Wassaja
Yavapai doctor and activist Wassaja was also known as Carlos Montezuma, the name given to him by his adoptive father.
Wassaja
Yavapai doctor and activist
Also known as: Carlos Montezuma
Wassaja (born 1866?, Four Peaks, Arizona, U.S.—died January 31,1923, Fort McDowell, Arizona) was a member of the Yavapai tribe and the second Native person to receive a medical degree in the United States. He was also a passionate advocate for Native rights. The name Wassaja translates to “signaling” or “beckoning.” In 1871, when Wassaja was about four or five years old, he was captured during a raid by a group of Akimel O’odham (historically known...