News
Feed:Salt River Fields provide opportunity and economic growth for Pima-Maricopa Indian Community |
bit.ly/1LxzdGD
News
Feed:Salt River Fields provide opportunity and economic growth for Pima-Maricopa Indian Community |
bit.ly/1LxzdGD

Cultural Calendar-SRPMIC

Home » Government » Cultural Resources » Cultural Calendar

Salt River O’odham Piipaash Cultural Calendar

This calendar is not intended to be a complete calendar of all O’odham-Piipaash traditional activities. It does, however, contain some information that may be useful for those who are learning about certain traditional seasonal activities. The information here is primarily limited to planting/harvesting, gathering of wild plants, and social events. These activities may not always correspond exactly with the month under which they are listed here. Nature has its own timeline according to temperature, rainfall, etc. This is just a general guideline. It is also important to realize that many of these months may have alternate (and equally correct) names. The most commonly used Piipaash terms for months correspond with the Gregorian calendar, but seasonal activities are the same as the O’odham. ​

O’odham Calendar

Piipaash Calendar

 

Ha:ṣañ Bahidag Maṣad “Saguaro Fruit Month” / Xly’a Xamxuk “Sixth Moon” (June)
Temperatures continue to rise and exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Outdoor physical activities are best carried out early in the day. This is the time for gathering saguaro fruit. For the O’odham, this marks the beginning of a new year! Gathering mesquite beans is another major activity.

  • ​Cultural Events & Activities
    • ​Summer solstice
    • O’odham New Year – saguaro fruit ready to be harvested
    • First mesquite beans ready for harvesting
    • Palo verde seeds ready for harvesting
    • Ironwood seeds ready for harvesting
    • Begin harvesting cattail and willow for basket weaving
    • The most heat tolerant crops may still be planted
    • Huhugam Ki: Museum Annual Mesquite Pancake Breakfast
    • Huhugam Ki: Museum Annual Youth Tortilla Camp
    • SRPMIC Annual Reburial Ceremony (first weekend)​​

​

Ju:kiabig Maṣad “Rainy Month” / Xly’a Pxkyeek “Seventh Moon” (July)
Temperatures are extremely hot, exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Outdoor physical activities are best carried out early in the day. Gathering of saguaro fruit may continue early in the month. Formerly, some saguaro syrup was used to make navait for the ceremony to welcome summer rains that start to arrive this month. Although this ceremony is no longer practiced locally, it is still practiced in some areas in the Tohono O’odham Nation. Mesquite beans continue to be gathered before the summer storms arrive and blow them to the ground.

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • Continued harvesting of saguaro fruit (early in the month)
    • Processing saguaro fruit for storage
    • Mesquite beans ready for harvesting
    • Dry ironwood tree seeds can be harvested
    • Preparing fields/gardens for short planting season of warm weather crops
    • Harvesting cattail and willow for basket weaving (cont.)
    • Huhugam Ki: Museum Annual Youth Tortilla Camp
    • OPLP Quarterly O’odham-Piipaash Bingo

 

Ṣopol E’esbig Maṣad “Short Planting Month” / Xly’a Sapxuk “Eighth Moon” (August)
Temperatures are extremely hot and the summer rains increase humidity levels. Outdoor physical activities are best carried out early in the day. Around this time, warm weather crops can be planted again. Summer months are a good time to pick some types of wild spinach. Prickly pear fruit may be ready at the end of the month.

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • Second planting of warm season crops (first week of the month)
    • Prickly pear fruit ready to be harvested
    • Picking wolfberries
    • Wild summer spinach can be harvested (e.g., amaranth & purslane)
    • Harvesting cattail and willow for basket weaving (cont.)

 

Vaṣai Gakidag Maṣad “Dry Grass Month” / Xly’a Xamxmok “Ninth Moon” (September)
Temperatures are starting to cool, but it is still warm out. Some mesquite trees may produce beans again that can be harvested. Cool weather crops can be planted now. Most cool weather crops, such as wheat, were introduced long ago by the Spanish and became a regular and healthy part of the O’odham-Piipaash diet.

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • First planting cool season crops (planting of many cool season crops can continue through the fall and winter)
    • Prickly pear fruit ready to be harvested
    • Smaller secondary crop of mesquite beans can be harvested
    • End of season for harvesting cattail and willow for basket weaving
    • Autumnal Equinox
    • O’odham Piipaash Language Program fall language classes begin
    • Mustering In Days, GRIC

 

S’he:pijig Maṣad “Cold Month” / Xly’a Shaxuk “Tenth Moon” (October)
Temperatures are starting to cool significantly. The beautiful weather at this time is perfect for social dances and other outdoor cultural events. Harvesting of short season crops begins and planting of cool season crops continues.

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • Harvesting of short season crops and remaining summer crops
    • Planting of cool weather crops (cont.)
    • Social dances and gatherings
    • Huhugam Ki: Annual Museum Mesquite Milling Event
    • O’odham Piipaash Language Program Quarterly Bingo
    • Community Social, Lehi District
    • Red Mountain Eagle Powwow Princess Pageant

 

Soam Maṣad “Yellow/Orange Month” / Xly’a Shaxuk Mayk Shenthik “Eleventh Moon” (November)
The temperature is starting to get cold. The first fall frost may occur this month. Many wild plants are starting to go to sleep for the coming winter. The beautiful weather at this time is great for social dances and other outdoor cultural events. A number of existing O’odham-Pipaash calendar sticks start with the Leonid meteor shower of 1833, “The year the stars fell.” This meteor shower occurs every November, but in 1833 over 100,000 meteors fell each hour.

