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In this portion of our guide to the American Indians, we will be focusing on the Miwok people, alternatively spelled Miwuk, Mi-Wuk, or Me-Wuk.

The Miwok are made up of four related American Indian groups indigenous to what is now Northern California. These are the Plains and Sierra Miwok, the Coast Miwok, the Lake Miwok, and the Bay Miwok.

The Plains and Sierra Miwok were once the largest group of Miwok people. Their homeland included regions of the Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley, and the Sierra Nevada.

The Plains and Sierra Miwok traditionally inhabited the western Sierra Nevada, between the Fresno River and the Cosumnes River, in the eastern Central Valley of California, as well as in the northern Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta region, at the confluences of the Cosumnes River, the Mokelumne River, and the Sacramento River.

Currently, many Sierra Miwok live near their traditional homeland, including Buena Vista Rancheria, Chicken Ranch Rancheria, Jackson Rancheria, Sheep Ranch Rancheria, Shingle Springs Rancheria, Tuolumne Rancheria, and Wilton Rancheria.

There were four subdivisions of the Plains and Sierra Miwok: the Plains Miwok, the Northern Sierra Miwok, the Central Sierra Miwok, and the Southern Sierra Miwok.

The Coast Miwok were the second-largest group of the Miwok people. They lived in the Marin County and southern Sonoma County area, from the Golden Gate north to Duncans Point and east to Sonoma Creek. The Coast Miwok included the Bodega Bay Miwok (Olamentko), the Marin Miwok (Hookooeko), and the Southern Sonoma Miwok (Lekahtewutko). The three Coast Miwok tribes didn't have a collective name for all three tribes, but they had their own language, which is still spoken.

The Lake Miwok resided in the Clear Lake basin of what is now Lake County. The Lake Miwok were nearly eliminated during a smallpox epidemic in 1837. In 1920, only twenty members were recorded.

The Bay Miwok inhabited what is now Contra Costa County. During the early 19th century, they suffered a devastating population decline, and the survivors intermarried with other California Indian groups and replaced their language with Spanish. Currently, the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay area claims to include the descendants of various Bay Miwok and Ohlone groups, including the previously federally recognized Verona Band of Alameda County, whose request for federal recognition was denied in 2002, and other tribal groups have disputed their land claims.

The primary governmental structure of the Miwok people was the villages or small tribes, and there was no centralized political authority governing the Miwok before the late 18th century.

Although they cultivated tobacco, they were largely hunter-gatherers. Food sources depended on geographical locations, of course, so the Sierra Miwok made good use of acorns from the California Black Oak, which evidence suggests they may have cultivated in some areas. Mussels were a prized source of food for those who lived along the Stanislaus River, and the Coast Miwok were known to have dived for abalone, as well as gathering food from the inland side of the Marin Peninsula. The Miwok ate when they were hungry rather than at regular meal times.

The traditional religion of the Miwok people was similar to other Northwestern Pacific groups. They practiced a form of shamanism, which involved communication with the spirit world, various rituals and ceremonies, and healing. Their religion illustrated their strong connection to nature, including the land, water, animals, and plants, all of which they depended on for food, clothing, shelter, tools, and medicine.

The first contact with Europeans occurred in the late 18th century when Spanish explorers and missionaries came. It wasn't long before the Miwok were forced to convert to Christianity and move on to the missions, where they suffered from disease, mistreatment, and the loss of culture. Many died, others fled, and some resisted and fought against the Spanish.

The 19th century brought an influx of American settlers, miners, and ranchers, who further encroached on their lands and resources. The Miwok were involved in several conflicts and wars, including the Mariposa War, the Bald Hills War, and the Modoc War. Some were forced onto reservations, while others assimilated.

The 20th and 21st centuries brought a cultural resurgence and political awakening, as the Modoc used the court system to reclaim their identity, sovereignty, and heritage, forming tribal councils, organizations, and alliances, and pursuing legal actions, land claims, and recognition. During this period, there has also been a movement to revive Miwok traditions, languages, and arts.

Today, many Miwok continue to live in their ancestral homelands.

 

 

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