Editing Sonora (section)

===Indigenous population===

The most numerous indigenous groups in the state are the [[Mayo people|Mayo]], the [[Yaqui people|Yaquis]] and the [[Seri people|Seris]]; however, there are a number of other groups which have maintained much of their way of life in territory in which they have lived for centuries.<ref name="rincones2324">Gonzalez, pp. 23–24</ref> There were at least nine tribes, eight of which remain today. Seven are indigenous to Sonora, with one migrating to the state over a century ago from the United States.<ref name="etniasgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/ |title=Etnias de Sonora |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Ethnicities of Sonora |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-date=February 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202081812/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/ }}</ref> These cultures generally hold in reverence the deserts, mountains, riverbeds and Gulf of California with which they have contact. Many of these beliefs have been adapted to Catholicism. There are efforts to preserve indigenous languages, but with groups of diminished size, this has been a challenge.<ref name="rincones2324"/> As of 2000, there were 55,609 people, or 2.85% of the population, who spoke an indigenous language in the state. The indigenous population is concentrated in fourteen municipalities, which are home to 91% of the total indigenous population of the state. The municipalities with the greatest presence include [[Etchojoa]] with 19% of the municipal population, [[Guaymas]] with 8.34%, [[Huatabampo]] with 11.8%, [[Navojoa]] with 5.92%, [[Hermosillo]] with 1.1%, [[Cajeme]] with 1%, [[Bácum]] with 9.26%, [[Benito Juárez, Sonora|Benito Juárez]] with 5.2%, [[San Ignacio Río Muerto]] with 7.4%, [[Nogales, Sonora|Nogales]] with 1.2%, [[Álamos]] with 3.9%, [[San Miguel de Horcasitas]] with 13.7%, [[Yécora, Sonora|Yécora]] with 6.8% and [[San Luis Río Colorado]] with 5.1%.<ref name="perfilsoc"/>
[[File:Danza del venado.jpg|thumb|Performance of the Deer Dance]]

The [[Mayo people|Mayos]] are the most numerous indigenous ethnic group in the state with more than 75,000 who have maintained their language and traditions. These people, who call themselves Yoreme, are descended from ancient Huatabampo culture.<ref name="rincones24">Gonzalez, p. 24</ref><ref name="mayosgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/mayos/ |title=Mayos |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Mayo people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514050147/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/mayos/ }}</ref> They are concentrated along the [[Mayo River (Mexico)|Mayo River]]. Most are found in the municipalities of Álamos, [[Quiriego]] and others in the south of the state, as well as in some parts of the coast near the [[Isla Tiburón]]. There is also a notable community in the northwest of Sonora.<ref name="rincones24"/><ref name="mayosgob"/> Their religion is a mix of Catholicism and traditional beliefs, which they assimilated along with European farming and livestock knowledge. Mayo houses often have a cross made of [[Olneya tesota|ironwood]] to protect against evil. Ethnically pure Mayos tend to segregate themselves from mestizos and other ethnicities.<ref name="rincones24"/><ref name="mayosgob"/> The Mayos make their living from subsistence farming, working on larger farms and combing wild area for herbs, fruits and other resources. They also work making crafts in wood, making utensils and decorative items.<ref name="yetman4"/>

The [[Yaqui people|Yaquis]] are the indigenous group mostly closely associated with the state of Sonora.<ref name="yaquisgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/yaquis/ |title=Yaquis |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Yaqui people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020132916/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/yaquis/ |archive-date=October 20, 2010 }}</ref> These people are second most numerous in the state with about 33,000 members traditionally located along the Yaqui River. They are found principally in the communities of {{ill|Pótam|es}}, {{ill|Huiribis|es}}, {{ill|Tórim|es}}, [[Cocorit]], [[Bácum]], [[Vícam]], [[Rahúm]] and [[Belem, Sonora|Belem]], which have semi autonomous government. The Yaqui have been able to maintain most of their traditions including ancestor worship, original language, and many of their traditional rites and dances, with the [[deer dance (Yaqui)|deer dance]] the best known among outsiders. The Yaquis call themselves and the Mayos the "Yoreme" or "Yoeme". The Yaqui and Mayo languages are mutually intelligible, and the two peoples are believed to have been united until relatively recently. One of the Yaqui religious celebrations which is best known among outsiders is [[Holy Week]], along with rituals associated with [[Lent]] and [[Day of the Dead]]. As they consider the soul immortal, funerals are not a somber occasion but rather celebrations with banquets and music.<ref name="rincones24"/> The preservation of history is important to the Yaqui, especially the struggles they have had to maintain their independence.<ref name="yaquisgob"/>