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • Harvesting first cool season crops
    • Planting of cool season crops (cont.)
    • Social dances and gatherings
    • Meteor showers
    • Museum Ki: Museum Anniversary Event
    • Red Mountain Eagle Powwow
    • Orme Dam Victory Days @ Ft. McDowell

 


Sko:magĭ Maṣad “Gray Month” / Xly’a Shaxuk Mayk Xvik “Twelfth Moon” (December)
The temperature is cold and the nights are long. Most plants are now dormant. This is the beginning of traditional storytelling season.

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • Winter Storytelling begins
    • Planting of cool season crops (cont.)
    • Cultural Resources Department Artists’ Market
    • Ak-Chin Masik Tas
    • Pueblo Grande Indian Market
    • Winter Solstice

 

 
‘Auppa Hiosig Maṣad “Flowering of Cottonwood Month” / Xly’a Shenthik “First Moon” (January)
The temperature is very cold and the nights are long. Most plants are still dormant, but the cottonwood trees start to flower this month. The People traditionally relied on food staples they had preserved and stored for this lean time. This is still the time for storytelling.

  • Cultural Events & Activities:
    • Winter storytelling (cont.)
    • Planning and preparing fields/gardens for spring planting
    • Community Garden Program assists Community members with establishing home gardens (Jan 1-Feb 15)
    • Harvesting cool season crops until it warms
    • Quarterly O’odham-Piipaash Bingo
    • Tohono O’odham Sells Fair & Rodeo at end of January or beginning of February

 


Auppa ‘I’ivagidag Maṣad “Leafing of the Cottonwood Month” / Xly’a Xvik “Second Moon” (February)
The temperature is still cold but starting to warm a bit. The cottonwood trees begin to produce leaves. Storytelling may continue into this month if it remains cold. The People traditionally relied on food staples they had preserved and stored for this lean time. First planting of warm season crops may occur late in the month if temperatures permit. If there is a late frost, the plants may not survive.

  • Cultural Events & Activities:
    • Winter storytelling continues until it warms
    • Continue planning and preparing fields/gardens for spring planting
    • Possible first planting of warm weather crops late in the month after last frost (planting of many heat tolerant plants can continue through August)
    • Wild rhubarb begins to emerge
    • O’odham Piipaash Language Program spring language classes begin
    • O’odham Tash, Casa Grande
    • Tohono O’odham Sells Fair & Rodeo at end of January or beginning of February
    • Arizona Indian Festival, Scottsdale

 

Kui ‘I’ivagidag Maṣad “Leafing of Mesquite Month” / Xly’a Xmok “Third Moon” (March)
Temperatures start to warm, especially during the day. Nights can still be chilly. It is safer to plant the first warm season crops this month. Many desert plants are awakening and wildflowers are abundant. This a great time to go for a hike or spend time outdoors. One should be careful, however, as this is also the time snakes start to become active. Cholla buds are starting to emerge. Traditionally, this was a welcome site because winter food stores might be running low at this point.

  • Cultural Events & Activities:
    • Planting of warm season crops
    • Cholla buds may be ready for picking during the latter part of the month
    • Agave may be ready for harvesting (found in higher elevations)
    • Collecting wild rhubarb
    • Spring Equinox
    • Huhugam Ki: Annual Museum Tortilla Festival
    • Mul-Chu-Tha Fair & Rodeo, Gila River Indian Community
    • Pueblo Grande Ancient Technology Day
    • Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair Market

 

Kui Hiosig Maṣad “Flowering of Mesquite Month” / Xly’a Chmpap “Fourth Moon” (April)
Temperatures continue to rise, but the days are still comfortable. Nights are relatively cool. Wildflowers are still abundant. This is a great time to go for a hike or spend time outdoors. Cholla buds should be ready for harvesting.

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • Planting of warm season crops (cont.)
    • Cholla buds are ready for harvesting
    • Cleaning and preparing harvested cholla buds for storage
    • Agave is ready for harvesting (found only in higher elevations)
    • Picking wolfberries
    • Quarterly O’odham-Piipaash Bingo
    • Piipaash Matasheevm, Lehi District
    • Five-Tribes Peace Treaty Celebration, GRIC District 7
    • ASU Pow Wow

 

‘U’us Viohogtalig Maṣad “Bean Pod Forming Month” / Xly’a Sarap “Fifth Moon” (May)
Temperatures continue to rise and may hit 100-degrees Fahrenheit. Nights are still relatively cool and great for outdoor activities. Saguaro cacti begin to bloom white flowers. Legume trees such as mesquite, palo verde and ironwood start to bear fruit (“beans”).

  • Cultural Events & Activities
    • First harvesting of some warm season crops that were planted in early spring
    • Planting of warm season crops (cont.)
    • Palo verde seeds may be ready for harvesting
    • Fresh ironwood seeds may be ready for harvesting late in the month
    • ​Waila (Vaila) Festival, Tucson