TUMACACORI Tumacacori's Yesterdays

1. (Page 16). Tumacacori, according to Papago informants, is from two words, "tchumak," meaning "light colored earthy material," and "cacori," meaning a "bend" or "curve" as in a stream channel or mountain formation. Slightly different is the Pima version, with the first word meaning "caliche," or "limestone," and the second "leaning rock," or "bluff."

It seems to us Tumacacori is undoubtedly a place name, and probably referred to a conspicuous light colored formation in the base portion of the "leaning over" Tumacacori Peak. In certain light one can see a definite light color to some of the felsitic rocks in that area, although any true resemblance to caliche or limestone is only superficial.

2. (Page 21). You can interpret this to mean "Sobaipuris from Tumacacori," as well as "Sobaipuris of San Xavier del Bac." We have accepted Bolton's theory, that Tumacacori was Pima, not Sobaipuri, at Kino's time.

3. (Page 22). Father Kino in 1691 mentions more than 40 houses at Tumacacori. Bernal, in 1697, mentions only 23 houses. This is quite a discrepancy, for only six years of difference. One explanation is that possibly some of the houses Kino saw were unoccupied, and, being lightly constructed, had disintegrated in six years, or been torn down for the salvage material to be used in patching other houses.

4. (Page 34). Hubert Howe Bancroft, in Volume XVII of "History of Arizona and New Mexico" gives no primary source for his statement about the 1769 attack on Tumacacori, or his census figure of 39. Until we find a source, those statements will have a small question mark after them.

5. (Page 34). Reverend Victor R. Stoner, in "The Kiva" for April and May, 1937, gives his opinion that Tumacacori took over Guevavi's role as head mission for the district in 1773. The opinion is based on evidence derived from translating Guevavi records to that period. Copies of pertinent portions of that translation are in the Tumacacori library.

6. (Page 39). The 1796 Tumacacori census was copied by Alfred F. Whiting in December, 1949, from a manuscript discovered by Sr. Antonio Nakayama in archives of the Bishop of Sinaloa, in Culiacan.

7. (Page 43). Charles Ramsdell, Jr., obtained these data, while a junior historian in the National Park Service. He gave no specific source, saying only that the material was from the National Archives in Mexico City. He quoted pertinent portions, in typewritten monthly reports for April and May of 1937.

8. (Page 44). New title papers for the Tumacacori grant. This material from photostats of voluminous Report and Opinion of John Wasson, Surveyor-general of Arizona Territory, contained in Senate Executive Document No. 207, of 46th Congress, 2nd Session.

9. (Page 44). The source of this 1817 reference is Charles Ramsdell, Jr., (same as in No. 7, above)

10. (Page 55). This 1828 reference is from Jose Francisco Velasco, in the 1850 report "Noticias Estadisticas del Estado de Sonora." Quoted by Robert H. Rose in "Kino Mission Records." From Southwestern Monuments Special Reports No. 11 and 12, November and December, 1936.