The Miwok Indians were a Native American tribe who lived in Northern California and were primarily hunter-gatherers. They lived in semi-permanent villages and had two main branches, land and water tribes. Their culture and diet varied widely, and they enjoyed a variety of games and wore traditional clothing. The arrival of European settlers destroyed much of their culture, and the US government removed them to reservations in the mid-19th century. Today, many Miwoks still live on government-sponsored reservations and enjoy land rights, but most tend to live in poverty or near poverty.
The Miwok Indians are a Native American tribe who lived primarily in Northern California, and most of their tribal ancestors are still found in that region today. Prior to the arrival of European settlers, these people lived throughout the coastal and mountainous regions of northern and central California, including parts of what is now southern Oregon and western Nevada. There were two main branches of the tribe, mainly divided as to where they spent most of their time, namely inland or on the water. Both were primarily hunter-gatherers and lived in semi-permanent villages known as “ranchieras” which they could move around as needed to follow food sources. The US government removed the people of this tribe to reservations in the mid-19th century, effectively ending the ranchieras. Many Miwoks still live today on government sponsored reservations and are often very involved in keeping elements of the old culture and belief system alive.
The first tribal life
Miwoks traditionally lived in small groups or villages run by a male chieftain called a chief. Leadership has followed family lines, typically from father to son. In situations where a chief was childless, his daughter would be known as the chief, but a male relative would perform her leadership duties.
They lived together in small groups, sleeping in structures large enough to cover the family and a small fire. Large villages had a common shelter, usually known as a “round house”, which was used for ceremonies and other important gatherings. During the holidays, members of a community slept together in the round house.
Main branches
Once upon a time there were two main branches of the Miwok, the ‘land’ and ‘water’ tribes. The former groups fall into four general categories: coastal, lake, bay, and lowland, although there were also large numbers of individuals living in the Sierra Range. In fact, Yosemite National Park was the summer home of one such group, and Yosemite gets its name from “asamati,” the Miwok word for “bear.”
culture and diet
This Native American group is said to have eaten every living animal for food, but this is not entirely true. While less common animals, such as the skunk, bat, and grasshopper, were staples of their diet, the tribe typically did not eat king snake, rattlesnake, or grizzly bear. Their diet varied widely according to location, but along with fish and animals large and small, they also ate nuts, fruits, bulbs, and roots.
Traditionally, like many Native American tribes, the Miwoks enjoyed a variety of games. Some would be described as sports, often played in mixed groups of men and women. Others might be considered games of chance or games of chance, such as an acorn-throwing game played between women.
Typical clothing consisted of buckskin loincloths for men and women, with longer tunic pieces and calf-high boots reserved for colder weather. Men and women let their hair down or pull it back. Both genders enjoyed nose and ear piercings. The Miwok Indians also traditionally sported tattoos on their foreheads, cheeks, chin and chest. They had their own language with some regional dialects and the word ‘Miwok’ actually means ‘people’ in the main branch of Miwokan.
Movement and interactions with European settlers
Disease, fighting, and enslavement by early Spanish and Mexican explorers destroyed much of the tribe’s culture. During the 1800s, their population was estimated to be around 20,000. In 1990, the US census showed 3,500 Americans with Miwok ancestry. Only 500 lived in the rancheria that were dotted throughout California at that time.
United States government treaties and programs established a number of permanent sites that the Miwok Indians could call home, but most of these sites were either conquered by settlers or abolished by various government agencies between the 1920s and 1960s. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, eight rancheria have claimed or consolidated their recognition. These are Buena Vista, Chicken Ranch, Ione, Jackson, Middletown, Sheep Ranch, Shingle Springs and Tuolumne. At one point the different ranchiera had distinct identities, but most modern government programs and classification rubrics group everyone with Miwokean lineage and treat them as equals.
Modern recognition
Like many California tribes, the Miwoks have fought for and gained recognition as the Indigenous people of the state and enjoy their land rights as a result. In most cases, life on the reservation isn’t all that different from life in normal society. Tribes no longer usually live in shelters and typically don’t wear traditional clothing except for special events or tribal rituals.
Despite their protected status, however, many Indians became indentured servants as settlers moved into the area. This is reflected in the predominantly agricultural nature of their population. The government has taken steps to right past wrongs and provides a variety of financial and educational incentives to tribal members who yearn for a different life. A number of Miwoks have become leaders in local and national communities, but most tend to live in poverty or near poverty today.
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