each summer, the vibrant red fruit of the saguaro (ha:sañ) cactus ripens, marking both an end and a beautiful new beginning for the tohono o’odham (thaw-haw-naw awe-awe-thumb) also known as desert people. the relationship between the o’odham and the saguaro fruit, known as “bahidaj” is significant. each summer, the annual harvesting of the ha:sañ fruit is a traditional practice done by the tohono o’odham. this harvesting season only happens in a very short window of time, between when the ha:sañ blooms flowers and before the arrival of arizona’s monsoon season.  

history of the tohono o’odham 

the tohono o’odham people have lived in the sonoran desert for thousands of years, long before the establishment of the us-mexico border. the origins of the o’odham are deeply interlinked and connected to the land, where they have thrived for generations. 

according to the tohono o’odham nation, the o’odham originally settled along the salt, gila, and santa cruz rivers. their ancestors, the hohokam, were known as “master dwellers of the desert” and “scientists of their environment.” they engineered sophisticated canals systems for irrigating their crops of cotton, tobacco, corn, beans, and squash, advancing agricultural knowledge in one of the harshest climates. allowing a foundation to be made, for the sustainable practices still seen today. 

today, the o’odham continue to apply traditional meteorological principles to guide the way they are planting, harvesting, and how they store and manage their water. their resilience and understanding of their ecosystem that surrounds them allows them to sustain their communities and preserve cultural traditions. 

harvesting bahidaj 

in the past and present, tohono o’odham would travel to open desert to harvest the bahidaj. harvesting commonly occurs during the early mornings and evenings, as arizona summer days often reach over 100 degrees fahrenheit outside, and usually in mid-july, before the monsoon season comes. this harvest is significant to the o’odham as it marks the beginning of the o’odham new year. the tools used to gather the fruit are usually prepared before going out into the desert to harvest. 

traditionally,  the o’odham used a tool called a “kui’pud”, which is constructed together from two to three ribs of a dead saguaro cactus. this creates a “t” shaped pole, which can be from approximately 15 to 30 feet in length. the kui’pud is used to hook or gently nudge the fruit from the ha:sañ, allowing for harvesters to collect the fruit from the ground or in buckets. 

raeshaun ramon, a community member of the tohono o’odham nation describes his experience and interest in bahidaj harvesting. 

it wasn’t until i got a little bit older where i started learning more about the community practice of gathering the fruit. i remember i was invited by the late arthur wilson, who took me out to my first harvest. i actually got to spend the night, and get the full experience of waking up around five in the morning, picking the fruit until it gets really warm. then from that, seeing a whole community gather together, and put all their fruit in one bucket to then start the cooking process.

once the fruit is harvested,  the pulp is carefully scraped from pods, placed into buckets, and taken back home. the bahidaj pulp is then transformed into a variety of goods including syrups, jams, jelly’s and even wines from the fruit. these creations are a significant part of the o’odham culture, showcasing the versatility from the bahidaj fruit and demonstrating the many ways the o’odham have historically practiced self-sustainability. 

the harvesting season can vary depending on when the bahidaj actually blooms, making it an important factor to consider when planning the harvest — especially with ever-changing weather patterns. ramon shared his thoughts on the effects of climate change on the o’odham harvesting season, 

sometimes the saguaros tend to produce more than one particular season, and then the following season, they don’t produce as much. so i feel like sometimes the saguaros, they put their energy into one season, and then the next season, they kind of just take a break, and then they come back again and produce more. we’re noticing those differences. i feel like the saguaros are noticing that too. they probably have more stress from the environment or from the climate, or the different weather patterns, and so they’re trying to balance out that particular season. i feel like they’re trying to adapt as well. saguaros are very resilient, and it’s because they live in one of the most harsh environments in the world.

the harvesting season ends with the first rain of the monsoon. after that, the o’odham people wait for the next season to begin the following summer.

ha:sañ 

having connection and understanding about the ha:sañ is important. o’odham have many stories detailing the significance and importance of the ha:sañ. to the o’odham, it’s important to treat the ha:sañ with respect and to never intentionally harm it.

according to the desert museum, ha:sañ can live up to 200 years and may develop over 20 arms, which can grow upward between 75 to 100 years of age. more than just towering figures in the desert, ha:sañ holds deep cultural significance for the o’odham, connecting the land, people, and traditions through generations.

the sonoran desert itself is relatively young, with the history stretching back over a million years to the present day. but for the o’odham, we lived in the southwest since the first light touched the land, alongside the ha:sañ and carrying forward the stories they hold. depending on the community, storytellers may describe the ha:sañ as either a boy or a girl.

ramon describes the deep relationship the o’odham have with the ha:sañ, where stories and traditions are interwoven. the ha:sañ have always held an important role in o’odham culture:

i’ve heard that, at one point in our old tradition, the first saguaro was considered a boy. this individual was liked by the community, but they were also bullied. in the end, they transformed into a saguaro, emerging from the ground into the desert. i like to think that our people witnessed the first saguaro ever to appear.this aligns with our traditional stories of the first world. i see it especially during sunset—the silhouettes of the saguaros resemble people. each one is unique, with different heights, different numbers of arms, and different shapes. i often compare that to people—everyone looks different, just like each saguaro. they truly do resemble humans in many ways.

betsy norris, an elder who currently lives on the tohono o’odham nation, talks about her experience in the 1950’s, her experience bahidaj harvesting,

a lot of the times we didn’t really wanna go, we were young, but we went early in the morning and we’d go out and my grandma would go and pick with the kui’pud, the stick that pulls them off, and we would be also picking fruit off the bottom, because we used everything, even if it’s raw and dried.

the bahidaj harvest is more than just a seasonal tradition — it is a testament to the deep relationship between the tohono o’odham and the land the o’odham have called home for generations. through the act of harvesting, cooking, and sharing the fruit of the ha:sañ, o’odham communities continue to honor their ancestors, celebrate renewal, and pass down vital cultural knowledge.

as climate patterns shift and modern challenges arise, the resilience of both the o’odham people and the ha:sañ itself remains a powerful symbol of adaptation and survival. each season, with the first rains of the monsoon, the cycle begins anew — a reminder that the end of one chapter is always the beginning of another.