Description
The Yaqui, Hiaki, or Yoeme, are an Indigenous people of Mexico and Native American tribe, and primary homelands are in Río Yaqui valley in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. When the Spanish first came into contact with the Yaqui in 1533, the Yaqui occupied a territory along the lower course of the Yaqui River. They were estimated to number 30,000 people living in 80 villages in an area about 60 miles long and 15 miles wide. Throughout their history, the Yaqui remained separate from the Aztec and Toltec empires.
Language
Yaqui dialect of the language called Cahita
Culture
In the past, the Yaqui subsisted on agriculture, growing beans, corn and squash and the production of vegetable oils. The Yaqui who lived in the Río Yaqui region and in coastal areas of Sonora and Sinaloa fished as well as farmed. The Yaqui also made cotton products. The Yaqui have always been skillful warriors. The Yaqui Indians have been historically described as quite tall in stature. The Yaqui dances are an integral part of their cultural identity, and these songs and dances have been traditionally passed on for generations.