Kids Learn Yavapai At Summer Language Camp
By Harrison J. Bahe
From July 14 to July 17, 2025, the Fort McDowell Cultural Center led by Culture Coordinator Clissene Lewis hosted a Yavapai Language Youth Summer Camp at the Fort McDowell Library.
On the first day, children learned a traditional Yavapai prayer:“Bah-gih yovaa Ah-thii yeh-chii kum Yavbay-yii hv-honik balm m am Balm deh dek balm-mweya Hanigum,” which translates to, “God/Creator, we are happy. This day you have given us is good. Help us and watch over us. Thank you.”
The second day focused on color vocabulary. The children learned the Yavapai words for various colors:
- Black: nya
- Red: ahwatha
- Orange: qwath-ga oll-thi
- Yellow: qwath-thii
- Green: Havasu
- Blue: havsuweh
- Purple: havsu-enyah-lik
- Pink: qwal-sey
- White: nymsavi
They then matched the words with crayon colors on a worksheet for a fun, hands-on learning activity.
On the third day, the children learned Yavapai words for family members. Each child was encouraged to say the word and follow it with the name of a relative to help the word stick. The day ended with a lively round of the traditional Rock and Stick game, where players used rocks as tokens and wooden chips as dice. The game quickly became a crowd favorite, sparking playful competition among the kids.
The final day focused on counting in Yavapai, with students learning to count to ten. Afterwards, the camp held the exciting final rounds of the Rock and Stick game. With a mysterious treasure box of goodies on the line, the competition heated up. Mark Villafan claimed first place, with Greysin Hosay following closely in second. To celebrate, the children enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch generously provided by the We-Ko-Pa Casino and Resort.
By the end of the camp, it was clear the kids had a blast learning the traditional Yavapai language. The Rock and Stick game stood out as a favorite—so much so that even this reporter joined in a few rounds and was pleasantly surprised by the fun and simplicity of it. All in all, the 2025 Yavapai Language Youth Summer Camp was a joyful, successful celebration of culture, language, and fun.
