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🠈  Pima People  🠊

The term "Pima" is often used to describe indigenous American tribes that speak the O'odham language1. The largest group being the Akimel O'odham or "River People."

It is possible that the term "Pima" came from the the O'odham phrase "pi mac" which "I don't know" which would have been said multiple times during the tribe's first encounters with Europeans.

The term came into common usage with establishment of Spanish Missions by Father Kino and others starting in 1694.

Today, the primary population center of the Akimel O'odham are the Gila River Indian Community in Pinal County and the Salt River Indian Community in Maricopa County.

The Tohono O'odham people (formerly called the Papago) control the Tohono O'odham Nation which includes the central portion of Pima County an a bit of Pinal and Maricopa County.

The Hia C-e??? O'odham (Sand Pima) is a tribe unrecognized by the Federal and State Government. Many members of the Hia C-e??? O'odham live near Ajo in Pima County and some in Yuma County.


1) The Piman Language Group includes O'odham (AKA Pima language), Pima Bajo (AKA Mountain Pima, Lowland Pima), Tepehuán (AKA Northern Tepehuán, Southeastern Tepehuán, Southwestern Tepehuán) and Tepecano.

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