Hemajkam ha Thoak’thag ‘The Life of the People’ 2025

Our O’otham age groups have changed over the years to accommodate the new laws and policies adopted over time.  As O’otham always done, we had adapted to the changes and remained embedded in our “Himthag” or (Way of Life). 

As O’otham, we started off our lives at our “Eñ ma:sig thash” (day of my birth) from there we were nurtured by “eñ Je’e” (my mother)  At that point in our lives, both sexes called “Ali” (newborn/infant) included our infants from newborn to age five.

In those modern times, both parents had full-time jobs. When the maternity leave was used up, Moms returned to work.  At that point, our children entered the school and daycare system and begun their formal instruction. Some of our young community members were enrolled into Early Head Start, which accepted infants from birth to age three. 

When the children reached the age of three they enrolled into the regular Head Start Program.  The last age of the “Ali” group was reached when the children turned five years of age and enrolled into Kindergarten. 

As the children had gotten older, they joined the “Viappoi ch Chehia” (young boy and young girl) age group. 

That age group started at age six and ended at age twelve in the pre-teen years. 

That was when they often “hejel ‘eñigadath” (dress by themselves) and were given some responsibilities around the home.  For some, they had “mai math ‘o hihitho” (learned how to prepare food and cook). When the children reached the age of thirteen, they often joined the “Che’choj ch U’uv” (young men and young women) age group.  At that point, many joined “haichu chichivi” (played in different sports) like football and volleyball. 

During that period, some O’otham “mantho haichu chikpan” (started working) their first jobs (often part-time) after school and on weekends.  It was also at that age-range when some graduated from high school. When young mem and women reached the age of twenty-two they were considered adults by current laws. 

That group was often referred to as the “Ge’egeḍ Che’choj ch U’uv” (adult males and adult females).

For many of them that was, “shelma ‘o chikpannath” (worked at their professions).

That was considered their most productive years, as it was within that age-span that they had accomplished most of their lifetime achievements.

The last group O’otham joined as they aged was the “Keli ch Oks Kekel” (Elders), which begun at age fifty-five.

Many continued working until they retired at age sixty-five and a few worked past that point. We encourage you to learn these phrases and use them with your family members.  Speak with a Kekel or speaker in your family and learn how to pronounce the phrases. 

Some phrases may be slightly different between the villages.

A special Thank You to Community Elders, whose knowledge of Hemajkam ha Thoak ‘thag that made this article possible.