Native California Indians

Name

Institution

Native California Indians

The present day state of California was discovered in 1542 by a navigator, J.R. Cabrillo who was of Spanish descent. Sir Francis Drake who later took possession of the country in 1578 called it New Albion. Spanish, S. Viscayno, explored this territory in 1602 but it was only until many years had passed that attempts were made to colonize the region. The Franciscan Fathers set up their first mission station at San Diego in the year 1769 paving way for colonial rule. Colonization marked the beginning of suffering and torture for the native inhabitants of California (Wahl, n.d.). They were not only exterminated, but segregated in reserves and condemned into slavery for the economic benefits of their colonizers. They were coerced into the customs, beliefs and value systems of their captors and forced to abandon their ‘savage’ way of life (Wahl, n.d.). They were denied previously enjoyed civil and legal rights of all nature and this got worse after United States defeated the Hispanics and took over the reign of California. The gold rush years that followed resulted in untold suffering on the part of the Indians. Those who attempted to put up any resistance died in the process while those who survived were subjected to inhumane living conditions marred by diseases and lack of food. The objective of this paper is to look at both the ethnography and archeology of the Indians of California (Wahl, n.d.).

Research evidence indicates that California had occupants from as early as 17,000 BCE. The Indians who resided in this region were Indians and were sub-divided into 500 tribes consisting of approximately 50 to 500 members each. The northwest region of California was a significant rainforest with many rivers, lagoons and bays. It was inhabited by tribes such as the Shasa, Chilula, Tolowa, Wiyot and the Yurok Hupa Whilikut. These tribes developed their villages along the rivers, lagoons and bays using dugout canoes as their major mode of transportation. The Redwood trees that grew in the coast were used to construct the houses and boats. The twined method was used in the manufacture of a variety of baskets. A ritualistic ceremony known as the World Renewal was held each fall in order to avert catastrophes.

The Northeast region of California comprised of the Atsugewii, Modoc and Achumawi tribes (“Short overview,” 1998). On the western part of this territory, there was an abundance of salmon and acorn. Towards the east, there is a significant alteration of the climate as it moves from a mountainous to a desert kind of landscape. The main sources of food included rabbit, tuber berries, and deer and grass seeds. Tule was used as food and even laced together to produce both floor mats and coverings for structures. Obsidian, a result of volcanic mountains in the region, was a prized trade item. These tribes had independent socio-political structures and intermarried with their neighboring tribes (“Short overview,” 1998).

Central California is very vast and is home to many tribes some of which include; Pomo, Lassick, Yana, Wintum, Wailaki, Wappo, Coast Miwok, Bear River, Mattale, Yahi and Yotuks among others (“Short overview,” 1998). There was plentiful of salmon and acorn in this region that could be got from the waterways. In addition to that, antelope, deer, rabbit and elk were also available as sources of food in huge quantities. This region is known for having the greatest variety of baskets with the Pomo tribe acclaimed for its basket making prowess. Baskets were produced through coiling and twining throughout the region. Semi-subterranean houses were common in this region in which the famous kuksu dances were held. These dances aim at ensuring that there is a continuous supply of both food and animals. Due to food sufficiency, villages had as many as 1000 inhabitants (“Short overview,” 1998).

Southern California hosts the Chumash, Kitanemuk, Gabrielino Luiseno Cahuilla, Aliklik, Serrano and Kumeyaay. The climate and landmass was diverse throughout this region and included offshore islands which were predominantly inhabited by the Chumas tribe (“Short overview,” 1998). They communicated with mainland inhabitants through the use of canoes made by secretive craftsmen from large planks and stirred by the use of double paddle ores. Tribes along the coast enjoyed plants from wetlands and a diversity of sea life while their interior counterparts enjoyed acorn, deer, rabbit, native grasses and seeds (“Short overview,” 1998).

California was previously a territory of its own with its inhabitants enjoying sovereignty and living in harmony with nature. Things changed however when explorers discovered the region and soon after colonization followed. The native inhabitants of this land were of diverse tribes speaking diverse dialects. They also had rich and varying ways of lives depending on their physical geographic locations. To date, there are artifacts in museums that were collected from this ancient period which take us back in time and enable us comprehend the lifestyles of the California Indians.

The Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation which was founded by George Gustav, houses some of the most important exhibits of the native California Indians. Some of the items in exhibition include the Hupa woman’s basket hat and dance plumes. Also in exhibition were the quiver, the wooden dish and pestle and motar that were used to pound acorns. A hand built and coiled bowl of Kumeyaay origin can also be viewed in this museum (National Museum,” 2012). Alongside this, are the ‘Olla’ or jar and pottery making anvil made using the same technique used for the bowl. A bow and arrow made through carving and wrapping are also part of the Kumeyaay collection (“Museum of the American indian,” 2012). Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, located in California, is home to archeological sites believed to contain information or clues of the lives of the Pomo tribe. Some of these sites are estimated to be older than 10,000 years and contain habitats such as grasslands, marsh and riparian woodland. At the Oakland Museum of California, the native Indian collection includes the famous Pomo baskets as well as Wintu baskets, basket hats from the tribes of Hupa and Karok. Also available are the ornaments that were made from seeds, shell, feathers and beads and worn during dances. Pottery items, carvings, weaving, boxes, silver jewelry and clothing can also be viewed (“American Indian collection,” 2012).

At the Sierra mono museum of California, here is a wide array of artifacts to be viewed. The collection includes native baskets and other cultural artifacts. The Tettleton Wildlife Diorama which comprises of an assortment of more than a 100 animals found in North America. Cultural items, weapons, photographs and beadwork are also contained in this collection. The State Indian Museum in California houses many exhibits of the Indian native inhabitants of the region. This museum portrays three key aspects of the lives of the Indian tribes namely; family, nature and spirit. Upon a visit, one is able to view photographs and artifacts of cultural significance such as their baskets some of which are recorded as being the smallest in size around the world, a dugout canoe made from redwood, hunting and fishing equipment, ceremonial attire and beadwork all of which are estimated to be older than 24 years (State Indian Museum, n.d.).

The National Museum of the American Indians (NMAI) was opened to the public in 2004 and is home to close to a million artifacts among which are approximately 125,000 photographs and over 8,000 physical exhibits (Bloom, 2006). The physical structure represents all aspects of the native Indian tribes from the rounded structures to the food it serves. The gardens surrounding the buildings reflect the grassland and wetlands in which the native tribes resided in. On first floor, there is a theatre in which story telling, films and other multi-media presentations of the tribes are done. All these presentations bring out the diversity that existed within the indigenous Indian inhabitants. Exhibits and photographs found in other parts of the museum showcase traditions and practices of the various tribes (Bloom, 2006).

At the Oakland Museum of California’s History Department, there is a collection of about 6,000 exhibits associated with native Indians of North America (The Ethnographic Collections,” 2005). The collection includes a range of baskets, tools, clothing, weapons and other material. Within Patrick’s Point State Park, there is the Sumeg village which consists of; family houses, one sweathouse, an area designated for dressing and carrying out other preparations as well as a dance pit all constructed in the Yurok tribe fashion (“Native American,”2012). The main building material is redwood which was widely used by the Yurok tribe who were the original residents of the area in which the park is located. The village was created with the main objective of preserving the tribe’s culture and passing it onto the generations to come. Located next to the village is a garden containing plants of native origin which were not only used as food, medicine and for ceremonies, but also provided basketry material (“Native American,”2012).

The Hoopa Tribal Museum which is situated at the heart of Hoopa Valley Reservation in California, also hosts an array of artifacts from the first inhabitants of Northern California (“Native American,”2012). Its collection contains items from Karuk, Hupa and Yurok tribes such as local basketry, tools, and dugout canoes made from redwood, and ceremonial attire which were mainly worn during the famous Hoopa tribal events (“Native American,”2012).

References

“American Indian Collections.” (2012). Museumca.org. Retrieved fromhttp://museumca.org/collection/the-ethnographic-collection

Bloom, J. (2006). Exhibition review: the national museum of the American Indian. Retrievedfrom https://journals.ku.edu/index.php/amerstud/article/view/2965/2924

“Museums of the American Indian foundation history.” (2012). flickr.com. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nmai.si.edu/searchcollections/results.aspx?catids=2%2c1&areaid=14&src=11&page=3

Native American Heritage. (2012). Retrieved from http://redwoods.info/showrecord.asp?id=2148

“Short overview of California Indian history.” (1998). ca.gov. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nahc.ca.gov/califindian.html

State Indian Museum. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=486

“State parks and museums interpreting California Indian culture and heritage.” (2012). ca.gov.Retrieved from http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=483

“The sierra mono museum.” (n.d.). sierramonomuseums.org. Retrieved fromhttp://www.sierramonomuseum.org/index.html

The Ethnographic Collections. (2005). Retrieved fromhttp://museumca.org/global/history/collections_ethno.html

Wahl, H. N. (n.d.). “Native Americans.” Historichwy49.com. Retrieved fromhttp://www.historichwy49.com/wethe.html