Phoenix, AZ, was named after the myth of a city that emerged from the ashes of a past civilization–the
Huhugam. This misconception has erased the indigenous past. We aim to unsettle dominant myths of
settlers arriving on terra nullius through a literature review that analyzes different narratives in the
history of land and water bodies, specifically those associated with the Gila and Salt Rivers. We ran two
Boolean searches in JSTOR and EBSCO and followed the PRISMA method, reviewing 31 articles. We
applied qualitative methods to develop a codebook and Dedoose software to identify: (1) other
dominant narratives, (2) engagement of actors, (3) land values across time, and (4) lessons to inform
future practices in this land. We identified five indigenous land values, seven moments in time, and six
forms of engagement among actors, which together build a story that challenges dominant myths and
centers on indigenous experiences. As Latinxs mestizes, we use our positionalities and reflect on our
indigeneity to lay out lessons for future engagements in this land. This research hopes to acknowledge
indigenous histories and facilitate dialogue and reconciliation among indigenous nations and settlers
from all ethnicities, races, and backgrounds that currently live in AZ.