LIFEWAYS OF INDIANS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

ACHUMAWI PIT HOUSES IN THE 1920'S WAS  A LARGE MOUND OF EARTH WITH GRASS GROWING OVER IT AS THE LADDER STICKING OUT MIGHT LET OUT THE SMOKE.

A LOG FRAMED IN TIMBER OVER AN EXCAVATED PIT OR SPLIT WOOD OVER AN EXCAVATED PIT OR SPLIT WOOD OVER THE EARTH WAS COMMON TO THE HILLS AND VILLAGES OF POMO, MIWOK, MODOC AND ACHUMAWI.  SOME HAD ATTACHED REMEDIES FOR CURING.

REDWOODS WERE USED FOR YUROK, HUPA, KAROK,AND OTHERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEIR PLANK HOUSE'S.  TRIBAL SWEAT HOUSES WERE LAYED WITH SWEAT HOUSES AND GATHERING PLACES FOR MEN.  POMO BUILT EARTH LODGES (SEMI-SUBTERRANEAN TO HOLD ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE 60' IN DIAMETER).

SOME POMO AND YUKI BUILT MADE HOMES ALONG WELL RESOURCES STRINGS.  THEY HAD SUBSISTENCE STRATEGIES TO HARVEST THE WILD PLANTS ANDTHE FISH FROM OCEAN AND STREAMS.  THE NATIVE AMERICANS WERE MOVING MOVING TO OPTIMIZE RESOURCES.  THEY EVEN USED A BOOMERANG.  THEY HAD LARGE NETWORKS OF TRADE.  THE POMO MADE BOATS OF TULE TO FISH IN CLEARLAKE ON THE OCEAN.  THEY BECAME EASILY WATERLOGGED AND THEY HAD TO DRY THEM OUT ON THE SHORE. THE COASTAL NATIVES LEFT REMAINS OF THEIR FEASTS - SHELL MOUNDS AS HIGH AS 30 FEET AND UP TO 1/4 TH MILE ACROSS AND CAN BE SEEN ALONG THE COAST TODAY.  THEY ATE SHELLFISH, ABALONE, OYSTERS, CLAMS, AND MUSSELS AND CRABS.

THEY ATE TULE SHOOTS AND OTHER SEEDS.  THE POMO BUILT LOG THATCHED BUILDINGS  35' X12' HIGH FOR FEASTS.  THEY USED TULE MATS TO FASTEN  OVER THE  FRAMES OF WIKIUPS.

SOME TRIBES LASHED OUT  TULE PLATFORMS TOGETHER TO FORM 50' LONG BARGES.  SOME FAMILIES LIVED ON THEM AS EXTENDED FISHING EXPEDITIONS.

SOME PEOPLE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST MADE DUGOUT CANOES HEWED TOGETHER TO FORM 50' LONG BARGES.  SOME FAMILIES LIVED ON THEM FOR EXTENDED FISHING EXPEDITIONS.

SOME PEOPLE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST MADE DUGOUT CANOES HEWED FROM STRAIGHT GRAINED REDWOOD - A TREE SACRED TO THE VARIOUS TRIBES.  SOME HOUSES WERE BUILT OF REDWOOD AS WELL AS USING ELK ANTLER WEDGES.  HUPA BUILT HOUSES OF CEDAR.  THEY PASSED DOWN LEGENDS ABOUT THEIR HOUSES. 

THE YUROK COLLECTED RED OBSIDIAN, WOODPECKER SCALPS AND ALBINO DEERSKINS THAT WERE PART OF A SACRED CEREMONY TO PLEASE SPIRITS TO RENEW WORLDS.

EACH GROUP OF CALIFORNIA INDIANS CONSIDERED THEIR HOME TO BE THE CENTER OF THE WORLD AND THOUGHT OUTSIDERS AS SUSPICIOUS.  MANY PEOPLE STAYED WITHIN  THE GROUNDS OF THEIR ORIGINAL VILLAGES UNLESS FORCES TO LEAVE.  MOST TRIBES TRADED BETWEEN EACH OTHER  AND COMPENSATED FOR DEFICIENCIES.  SHELL BEADS, FISH, ACORNS, ACCESS TO OBSIDIAN.  SOME POMO GROUPS HAD HOSTILITIES.  BOUNDARIES OF TRIBES WERE MARKED AND CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT THE BOUNDARIES.


VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA