The Sobaipuri, a branch of the Akimel O’odham (Pima or River People) lived along the Santa Cruz River.  The name Pima was given to the Indians by the Spanish.  It may come from the phrase Pi-nyi-match which means "I don't know," the answer given by the Indians to all the questions asked by the Spanish.  Possibly, the Spanish thought the Indians were telling them their tribal name and wrote it on the maps of that period!

The O’odham were well adapted to their environment but experienced major resource limitations. They farmed by utilizing floodplains near the river and collection of monsoon rains to water their crops of corn, beans, squash and cotton. Although still debated, they may have brought water from the river to their fields via acequias or canals.  Besides enduring drought periods, which caused crop failures, they suffered when summer rains were too heavy, washing out their floodplain crops. In addition, the O’odham lacked a winter crop and were forced to gather foods such as mesquite, Devils Claw and cactus, or hunt rodents, birds, deer, pronghorn and mountain sheep for survival.  Because they could utilize wild foods so efficiently, the O’odham people survived such times.

When Father Kino met with the Sobaipuri, he gave them gifts such as colorful beads, horses, cattle and a plant called “wheat” that grew in the winter.  He also brought lots of other good things to eat.  These foods may have included sugar, sheep, oats, olives, grapes, pork, cabbage, barley, and beets.

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 Akimel 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.  All were within hearing distance of the communal "rain house," from atop which a crier broadcast information.

Each village had a leader, but government was by consensus, and he depended upon his powers of persuasion.  During armed conflict, a war chief took absolute command of the village.  The rancherias were politically self-contained, but during war neighboring settlements might form loose alliances against a common enemy.  The Piman method of waging war after they had gathered a large army was to march to the place where they would fight and then wait!  The war leaders of the two sides would call each other names and sometimes the whole army would shout at each other.

Neighboring settlements would also jointly participate in games and religious observances, such as the rain ceremony.  These rituals of celebratory songs, masked dancers, and tobacco smoking recreated the harmony of nature at the core of their spiritual life.

Basketmaking was a necessary skill for each village.  Baskets were used to store food, hold water, roast corn, serve food, and, turned upside down, they were used as a drum.  The Pima baskets were always black and white.  The white was willow shoot which were plentiful along the river banks and the black was Devils Claw.  As the rivers of the area dried up, so did the plants needed to make baskets.  When this happened, the number of baskets made dropped dramatically until today there are few baskets woven by the Pimas.