City of Mesa officially renames Mesa Grande Cultural Park

The city of Mesa recently announced the official renaming of Mesa Grande Cultural Park to reflect the region’s rich cultural heritage and profound connection to the O’odham (AWE-thumb) and Piipaash (Pee-PAHSH) peoples and their ancestors.

The name given to the site is Sce:dagi Mu:val Vaaki. In the Oodham language, it means Blue Flys place of dwelling or Blue Flys house. Sce:dagi Mu:val Vaaki, pronounced CHUH-dag MOO-vahl VAH-kee, comes from a series of songs originating at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, located only about one mile from the ancestral site, according to a release.

The renaming ceremony at Sce:dagi Mu:val Vaaki, 1000 N. Date in Mesa, honored the ancestral lands of the Native communities who have inhabited this landscape for generations, demonstrating the city's ongoing commitment to acknowledging and preserving the historical and cultural link that exists between the Oodham, the Piipaash and Mesa’s cultural heritage.

“The lands that comprise present-day Mesa are culturally affiliated with the O’odham, Piipaash and their ancestors, who have lived on and stewarded this land from time immemorial,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said in the release. “This renaming pays tribute to their enduring legacy and the sacred significance of these lands to the O’odham and Piipaash way of life.”

Sce:dagi Mu:val Vaaki opened to the public for the season Nov. 9. It will be open until mid-April on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For information, visit https://www.arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org/.