The [[Seri people|Seris]] call themselves the Comcáac,<ref name="MoserM">{{cite book |last=Moser |first=Mary B. |author-link=Mary B. Moser |author2=Stephen A. Marlett  |title=Comcáac quih yaza quih hant ihíip hac: Diccionario seri-español-inglés |url=http://lengamer.org/admin/language_folders/seri/user_uploaded_files/links/File/DiccionarioSeri2005.pdf |year=2005 |publisher=Universidad de Sonora and Plaza y Valdés Editores |location=Hermosillo, Sonora |language=es, en}}</ref> which means "the people" in the [[Seri language]]. The name Seri comes from the [[Opata language]] and means "men of sand".<ref name="serisgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/seris/ |title=Seris |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Seri people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605235509/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/seris/ |archive-date=June 5, 2011 }}</ref> There are about 650 Seri people today. They are well known among outsiders in the state because of their culture and the [[Mexican ironwood carvings|crafts they produce in ironwood]]. For centuries they have inhabited the central coast of the state, especially in [[Punta Chueca]], [[El Desemboque]] and [[Bahía Kino|Kino Viejo]] as well as a number of islands in the Gulf of California in and around the [[Isla Tiburón]]. Generally, the Seris are the tallest of the indigenous peoples of the region, and the first Spaniards to encounter them described them as "giants".{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} Their traditional diet almost entirely consisted of hunted animals and fish. However, this diet changed after the arrival of the Spaniards, when the use of firearms led to the extinction of many food animals. The Seris' traditional beliefs are based on the animals in their environment, especially the [[pelican]] and the turtle, with the sun and moon playing important roles as well.<ref name="serisgob"/><ref name="rincones2425">Gonzalez, pp. 24–25</ref> Rituals are now based on Catholicism,<ref name="serisgob"/><ref name="rincones2425"/> especially those related to birth, puberty and death, but they include traditional chants about the power of the sea, the shark and great deeds of the past. They are also known for the use of face paint during rituals which is applied in lines and dots of various colors.<ref name="serisgob"/><ref name="rincones2425"/>
[[File:Punta Chueca Socaaix 1.JPG|thumb|Punta Chueca, Sonora]]

The [[Tohono O'odham]], still referred to as the Pápago by Spanish speakers, have inhabited the most arid areas of the state, and are mostly found in [[Caborca]], [[Puerto Peñasco]], [[Sáric]], [[Altar, Sonora|Altar]] and [[Plutarco Elías Calles, Sonora|Plutarco Elías Calles]] in the north of the state. However, most people of this ethnicity now live in neighboring Arizona. The Tohono O'odham have as a principal deity the "Older Brother", who dominates the forces of nature. Among their most important rituals is one called the Vikita, which occurs in July, with dances and song to encourage rainfall during the area's short rainy season. In July, during the full moon, a dance called the Cu-cu is performed, which is to ask for favors from [[Mother Nature]] so that there will be no drought and the later harvests will be abundant. The dance is performed during a large festival with brings together not only the Tohono O'odham from Sonora, but from Arizona and California as well. The feast day of [[Francis of Assisi]] is also important. Many of these people are known as skilled carpenters, making furniture as well as delicate figures of wood. There are also craftspeople who make ceramics and baskets, especially a type of basket called a "corita"..<ref name="rincones25">Gonzalez, p. 25</ref><ref name="papagogob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/papagos/ |title=Pápagos |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Papago |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606015929/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/papagos/ |archive-date=June 6, 2011 }}</ref>

The [[Opata people|Opatas]] are location in a number of communities in the center and northwest of the state, but have been disappearing as a distinct ethnicity. This group has lost its traditional rituals, and the language died out in the 1950s. The name means "hostile people" and was given to them by the [[Pima people|Pima]]s, as the Opatas were generally in conflict with their neighbors. They were especially hostile to the Tohono O'odham, who they depreciatingly refer to as the Papawi O'otham, or "bean people". Today's Opatas have completely adopted the Catholic religion with [[Isidore the Laboror]] as the ethnicity's patron saint.<ref name="rincones26">Gonzalez, p. 26</ref><ref name="opatasgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/opatas/ |title=Opatas |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Opata people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020133115/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/opatas/ |archive-date=October 20, 2010 }}</ref>

