Frieda Eswonia

Gathad La Ha Frieda Eswonia

The Coyote. Nya Moda My Paternal Grandmother and GATHAD LA HA Stories. Historically, during the cold winter months, the Yavapai People told stories to the children while they were tucked in bed, nice and warm, and a great number of these stories were about the "Gathad La Ha" (The Coyote). Just as other people have known a coyote to be sly and cunning, the coyote has always been known in that same way to the Yavapai People. The Yavapai People regarded him as a very intelligent animal and; the coyote stories depicted his conniving escapades in ways that usually only led to his own misfortune. As I recall the early days of my childhood living on the Clarkdale Indian Community with "Na Moda" (My paternal grandmother, Tha La Charley); she would entertain my younger sister, Janie and I, with stories of "Gathad La Ha". I knew the coyote had to be a rascal and very convincing, but a very foolish, foolish character. I knew Na Moda felt total disgust for him because of the way she spoke of him. The reason she felt that way about him is revealed in the coyote stories that she told us. Therefore, the following story is one she told us about the "Gathad La Ha" (The Coyote").