"None excel them in virtue and honesty": ecclesiastical and military descriptions of the Gila River Pima, 1694-1848.

Between 1694 and 1848 a medley of ecclesiastical and military chroniclers attempted to describe--through their own cultural lenses and with the inherent biases that come with them--an emerging and dynamic cultural adaptation occurring among the Gila River Pima, or the Akimel O'otham--the "River People." While Pima culture was by no means static prior to 1694, it was less so after that date.

A number of important changes were documented, including the adaptation to new crops and new growing patterns. Villages clustered together more than before--although the east-west anchor ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.