The [[Pima people|Pima]]s occupy the mountains of the [[Sierra Madre Occidental]] in eastern Sonora and western Chihuahua state. The Pimas call themselves the O'ob, which means "the people". The name Pima was given to them by the Spaniards because the word ''pima'' would be said in response to most questions asked to them in Spanish. This word roughly means "I don't know" or "I don't understand." The traditional territory of this ethnicity is known as the Pimería, and it is divided into two regions: the Pimería Alta and the Pimería Baja. The principal Pima community in Sonora is in {{ill|Maycoba|es}}, with other communities in [[Yécora, Sonora|Yécora]] and its vicinity as well as the community of San Diego, where there is a center selling Pima handcrafts. Pima religion is a mix of traditional beliefs and Catholicism. One of the most important celebrations is the feast of Francis of Assisi, who has been adopted as the patron saint of the Pima. Another important festival is called the Yúmare, which has a variable date with the purpose of asking for an abundant harvest, especially corn. Festivals generally last four days and consist of chants and dances such as the Pascola, accompanies by a fermented corn drink called [[tesgüino]].<ref name="rincones26"/><ref name="pimasgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/pimas/ |title=Pimas |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Pima people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020131510/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/pimas/ |archive-date=October 20, 2010 }}</ref>

The [[Guarijíos]] are one of the least understood groups in the state, and are mostly restricted to an area called the [[Mesa del Matapaco]] in the southeast. The Guarijíos are related to the [[Tarahumara]]s and the [[Cáhita]]s. This was the first group encountered by the [[Jesuit]]s in 1620. Initially, they lived in the area around what is now Álamos, but when the Spaniards arrived, they were dispossessed of their lands. They also did not intermarry with the newcomers, isolating themselves. For this reason, people of this group have very distinct facial features, and have kept their traditions almost completely intact. They remain isolated but are known for their handcrafts. In the 1970s, there was oppression of this group, which was not formally recognized until 1976. In this year, they were granted an [[ejido]].<ref name="rincones26"/><ref name="guarijiosgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/guarijios/ |title=Guarijíos |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Guarijío people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514032159/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/guarijios/ |archive-date=May 14, 2011 }}</ref>

The [[Cocopah]] is the smallest native indigenous group to Sonora with about 170 members, who live mostly in [[San Luis Río Colorado]], along the United States border, in addition to nearby communities in [[Arizona]] and [[Baja California]]. Their own name for themselves, Kuapak, means "which comes" and possibly refers to the frequent changes in the course of the [[Colorado River]].<ref name="rincones27">Gonzalez, p. 27</ref> Traditional native dress is in disuse. It is characterized by the use of feathers and necklaces made of bones, and includes nose rings and earrings with colorful belts for the men. The women used to wear skirts made of feathers. They still practice a number of traditional rituals such as cremation upon death so that the soul can pass on to the afterlife without the body encumbering it. Another traditional practice is the use of [[tattoo]]s.<ref name="rincones27"/><ref name="cucapagob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/cucapa/ |title=Cucapá |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Cocopah people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020131449/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/cucapa/ |archive-date=October 20, 2010 }}</ref>

The [[Kickapoo people|Kickapoos]] are not native to Sonora, but migrated here from the United States over a century ago. Today, they are found in the communities of El Nacimiento in the state of [[Coahuila]], Tamichopa in the municipality of [[Bacerac]], as well as on several different reservations in the United States. However, the Kickapoo community in Sonora is in danger of disappearing. In the 1980s, there were attempts to gather these disparate groups into one community. Eighty members remain in Sonora and they have lost their ancestral language, which was part of the [[Algonquin language|Algonquin family]], with the last speaker dying in 1996, although the language is still widely spoken in other Kickapoo communities, especially in Coahuila. The Kickapoo community in Sonora has also lost much of their traditional culture.<ref name="rincones27"/><ref name="kikapugob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/kikapu/ |title=Kikapú |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Kickapoo people |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020131503/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/etnias-de-sonora/kikapu/ |archive-date=October 20, 2010 }}</ref>