Papago Indians: Food

In the primary source Papago Indian Religion by Ruth Underhill the food invloved in different religious ceremonies are discussed. In the summer, the Papago Indians would collect fruit from cactus on the hills, and then they harvested corn beans and squash. Gathering fruit and harvesting required the Papago to move from the hills to their fields throughout the summer. The Papago Indians also hunted rabbit, squirrels, rats, quail, and deer. For the hunting ceremony meat, squash, and corn were cooked. During the rainmaking ceremony, the Papago "fermented and drank a liquor made from the fruit of the giant cactus" and the ceremony occurred the July, so the cactus fruit would be ripe just in time for the ceremony. The ceremony for Intervillage games was "fundamentally a food ceremony" because it brought rain which meant the Papago's crops would grow.  Women were responsible for gathering fruit, while the men were responsible for fermenting the liquor.