MIWOK

THERE ARE THREE GROUPS OF MIWOKS - THE VALLEY MIWOKS, COAST MIWOKS, AND LAKE MIWOKS. THE MAIN GROUP, VALLEY MIWOKS, LIVED ON THE WESTERN SLOPE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA, ALONG THE SACRAMENTO RIVER AND THEIR TRIBUTARIES.

THE COAST MIWOKS LIVE IN MARIN COUNTY AND THEIR LEADERS ARE THE WOMEN. MIWOK MEANS "PEOPLE" IN THE PENUTIAN LANGUAGE OF THIS TRIBE. ALL THREE GROUPS LIFEWAYS VARIED WITH FOOD SOURCES. NEAR OVER 100 VILLAGE SITES. SIMILAR TO THE POMO THEY COLLECTED SIMILAR WILD PLANTS AND BUILT WICKIUPS WITH POLES AND TULE HOMES.

THEY MADE BEAUTIFUL BASKETSOF COILED SEDGEROOT AND WILLOW. THEY WERE PEACEFUL WITH THE SPANISH AND HAD INDEPENDENCE FROM MEXICO. BUT IT CHANGED AFTER MEXICO GAINED INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN IN 1821 AND THEY TOOK CONTROL OF CALIFORNIA. IN 1848 THE TREATY OF GUADELUPE HILDALGO WAS SIGNED AND MEXICO THEN CEDED CALIFORNIA TO THE US.

WHILE THE ANGLOS CAME TO LOOK FOR GOLD IN CALIFORNIA, THE MINERS INTERBREDED WITH THW INDIANS AND CONTRACTED DISEASES FROM MANY OF THEM. THE VALLEY MIWOKS AND YOKUTS FOUGHT BACK A POWERFUL NEIGHBORING TRIBE. IN 1850 THE WARRIORS, UNDER CHIEF TENAYA ATTACKED TRADING POSTS AND LED SOME ATTACKS ON THE ANGLOSIN THE SIERRA NEVADA. THEY CURRENTLY LIVE ON THREE RANCHERIAS.