Gila River Indian Community facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gila River Indian Community
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Location of Gila River Indian Community in northwestern Pinal County, Arizona. The Phoenix metropolitan area is located north of the reservation.
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Arizona | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1,511.90 km2 (583.749 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 14,260 | |
| Website | Gila River Indian Community | |
The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) is a special area in Arizona, USA. It is also known as Keli Akimel Oʼotham in the O'odham language, which means "Gila River People." In the Maricopa language, it is called Pee-Posh. This community is an Indian reservation located near the cities of Chandler and Phoenix. It spans parts of Pinal and Maricopa counties.
The Gila River Indian Community was officially started in 1859. The U.S. Congress formally recognized it in 1939. It is home to members of both the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and the Pee-Posh (Maricopa) tribes. The reservation covers about 584 square miles. In 2020, about 14,260 people lived there.
The community is divided into seven districts along the Gila River. Some of its biggest towns are Sacaton, Komatke, Santan, and Blackwater. The main offices for the tribal government are in Sacaton. The community runs its own phone company, electric power, and a healthcare clinic. They also publish a newspaper every month.
Contents
Fun Places to Visit
The Gila River Indian Community has places for people to enjoy. The first casino opened here in 1994.
Ira H. Hayes Memorial Library
The Ira H. Hayes Memorial Library is in Sacaton. It offers many helpful services to the community members. It is named after a famous Marine from the community.
Towns and Villages
The Gila River Indian Community includes several towns and villages. Each has its own name, and some also have names in the native languages.
- Bapchule (Pihpchul)
- Blackwater (Chukma Shuhthagi)
- Casa Blanca
- Co-op Village (Chichino)
- Gila Crossing (Kuiva)
- Goodyear (Valin Thak)
- Komatke (Komadk)
- Maricopa Colony
- Sacate Village
- Sacaton (Ge'e Kih)
- Sacaton Flats (Hahshani Kehk)
- St. John's
- Santa Cruz (Hia-t-ab)
- Santan/Santa Ana (Santan)
- Stotonic (S-totonigk)
- Sweetwater (S-iʼovi Shuhthagi)
- Vahki (Va'akih)
- Wet Camp Village
Lone Butte Ranch
Lone Butte Ranch is a small, populated area within the community. It is about 1,112 feet (339 meters) above sea level.
Getting Around
The community has its own ways for people to travel.
Gila River Memorial Airport
The community used to operate the Gila River Memorial Airport. This was a small, private airport. It was used for things like crop dusting. Now, the airport is no longer in use.
Gila River Transit
The community also runs Gila River Transit. This is a public bus system. It helps people travel between all seven districts of the community.
Major Highways
I-10, a very busy highway, passes through the Gila River lands. This brings a lot of traffic through the area.
Community Laws and Government
The Gila River Indian Community has its own set of laws. These laws help the community govern itself.
Community Constitution
The community's main set of rules is called the Constitution and Bylaws of the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona. The tribe approved it on January 22, 1960. The U.S. Secretary of the Interior also approved it on March 17, 1960. You can find these rules online.
Current Legal Code
The most recent set of laws for the Gila River Indian Community was put into place in 2009. Some changes were made to these laws on May 15, 2013. These updated laws are also available online for everyone to see.
Famous People from the Community
Many notable individuals have come from the Gila River Indian Community.
- Beulah Archuletta (1909–1969) was a Pee-Posh (Maricopa) actress.
- Ira Hayes (1923–1955) was one of the six Marines in the famous Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photograph.
- Jay Morago (1917–2008) was the first Governor of the Gila River Indian Community. He served from 1954 to 1960 and helped create the community's constitution.
- Mary Thomas (1944–2014) was the first woman elected as Governor of the Gila River Indian Community. She served from 1994 to 2000.
- Natalie Diaz (1978–) is a poet, educator, and activist who won a Pulitzer Prize.
