PAUITE INDIANS

THEY LIVED MUCH THE SAME KING OF LIFE AS THE BASIN INDIANS. THEY LIVE JUST EAST OF YOSEMITE. THEY LIVED MUCH THE SAME KIND OF LIFE AS THE BASIN INDIANS. THEY LIVE JUST EAST OF YOSEMITE. THEY LIVED IN SMALL GROUPS ALONG FLOWING STREAMS AND NEVER STOPPED MOVING IN SEARCH FOR FOOD. THEY HAD NO TRIBAL ORGANIZATION. THEY HAD DANCES AND FEASTS ON RARE OCCASION. THEY HAD DANCES AND FEASTS ON RARE OCCASIONS.

THEY FOLLOWED A SEASONAL PATTERN OF FOOD GETTING WITHIN THE BANDS OF TERRITORY, AND KNEW THE ROOTS, SEEDS, BERRIES, BULBS THAT RIPENED. THE PINON CROPS WAS UNIMPORTANT IN THE FALL. THEY ATE LARVAE, GRASSHOPPERS, ANTS, LOCUSTS. MEN HUNTED FOR MEAT. BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS WERE SCARCE. THE MEN CAUGHT RATS, LIZARDS, SQUIRRELS, AND POSSIBLE ANTELOPE. THE WOMEN GROUND SOME SEEDS INTO FLOWER AND BAKED INTO CAKES. SOME SEEDS HAD TO BE COOKED TO BE EDIBLE. THEY MADE BASKETS FOR WINNOWING AND TOASTED SEEDS WITH HOT COALS.

THE MEN WERE NOT EFFICIENT IN HUNTING LARGE GAME ANIMALS. COMMUNAL HUNTS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF AN ANTELOPE SHAMAN WAS DIRECTED EVERY 6 YEARS. THE SHAMAN CHARMED THE ANTELOPE INTO AN AREA SO THE HUNTERS COULD SHOOT IT WITH ARROWS. THE WOMEN MADE NETS TO HUNT THE RABBITS. THEY LIKED RABBITS FOR THEIR FUR VS. MEAT.

THEY WORE LITTLE HIDE CLOTHING - ONLY LOIN CLOTHES FOR MEN AND THE WOMEN WORE FIBER SKIRTS AND APRONS AND MADE SANDALS FROM FIBER BOTH WORE SKIN MOCCASINS. THEY WOVE RABBITSKIN ROBES FOR WINTER. THE WOMEN WERE GREAT BASKET MAKERS OF GREAT SKILL. THEY USED GRASSES AND REEDS AND MADE CRADLES, MATS, SEED BEATERS, HATS, AND BASKETS FOR WATER, DISHES, AND LARGE CARRYING BASKETS FOR CARRYING LOADS ON THEIR BACK.

DREAMS AND CURING

MEN AND WOMEN FOUND SPIRIT POWER IN DREAMS IN WHICH THE SPIRIT APPEARED AS AN ANIMAL, PLANT, MOUNTAINS, CLOUDS OR OTHER NATURAL PHENOMENON. THE POWER BROUGHT STRENGTH SKILL, AND ENDURANCE AND GOOD FORTUNE TO SHAMANS. THEY COULD ALSO CAUSE ILLNESS, NOT NECESSARILY TO THE DREAMER, A MEMBER OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S FAMILY, OR FRIEND MIGHT MIGHT BECOME ILL IF THEY DREAMED IT. SHAMANS CURED ILLNESS BY SUCKING OUT FOREIGN OBJECTS OR GOING INTO A TRANCE. THE PAUITES NEVER HAD ENOUGH OF ANYTHING TO HAVE SOMEONE ATTACK THEM.


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