Ak-Chin Indian Community facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ak-Chin Indian Community
ʼAkĭ Ciñ O'odham (O'odham)
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 Ak-Chin Indian Community
Location in Arizona
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Arizona | |
| County | Pinal | |
| Established | 1912 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 22,000 acre (9,000 ha) | |
| • Rural | 15,000 acre (6,000 ha) | |
| Elevation | 1,186 ft (361 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,070 | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain Time Zone) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (Mountain Daylight Time) | |
| Area code(s) | 520 | |
| FIPS code | 04-04021 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 542 | |
| Website | https://www.ak-chin.nsn.us | |
The Ak-Chin Indian Community is a group of Native American people. They live on the Maricopa (Ak-Chin) Indian Reservation. This reservation is in the Santa Cruz Valley in Pinal County, Arizona. It is about 37 miles south of Phoenix.
Most people in the community are from the Akimel Oʼodham and Tohono Oʼodham tribes. Some Hia-Ced Oʼodham members also live there. In 2020, about 1,070 people lived on the reservation. The community has over 1,100 members in total.
The U.S. government created the Maricopa Reservation in 1912. President William Howard Taft was in charge then. But soon, the reservation was made much smaller. This happened because local farmers who were not Native Americans did not want it to be so big.
The tribe officially gained federal recognition in 1961. Since then, they have built a large farming business. They also got important water rights to the Colorado River in 1984. This helped them use water for their farms and other needs.
In 1994, the community opened a casino called Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino. They also built a hotel there. By 2011, the casino and resort were a major part of the economy in Pinal County. In 2011, the casino added a new hotel tower. This made the resort much bigger, with 300 rooms and a swimming pool.
The Ak-Chin Indian Community bought the Phoenix Regional Airport in 2006. They later renamed it Ak-Chin Regional Airport. This airport is about 170 acres and has a 5,000-foot runway. In 2010, they also bought the Royal Dunes golf course. They renamed it the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club.
Contents
About the Reservation
The Maricopa Reservation was first set up by the U.S. government in 1912. It was originally planned to be about 47,600 acres (193 square kilometers). However, within a few months, the government made it smaller. It became 22,000 acres (89 square kilometers). This change happened because non-Native farmers in the area did not want such a large reservation.
The reservation is located in Pinal County, Arizona. It is part of the Sonoran Desert. The reservation is about 40 miles south of Phoenix. It is also right next to the city of Maricopa. The land is about 1,186 feet (361 meters) above sea level. Much of the land is good for farming. About 15,000 acres of land are used for farming with irrigation.
Who Lives Here?
Most of the people in the community live in Ak-Chin Village. This village is in the western part of the reservation. A small part of the city of Maricopa is also on the reservation.
In 2020, the total population on the reservation was 1,070 people. This number includes both community members and others. The 2020 U.S. Census showed that 87.5% of the people (914 individuals) were American Indian or Native Alaskan. This was a big increase from the year 2000. Most of these individuals (90.2%) were born on the reservation or in Arizona.
About 16.3% of the people identify as Hispanic or Latino. Also, 6.2% are of two or more races. A smaller number are White (1.5%) or African American (0.3%). The population is almost evenly split between males (47.8%) and females (52.2%). Most people are between 25 and 44 years old (29%). Many are also between 5 and 17 years old (23.5%). About 7.9% of the population is 65 years or older. The average age on the reservation is 27.9 years old.
About 37.4% of the people live below the federal poverty line. This means they face financial challenges. A survey from 2020 showed that 33.7% of working people have jobs in the service industry. These jobs include public administration, education, health care, and recreation. When it comes to housing, 94.5% of the people rent their homes.
Language and Culture
The Ak-Chin Indian Community has its own written form of the Oʼodham language. This language belongs to the Piman group. This group is part of the larger Uto-Aztecan language family.
The name Ak-Chin comes from the Oʼodham language. It means "the mouth of the arroyo." An arroyo is a dry creek bed that can fill with water after rain.
How the Community Earns Money
Ak-Chin Farms Enterprises is the community's farming business. It manages 15,000 acres of land. This makes it one of the largest farming communities in the country. They have used irrigation for a long time to help their crops grow. In 1984, the tribe won a legal agreement for water rights. This gave them the right to use 75,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water. The farms mainly grow cotton, barley, wheat, and milo.
The tribe also owns and runs Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino. This casino opened in 1994. They also have related resort facilities. These include restaurants like Agave's Southwestern Restaurant and Harvest Buffet. There is also a hotel. All these are located near Maricopa. The tribe also owns the naming rights for the Ak-Chin Pavilion. This is an entertainment venue in Phoenix. The casino and resort attract many visitors from Maricopa and the Phoenix area.
A study in 2011 showed that Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino Resort was the biggest helper to the Pinal County economy. It created almost 1,100 jobs. It also brought in more than $205.3 million in economic activity in 2010. Since then, the resort has grown, bringing in even more money.
The money from the casino and resort has helped the tribe invest in other projects. In 2006, they bought the 450-acre property of the former Phoenix Regional Airport. In 2012, it was renamed Ak-Chin Regional Airport. They are making improvements to it. The tribe also bought the 50-acre Santa Cruz Commerce Center. This is an industrial park that they are developing. The tribe has a special board to manage this development.
In 2010, the tribe bought the Southern Dunes Golf Club. This golf course is open to the public. The tribe also offers it as a benefit to guests staying at Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino Resort.
In November 2012, the tribe opened a new $50 million entertainment complex. It is 165,000 square feet in size. It has a movie theater, a bowling alley, restaurants, and an arcade. There are also areas for events. It is located at the edge of the reservation, next to the city of Maricopa. The mayor of Maricopa said this project would be a "great addition to the area."
With the money from their successful casino and resort, the tribe has made many improvements on the reservation. These include building a new fire station. They also built a water reclamation facility and a surface water treatment plant.
See also
In Spanish: Comunidad india Ak Chin para niños
