Southwest indian member of any of the native american peoples inhabiting the southwestern united states some scholars also include the peoples of northwestern mexico in this culture area more than 20 percent of native americans in the united states live in this region principally in the present day states of arizona and new mexico. The american southwest has a dry climate with little rain so tribes had to be creative to grow crops like beans and squash for instance the quechan kwuht san people planted crops in narrow. For starters the pueblo people consist of many different native american tribes located primarily in the mesa verde region made up of parts of arizona new mexico utah and colorado because the