Desert IndiansDesert Indians

Where Did They Live?Where Did They Live? Desert Indians lived in the Desert Indians lived in the

Southwest: Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Southwest: Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of TexasNew Mexico and parts of Texas

The land varies, but includes mesas, The land varies, but includes mesas, deep canyons, mountains, and deep canyons, mountains, and deserts. deserts.

All of the land gets less than 5 inches All of the land gets less than 5 inches of rain a year, and most of that rain of rain a year, and most of that rain happens in a 6 week period! happens in a 6 week period!

The Southwest is a very dry area. What deserts are located here???

The Desert TribesThe Desert Tribes The earliest tribe were the Anasazi. The earliest tribe were the Anasazi.

They were the first basket makers They were the first basket makers and cliff dwellers. and cliff dwellers.

They were peaceful Indians. They were peaceful Indians. Others include…..Others include…..

– PuebloPueblo– NavajoNavajo– ApacheApache– ZuniZuni

Everyday Life - MenEveryday Life - Men

Invented ways to irrigate their crops, Invented ways to irrigate their crops, mostly by digging canals from mostly by digging canals from nearby riversnearby rivers

Hunting wasn’t important to the Hunting wasn’t important to the Desert Indians, there weren’t any Desert Indians, there weren’t any large animals to hunt only rabbits large animals to hunt only rabbits and prairie dogs. and prairie dogs.

Crafts like pottery, bead making and Crafts like pottery, bead making and weaving were the man’s job. weaving were the man’s job.

Everyday Life - WomenEveryday Life - Women

Planted gardens at the bottom of Planted gardens at the bottom of hills to catch the run-off rain. hills to catch the run-off rain.

Gathered berries, nuts, bulbs and Gathered berries, nuts, bulbs and seeds to grind into food. seeds to grind into food.

Corn was 80% of their diet. Corn was 80% of their diet. Women died the cotton for clothes, Women died the cotton for clothes,

but didn’t make them. but didn’t make them.

Everyday Life - KidsEveryday Life - Kids

Kids only grew to be about 5 feet tall Kids only grew to be about 5 feet tall because of their plant based diet. because of their plant based diet.

Boys and girls played with Kachina Boys and girls played with Kachina Dolls. These dolls were carved out of Dolls. These dolls were carved out of roots to look like spirits. roots to look like spirits.

Boys went on vision questsBoys went on vision quests

What Did They Live In?What Did They Live In?

The Desert Indians lived in pueblos, The Desert Indians lived in pueblos, which are made up of sandstone. which are made up of sandstone.

Pueblos are like apartments and can Pueblos are like apartments and can have 800 rooms joined together in have 800 rooms joined together in one building! one building!

Had ladders getting from place to Had ladders getting from place to place, they could be pulled inside place, they could be pulled inside incase of an attack.incase of an attack.

What Did They Live In?What Did They Live In?

Some Desert Indians lived in hogans. Some Desert Indians lived in hogans. Hogans are built at the base of hills Hogans are built at the base of hills

and are made of everything from and are made of everything from nature (dirt, animal, wood…)nature (dirt, animal, wood…)

A village would spread out over a A village would spread out over a large piece of land, but families large piece of land, but families would cluster together. would cluster together.

What about Travel?What about Travel?

They didn’t travel.They didn’t travel. The tribes were so isolated that they The tribes were so isolated that they

rarely ran into other tribes.rarely ran into other tribes.

Desert FashionDesert Fashion

Clothes were mostly woven from Clothes were mostly woven from threads of the yucca plant and threads of the yucca plant and cotton. They didn’t have a lot of cotton. They didn’t have a lot of animal skins. animal skins.

Since it was hot all year, clothing was Since it was hot all year, clothing was kept light and sparse. kept light and sparse.

Men and women wore a lot of Men and women wore a lot of jewelry. jewelry.

The Snake Dance (ick!)The Snake Dance (ick!) The snake represented harmony between The snake represented harmony between

all things living. all things living. For 8 days live snakes (mostly rattlers) For 8 days live snakes (mostly rattlers)

were colleted from the four corners of the were colleted from the four corners of the village and placed in an underground village and placed in an underground room. They would normally collect 100-room. They would normally collect 100-200 snakes. 200 snakes.

Priests would stroke them with eagle Priests would stroke them with eagle feathers to soothe themfeathers to soothe them

On the last day, priests would take each On the last day, priests would take each snake and hold it in their mouth then snake and hold it in their mouth then throw it in cornmeal before releasing it. throw it in cornmeal before releasing it.

Geronimo fought against the white Geronimo fought against the white man because his tribe was made to man because his tribe was made to be slaves in mines. be slaves in mines.