Cáhita

Cahíta is an umbrella term for several Indigenous peoples of Mexico in the West Coast states of Sonora and Sinaloa. The term includes the Yaqui, Mayo, and Tehueco peoples.

An early 17th century Jesuit first recorded the term Cáhita, which referred to the Hiaki, Mayo, and Tehueco. Mid 19th century Mexican scholars broaden the term Cáhita to refer to more region peoples. Their nomadic lifestyle and constant moving along rivers are explained by their agricultural economy, necessitating them to search for riverbanks favorable for planting, then move on once the resources of an area were exhausted.

The Cahita were a kinship based society, organized together in groups of families. They had a basic social organization, and did not recognize any individual authority beside a military leader in times of war. The majority of the indigenous people were monogamous, although polygamy was allowed and divorce was socially acceptable and occurred frequently.

A very marked cultural trait of the Cahita was their belligerence. This trait distinguishes them from the other groups in the region, such as the Tahues and the Totorames. Their main armaments were arrows, the bow, and the club. Arrows were made with a sharp point hardened by fire and coated in poison. It was customary to enter battle yelling, as well as painting their bodies and faces and wearing adornments of feathers. They used military tactics such as hidden traps placed in the paths of enemies, and often used surprise raids at dawn. Entering into battle was a decision made by adult males. Because of this, they gathered the population and consulted the elders and experienced warriors. They smoked tobacco, danced, drank spirits, and listened to arguments for and against war. The main purpose of engaging in war was to regain territory occupied by other tribes, or to redress a grievance. After triumph in a battle, they celebrated the victory by ritually consuming the body of an enemy; as such, they chose whoever had distinguished themselves in battle to do this.

The Cahita people worshipped natural forces such as the wind, the water, the earth, the sun, and the sea, to whom they provided offerings to ask for good harvests, abundant fishing, or a fruitful harvest. They believed in the existence of something superior to all the forces, who was responsible for all of creation. Their ceremonies were simple and without ritual. Special attention was paid to healers, who administered medicine to the sick and had special knowledge of herbal medicine. Their therapeutic practices were heavily religious, leading to the Jesuits referring to healers as 'sorcerers' and political leaders due to their high prestige within the group.

They lived in houses made of sticks, mud, and palm, similar to that of the Tahues, built away from the rising river and close to fields. The practical nature of their houses allowed them to move easily when circumstances required, as they had limited belongings and huts could be easily rebuilt after moving. They were potters, manufacturing objects out of ceramic for daily and religious use. They created things for other uses such as whistles, and left space in the legs of their pots to insert small balls that made sound when shook. They practiced spinning and weaving cotton, which was a wild and abundant plant in the region. They wore woven blankets as clothing, although among men it was more common to go nude. Women tended to wear skirts made of cotton or suede. The Cahita enjoyed ball games requiring strength and skill, which were common across Mesoamerica. They also played games of chance, betting belongings such as blankets, shell adornments, and skins.