SERI INDIANS IN MEXICO

SERI ARE CONSIDERED BUY SOME LINGUISTS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE HOKAN LANGUAGE FAMILY. THEY ARE RELATED TO THE EXTINCT LANGUAGE OF THE CHUMASH AND ILINAN. THERE ARE ABOUT 500 SERI SPEAKERS TODAY.

THE SERI LIVED IN THE SAME AREA FOR AT LEAST 500 YEARS. CORONADO'S MEN MET THE SERI IN THE CITY OF CIBOLA IN THE 16TH CENTURY, BUT HISTORIANS HAD LITTLE TO SAY OF THE MEETING.

THEIR TERRITORY WAS FROM GUAYMUS ABOUT 75 MILES NORTH OF TIBORON ISLAND. THEIR POPULATION WAS ABOUT 5,000. THEIR SEA COAST IS PART OF OF THE PLACE WHERE THEY HAD CHALLENGES. THEY CAMPED ON THE SHORES TO HUNT OR OBTAIN FRESH WATER THEY TRAVELED INLAND. THEY WERE GREAT RUNNERS AND RAN DOWN DEER AND OTHER GAME.

THEY HAD FREQUENT CONFLICTS WITH NEIGHBORS. IN THE 7TH CENTURY MISSIONARIES ATTEMPTED TO CONFINE THEM INTO SMALL AREAS AROUND MISSIONS TO CONVERT THEM TO FARMERS. IT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE SERIS. THOSE WHO ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE WERE PUNISHED. WHOLE FAMILIES WERE ARRESTED AND THEIR WOMEN DEPORTED TO GUATEMALA.

THE INDIANS WERE FORCED TO CHANGE CAPS OFTEN AND FLEE. MUCH OF THEIR TERRITORY WAS ABANDONED. THEY LIVED BY THE COAST. THEIR POPULATION WAS REDUCED DUE TO DISEASES, WAR, AND STARVATION. BY 1930'S THEY HAD A POPULATION OF ONLY 300. MOST LIVED ON TIBORON ISLAND. THE WATERS HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS IN THE WORLD. IT HAS CURRENTS AND EDDIES AS WELL AS SHARKS. THEIR ONLY BOAT WAS MADE OF REEDS. THEY WERE EXPERTLY MANUEVERED BYTHE SERI.

IN 1930'S THEY BEGAN TO WORK WITH MEXICANS AT KINO BAY IN A FISHING COOP. AFTER WWII THEY BECAME LESS STABLE. GRADUALLY MORE SERI MOVED BACK TO THE MAINLAND. TODAY MORE ARE CONCENTRATED IN A FEW CAMPS IN KINO BAY. THEIR POPULATION IS INCREASING AND THEY INTERMARRY WITH NON-SERI. TODAY THEY FISH FROM WOODEN BOATS AND SELL FISH IN MEXICO AND U.S. MARKETS.

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