MAPS & MEANING

   "Arizuma" is an Aztec word meaning "silver-bearing" interpreted by the Spanish as "Arizona" which originally referred to what is now the entire region of Arizona and New Mexico. Later, after the Spanish conquered Mexico, the area north of Mexico became known as "New Mexico".

    An old Aztec story says: "The earth is the offspring of the sky. Long prior to the present race of men, the earth was peopled By a race of giants who in time died off, leaving the earth uninhabited. After a long time, a celestial virgin, a child of one of the thirteen great deities who rule all things, came down to the earth, and being well pleased, remained for a long time its sole inhabitant. Once when in a deep sleep, a drop of dew from heaven fell on her, and she conceived and bore two children, a son and daughter, from whom have sprung all the people of the earth. The name of this celestial virgin was Arizunna, the Beautiful, or sun beloved maiden. The Mohave language, which is by far the most perfect and complete of any of the Indian dialects of the country, has two words of nearly the same meaning: Ari, meaning the sun, holy, good, or Beautiful; and Urnia, maid, or maiden; which together means the land of the Beautiful or lovely maiden. This may Be the true meaning of the word Arizona. Another definition is this, Ari, from the Mohave, meaning beautiful, or good, and Zona, from the Spanish, a zone, and taken together, meaning the land of the beautiful zone. Both of these definitions seem to be Well made, and both are quite significant and expressive."---ARIZONA AS IT IS OR THE COMING COUNTRY (compiled from notes of travel during the years 1874, 1875, and 1876.)  by HIRAM C. HODGE. The Riverside Press. 1877. pp.15-16

As late as 1859 and 1860, a bill was introduced in Congress (by Senator Green of Missouri) to organize the territory under the original name of Arizuma. ---HISTORY OF ARIZONA, Chapter XIX, pg. 326 by Thomas Edwin Farish

After annexation and through civil war times, the Arizona/New Mexico division was a South/North division, after the war it was a West/East division. I prefer to think of the whole area as one contiguous cultural territory and prefer using the old pre-Columbian Aztec names, Arizuma or Arizunna.

With all the retirees and silver-haired or silver-bearded types like myself hanging around, "Arizuma"/"silver-bearing" seems extremely appropriate...

Navajo County      Holbrook Topo Map      Sun Valley Topo
Navajo Holbrook Map      Navajo Country       Arizona 1895
Arizona      New Mexico