california indians

8/18/2019 California Indians

1/12

California Indians• They display a Cultural Marginality, forexample, the Northern Californiapeoples were very similar to the

Northwest Coast.• Acorns were the major source ofsu sistence.

•

The largest and most diverse culturearea in Native North America.


2/12

!nvironments•

"resent day California, some maps include #ajaCalifornia.• #ounded y mountains on all sides.• Mojave and Colorado deserts order southeastern

California.• $outheastern California has less than %& inches of

annual rainfall.• Chaparral and desert shru are some examples of

vegetation.


3/12

!nvironments•

$an 'oa(uin and $acramento rivers drain $ierra Nevadasthrough the )reat Central *alley to the $an +rancisco#ay.

• The )reat Central *alley includes the $an 'oa(uin and$acramento *alleys. Consist of the Northern and Centralparts of California.

• - inches of annual rainfall.• edwood and "ine/+ur forests in mountains.• 0a1 woodland forest form a and around the outer

perimeter of the )C*.


4/12

2anguages and Tri es•

"recolum ian "opulation of %3-,---. 3 people for every%-- s(uare 1ilometers.• 4o1an5 Northern/Central *alley tri es5 6aro1, $hasta, 7ana, "omo, Central Coastal Area5 Chumash.

• "enutian5 Northern/Central *alley Tri es5 8intu, Maidu, 7o1uts, Miwo1.

• Atha as1an5 Northern Coastal Area5 4upa• Alogon1ian5 Northern Coastal Area5 8iyot, 7uro1.• 7u1ian5 Northern Coastal Area5 7u1i.• 9to5A:tecan5 Central and $outhern ;esert ordering

southwest5 $errano, Cahuilla, 2iuseno.


5/12

$u sistence and !conomy•

California is ountiful in Typical? CA tri es in )C*5 Acorn gatherers.• $ettlement "atterns in the )C* were directly

proportional to the a undance of acorns in the area.


6/12

$u sistence and !conomy•

Areas where acorns were plentiful supported highesta original population densities in Native North America.• $edentary or semi5sedentary lifestyles5 The "omo, can

considered a typical group.• )athering, the primary su sistence activity, performed

y women and children.• )rass seeds, pine nuts, and acorns gathered in late fall.


7/12

$u sistence•

8hite 0a1 and other species utili:ed.• Acorns harvested, pounded in a mortar/pestle, then

leached in water to remove tannic acid.• Acorn mush a1ed into ca1es.•

0ther plant foods@ tu ers, ul s, erries, clover,


8/12

"omo5 $u sistence•

The "omo area is north of the $an +rancisco #ay, whichis a protein rich area.• ivers and forests teaming with =sh and game.• a it, el1, and deer hunted using the surround method.•

!l1 and deer were also hunted with ow and arrow.• $(uirrel, wood rat, (uail, water fowl, grasshoppers,

insects, salmon, trout, and cat=sh were also eaten.• #oats and nets were made out of tule rush.


9/12

"omo5Culture•

;omed grass and tule thatched houses, semisu terranean sweat lodges.• Twined and coiled as1ets with red and lac1 geometric

designs.• ;entalia and clam shells were used to show wealth. They

were traded as far east as the !astern 8oodland areaIro(uoisB.

• "lains Indians sewed dentalia shells on uc1s1in dresses.• $ome nec1laces were also made out of magnetite.• 0 sidian was used to ma1e pri:ed lades.


10/12

"omo5Culture•

,--- "omo5 &o local groups with no political unity.• D&53-- people per village.• 2ocal groups had territories, ut oundaries not strictly

enforced.•

0a1 groves and open meadows, however, were privateproperty.• 2ittle formal government, pro lems were handled y the

men fo the village.


11/12

"omo5$ocial 0rgani:ation•

!ach village was an autonomous cluster of severalpatrilineal families led y a headman.• $everal local villages were compromised of a >tri elet?.• A term coined y Alfred 6roe er.•

;e=ned as small independent groups of nativeCalifornians which shared a language and usuallycomprised of a principal village.

• "atrilineal clans5 lineage mem ers loyal to one another.• Nuclear family the residential group.


12/12

"omo5$ocial 0rgani:ation•

!ach village had a headman who made sure ceremonieswere held at the the right time.• The headman was a hereditary position of respect and

power.• 4e responsi ilities included informing people of current

events and gave moral lectures to children.• Maintained amia le relations etween village adults.

california indians

Documents