Native American language * Native American culture * What's new on our site today!

Acaxee Indian Language (Aiage, Tebaca)

The Acaxee Indians (also spelled Aiage or Acage) were a tribe of Western Mexico. They were subjugated by Spain and after an unsuccessful rebellion, they lost their language and their tribal identity in the 17th century. Little information about the Acaxee language has survived--although Jesuit missionaries apparently wrote a grammar and dictionary in the 1600's, the Acaxees switched to Spanish soon after its completion and the language texts were set aside and lost. From the records that remain, it is clear that Acaxee was a Uto-Aztecan language, perhaps most closely related to Cahita. Due to the lack of data, however, it is impossible to know for certain whether the Acaxee spoke the same language as other small Western Mexican tribes such as the Xixime, Sabaibo, and Tebaca, or whether these tribes all spoke different languages. The Tebaca were politically joined with the Acaxee and are often referred to as an Acaxee subtribe, but some Spanish writers at the time said their languages were distinct.

Thanks for your interest in Native American languages!

Sponsored Links


Acaxee Language Links

Acaxee Language Tree:
    Theories about Acaxee language relationships compiled by Linguist List.
Pronunciation of Acaxee:
    How to pronounce the tribal name "Acaxee."

Acaxee Culture and History Links

Acaxee Tribal Map:
    Map showing the original location of the Acaxees and their neighboring tribes in Western Mexico.
The Acaxee, a Mountain Tribe of Durango and Sinaloa:
    Anthropology book on the culture of the Acaxee Indians available to read online.
The History of Indigenous Durango * Acaxee Rebellion:
    Information on the ill-fated Acaxee revolt of 1601.
Contested Ground:
    Book about the Spanish conquest in northern Mexico, including a section on the Acaxee. (Amazon affiliate link)
Acaxees:
    Wikipedia article on the Acaxee Indians.

Links, References, and Additional Information

Pueblo Acaxee * El proceso de extinción de los acaxees y xiximes * Los Acaxees:
Information about the Acaxees and their language in Spanish.



Back to the Native American tribe list
Back to the indigenous cultures of Mexico
Back to our Native American websites for kids

Native Languages

Native American lodges * Gabrielino Tongva * Passamaquoddy Maine * Indian baskets

Would you like to sponsor work on the Acaxee language page?

Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2021 * Contacts and FAQ page