The Tohono O'odham or Papago trace their ancestry to the Hohokam or "those who came before."  The actual name Papago comes from the Piman word Papahvi-o-otam which may mean "bean people."

The Papago had two locations for their villages which they referred to as the Fields and the Well.  The Fields were located along the river and were inhabited during the growing season.  The Well sites were located in the mountains where they hunted deer and gathered wild foods.   Sometimes when crops were poor, the Papago had to range over great distances to feed their families.

Goods brought by Father Kino, other priests, and the early settlers changed the way the O’odham lived. The introduction of wheat and cattle meant that the people no longer needed to move around as much in search of wild foods or go on long hunts since these new crops and animals provided reliable food.  Their diet and lives became better because of the new exotic foods such as beets, grapes, and sugar.  The cattle, sheep and pigs gave them lots of meat.  European inventions such as metal knives and digging tools made their work easier.

The dwellings of the Tohono O'odham were made of saplings bent over and covered with brush and earth, forming sturdy, dome-shaped structures which resemble upside-down bird nests.  These structures were used for sleeping and food storage.  Cooking and other activities took place outside.

The traditional saguaro harvest takes place each year sometime in June.  The Papago use a cross-shaped picking stick make from the ribs of dead saguaro to pluck the ripe fruit from the cactus.  The fruit usually splits when it hits the ground, revealing its scarlet pulp mixed with black seeds.  If the fruit doesn't split, the pickers use the stem as a knife to cut around the fruit and split it open.  The fruit is cooked immediately over an open fire in ollas.  The strained cherry red juice is used for syrup and wine used in ceremonies to encourage the summer rains.  The cooked pulp is made into jam and some is dried on racks to make a concoction similar to fruit leather.  The black seeds are roasted and then ground for flour.

Each village had a headman called "The Keeper of the Smoke," but the business of the village was discussed by a council of elders who only took action after they reached unanimous agreement.  War and hunting expeditions were under the direction of leaders selected for their personal abilities and knowledge of rituals. The Papago had little time for war so they would take only a small band of warriors, usually ten or twelve, to enemy country.  They would attack at dawn so the enemy would not know they were coming.

When the food gathering for the winter was over, the Papago would relax by playing kickball and running races.

The Papago basketmakers utilized materials from the desert.  The white designs were created using sotol and yucca.  The black designs were from the inner bark of yucca roots.  The inner coil of the basket was bear grass.  The same materials are used by today's Tohono O'odham basketmakers who produce more baskets than any other tribe.