Cocopah Casino, Resort & Conference Center, Somerton, Arizona

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Cocopah Casino, Resort & Conference Center Photos, 15318 S. Ave B, Somerton, AZ 85350, Ph:(928) 722-6677

The New Lounge, An intriguing combination of Relaxation & Sophistication, 55+ Players Club, Desert Rage VII - April 24, Karaoke Nite Wednesdays!

Cocopah Resort & Conference Center Main Entrance

Cocopah, One Way

Wild River Family Entertainment Center

15136 S. Ave B, SES#2

Cocopah Wild River Family Entertainment Center

Wild River Family Entertainment Center, Cocopah

12 Lane Bowling Alley

Monopoly, Deal, Arcade

Tokens, Games

Handicap Parking

Wild River

Cocopah Korner Fuel & Food Mart, Gasoline $2.94, $3.04, $3.14 Self Serve, Highway 95

Cocopah Korner Fuel & Food Mart

Gas Station

Phone Cards, Tarjitas De Telefono, ATM Machine, Cajero Automatico, Cigarettes, Cold Beer, Cigarros Al Desruento, Cerveza Fria Hielo, Ice

Open, Budweiser, ATM, Cocopah Korner

Parking Lot

The Peon Game is one of the most popular gambling games for men. It is referred to in Spanish as Peon, in Cocopah as micuul. Teams of 10 or more enter to play, including women and children in different categories. An entry fee is paid into a jackpot for the winners. In earlier times, horses were used as a wager. The micuul/peon games are played at night around an open fire. Before the game starts, each player must go through a special ceremony

How to Play - The game starts off with two teams facing one another, one team drapes a blanket across themselves while holding it in place with their teeth and then they begin hiding the white egret bone and blackened arrowweed stick in their hands. Some of the callings that are used are made with their fingers. One pointer finger is used for "Media Chico" and two fingers are used for "Wada Chico". When the call is made the team hiding the bone must drop their blankets but keep singing.

The songs never stop through-out the micuul. Then Kome/referee will instruct the players to show their hands. The players will then hold out their arms, palms down, open their hands to let the white egret bones & blacken stick fall. The Kome/referee keeps score and settles any possible arguments. If the opposing team guesses correctly and eliminates all the opposing team members then it's their turn to hide under the blanket.

Today, in the 21st Century Peon Tournaments is still played by many different tribes throughout North American. (Special thanks to Tony Phillips for assistance with this exhibit.)

Indians hold the blanket between their teeth and hide white egret bone and blackened arrow weed sticks in their hands.

The players will then hold out their arms, palms down, open their hands to let the white egret bones & blacken stick fall.

Teams consists of four players. The object of the game is to eliminate all the players on each team by correctly selecting the location of white egret bone. Each team will try to read the movements, actions, and voices of their opponents to determine in which hand the white egret bone is being held. Sometimes players take more than 4 hours per game depending on how well the players are doing, if they are very good then it can take all night. When the gamer ends another team then challenges the winning team of that game, and so on...

Game Pieces - The game is played with 15 decorated arrowweed sticks (15 1/2 inches long) they are used as counters to keep score. A white egret bone and a blackened piece of arrowweed (2" long) are separately attached with a small piece of string which is tied to a player's middle finger.

Songs are sung throughout the game by the players and women standing behind the teams. These songs are about winning the game and teasing their opponents. Sometimes a player would have a favorite song they would sing all the time. At one point this particular song becomes a winning song for them. One of the songs is about the sacred mountain, and about how you are taking the game home with you - meaning you are winning. Some songs might be sung in Spanish.

Cocopah Beaded Capes... Were worn by Cocopah women at the turn of the century when commercial trading began in the Southwest. As depicted in the photo, a female captive of the last "Chief" Frank Tehanna (far righ) is adorn in traditional Cocopah historic dress & garb.

Historic Home Ramada Sleeping Shelters Early 1900's (Photography provided by the Smithsonian Institution)

Historic Dwelling Date Unkown (Photograph Courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation YAO)

From Traditional Homes to Shanty Homes Traditional Use Plants became scarce & unavailable. Discarded Material from the local trash refuses were used (1940's to late 1960's)

Utilization of both commercial materials and traditional plants (lumber & arrowweed) circa 1940's

Divisions of Old HUD Homes (70's) Current Residential Homes (90's) Two-Story 24-Apartment Complex (2005) Two Community Parks (Background Facing West - Views of Colorado River, Mexico & Sand Dunes)

Cocopah Community Center - Location West Cocopah Reservation Completed in 2001

Aerial View of the Old Cocopah Bingo & Casino - Location: East Cocopah Reservation - Bottom Left: Easy Corner: Botom Center: Pink & Grey Roof Casino Middle Right: Pow Wow Grounds - Early 1990's

South View from the Old Casino to the New Casino & future hotel area. December 2003

Cocopah Resort & Conference Center, Location: East Cocopah Reservation Opened December 2007

Cocopah Casino, Location: East Cocopah Reservation Opened December 2003

kwapa nawee u as llusaaw & wa kwapa mcheeweep, Cocopah Museum & Cultural Center, Location: West Cocopah Reservation, The Museum was Dedicated & Blessed in April 1994 & Opened in October 1996. The Cultural Center was Dedicated, Blessed and Opened in October 1996