SINKYONE INDIANS

THE SINKYONE INDIANS LIVED IN THE TERRITORY OF THE HUMBOLDT AND REDWOODS STATE PARK. ABOUT 15 VILLAGE SITES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE PARK. THEY LEFT SOON AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE SETTLERS. BECAUSE OF THIS THERE IS LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THEM. ANTHROPOLOGISTS ARRIVED IN 1920 AND THEY ESTIMATED THEIR POPULATION TO BE ABOUT 2000 IN 1850. BY 1910 LESS THAN 100 REMAINED. TWO INFORMANTS OF THEIR TRIBE GEORGE BURT AND JACK WOODMAN SAID THEY DID NOT VENTURE FAR FROM THEIR VILLAGES. ONE MAN LIVED HIS ENTIRE LIFE WITHOUT GOING MORE THAN 20 MILES IN ANT DIRECTION.

THEY OCCUPIED TEMPORARY SEASONAL VILLAGE SITES EACH YEAR. THEY HUNTED LATE SPRING AND EARLY FALL IN THE PRAIRIE AND UPLAND AREAS. THEY HUNTED DEER AND ELK. THE FALL WAS A TIME TO SET UP TEMPORARY TEMPORARY FISHING VILLAGES TO CATCH SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT. WHEN THE EEL AND LOLANGKOK RIVERS GOT HIGH THEY MOVED TO A PERMANENT VILLAGE ALONG THE CREEK.

THEY COLLECTED ACORNS FROM TANOAKS AS A STAPLE. THEY INCLUDED BUCKEYE, GRASSHOPPERS AND SLUGS, AND BERRIES. THEY CAUGHT RACCOON, BEAR, RABBIT, AND GAME BIRDS, THEY WERE DIVIDED INTO BAND AND FAMILIES AND GROUPS OF RELATIVES LIVED NEAR EACH OTHER. THE GROOM PURCHASED HIS WIFE ! IF THE MAN WAS POOR HE COULD WORK FOR HIS IN LAWS TO MAKE A PAYMENT. DIVORCE WAS COMMON. THE HAD SOME STRANGE MORALS ABOUT COMMUNICATION IN THE VILLAGE.

THEIR HOUSES WERE CONICAL AND CIRCULAR DWELLINGS BUILT WITH SLABS OF REDWOOD. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE SHELTERS AT PRAIRIE CREEK REDWOODS STATE PARK. ANOTHER HOUSE WAS BUILT FOR DANCING AND ANOTHER FOR SWEAT BATHES. THEY BUILT BRUSH SHELTERS AT SUMMER CAMPS. THERE WARFARE WAS BETWEEN TRIBES AND BETWEEN SETTLERS. APPARENTLY 300 SINKYONE WERE MASSACRED BY SETTLERS AT SQUAW CREEK.

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