Yavapai are a
Native American tribe in
Arizona. Historically, the Yavapai – literally “people of the sun” (from
enyaeva “sun” +
pai “people”) – were divided into four geographical bands that considered themselves separate peoples: the
Ðo:lkabaya, or Western Yavapai, the
Yavbe', or Northwestern Yavapai, the
Guwevkabaya, or Southeastern Yavapai, and
Wi:pukba, or Northeastern Yavapai - Verde Valley Yavapai. Another Yavapai band was the
Madqwadabaya or "Desert People" and is believed to have mixed with the
Mojave people and
Quechan people and no longer exists. Several Mohave and Quechan families trace their family history to Yavapai roots. The Yavapai have much in common with their linguistic relatives to the north, the
Havasupai, the
Hualapai. Often Yavapai were mistaken as Apache by
American settlers, variously being referred to as "Mohave-Apache", "Yuma-Apache" or "Tonto-Apache".