What happened to the Miwoks?
The lifestyle of the Miwok tribe varied according to the natural resources of their location. The Miwok people were decimated by the diseases brought by the invaders and subjected to atrocities. Following the short-lived Mariposa Indian War (1850) those who survived were forced on to various reservations.
Are the Miwok federally recognized?
The California Valley Miwok Tribe – Federally Recognized Since 1916.
What did the Miwoks live in?
The Miwoks lived in tule houses. Usually these houses were made from a cone-shaped frame of wooden poles placed over a basement-like hole dug into the ground. Then the frame would be covered with mats woven from tule reeds, and packed with a mound of earth over it to keep it well insulated.
What plants did the Miwok eat?
Each Miwok family ate 1500-2000 pounds of acorns from oak trees for their main food. Acorns were used mainly to make flour for cooking such as: bread, soup and even flour. They also stored a lot of acorns in granaries for next year.
Where did the Sierra Miwok live?
western Sierra Nevada
Where do the Miwok live today?
The Miwok Indians reside in north-central California, from the coast to the west slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There are three divisions of the tribe — the Coast Miwok, the Lake Miwok, and the Sierra Miwok.
What were the Miwok houses called?
kotcha
What were Cahuilla houses made of?
Cahuilla lived in homes made of sticks and plants. They were called “kish”. First, they stuck long sticks in the ground and tied them at the top.
Did the Miwok tribe farm?
The Miwok tribes were located in valleys of central California and near the Sierra Nevada. They would strictly hunt and gather and did not take part in any form of agriculture. The game varied from large animals, such as deer and elk, to small ones, such as rabbits and ducks.
What did the Miwok Indians wear?
Miwok men generally went naked, and Miwok women wore only short grass skirts. In mountain villages, though, women sometimes wore buckskin dresses instead and the men wore leggings and deerskin shirts. Animal skins provided the main source of clothing for the Bay Miwok.
What do Miwok houses look like?
The Miwok community lived in dome and conical shaped homes. Theses structures were then covered with redwood boards (called ‘kotcha’) or grass or tule (called ‘kaawul kotcha’). The grass houses had a willow frame covered with bundled grass and a tule mat or animal hide was used for the flap door leading into the house.
How did the Miwok tribe trade?
The Central Miwok, dwelling in the foothills near Knights Ferry, were in the habit of trading certain seeds for digger pine nuts from people who dwelt somewhat higher in the foothills. Fish taken and dried at Knights Ferry were traded for salt from people still higher in the mountains.
What did the Miwok use to grind acorns?
The Miwok Indians were just like other California Native Americans and relied a lot on acorns for food. The acorns were cracked open and the “meat” was ground into meal. This was done using stone pestles in the mortar holes formed in huge slabs of marbleized limestone called chaw’se or grinding rocks (see below).
What did the Hupa tribe believe in?
The recitation of magical formulas was an important part of traditional Hupa religion. Shamanism was also common; shamans’ fees were paid in dentalium shells or deerskin blankets. Three major dances were held annually for the benefit of the community, as were spring and fall ceremonial feasts.