Description
The Halchidhoma Indians were a Yuman tribe of Arizona and Colorado, relatives of the Maricopa and Yuma tribes. They were sometimes also known as the Halchadhoma, Halchidom, Halchidoma, or Alchedum. The Halchidhoma no longer exist as a distinct tribe. Most of them joined forces with their allies the Maricopas in the 1800's, and their descendants still live among the Maricopas today. The original Halchidhoma language was never well recorded, but seems to have been an Upper River Yuman language related to Maricopa and Yuma. The Halchidhoma entered written history in 1604–1605, when a Spanish expedition coming overland from New Mexico under Juan de Oñate encountered the "Alebdoma" on the lower Colorado River, below its junction with the Gila River. When the Jesuit missionary-explorer Eusebio Francisco Kino returned to the river in 1700, the Halchidhoma had moved to a portion of the river 100 miles farther north.
Language
Historical records indicate that there once was a separate Halchidhoma language within the Yuman family
Culture
The Halchidhoma people were known for adapting to the desert environment and were skilled at fishing, hunting, and gathering resources in the arid landscape. They utilized the Colorado River for sustenance, catching fish, and utilizing plants for food, medicine, and other purposes. The Halchidhoma tribe faced challenges with the arrival of European colonizers and the subsequent westward expansion of the United States. The disruption caused by the arrival of settlers, diseases, and conflicts with other Native American groups and European colonists contributed to the decline of the Halchidhoma population. The acorn, leached of toxic acids and turned into meal, was a staple of the diet of most California native peoples.