian vocabulary lists.



Return to our American Indian websites
Return to our menu of Indian tribes of North America Return to our Southwest
Native American map




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