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California Indians• They display a Cultural Marginality, forexample, the Northern Californiapeoples were very similar to the
Northwest Coast.• Acorns were the major source ofsu sistence.
•
The largest and most diverse culturearea in Native North America.
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!nvironments•
"resent day California, some maps include #ajaCalifornia.• #ounded y mountains on all sides.• Mojave and Colorado deserts order southeastern
California.• $outheastern California has less than %& inches of
annual rainfall.• Chaparral and desert shru are some examples of
vegetation.
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!nvironments•
$an 'oa(uin and $acramento rivers drain $ierra Nevadasthrough the )reat Central *alley to the $an +rancisco#ay.
• The )reat Central *alley includes the $an 'oa(uin and$acramento *alleys. Consist of the Northern and Centralparts of California.
• - inches of annual rainfall.• edwood and "ine/+ur forests in mountains.• 0a1 woodland forest form a and around the outer
perimeter of the )C*.
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2anguages and Tri es•
"recolum ian "opulation of %3-,---. 3 people for every%-- s(uare 1ilometers.• 4o1an5 Northern/Central *alley tri es5 6aro1, $hasta, 7ana, "omo, Central Coastal Area5 Chumash.
• "enutian5 Northern/Central *alley Tri es5 8intu, Maidu, 7o1uts, Miwo1.
• Atha as1an5 Northern Coastal Area5 4upa• Alogon1ian5 Northern Coastal Area5 8iyot, 7uro1.• 7u1ian5 Northern Coastal Area5 7u1i.• 9to5A:tecan5 Central and $outhern ;esert ordering
southwest5 $errano, Cahuilla, 2iuseno.
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$u sistence and !conomy•
California is ountiful in Typical? CA tri es in )C*5 Acorn gatherers.• $ettlement "atterns in the )C* were directly
proportional to the a undance of acorns in the area.
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$u sistence and !conomy•
Areas where acorns were plentiful supported highesta original population densities in Native North America.• $edentary or semi5sedentary lifestyles5 The "omo, can
considered a typical group.• )athering, the primary su sistence activity, performed
y women and children.• )rass seeds, pine nuts, and acorns gathered in late fall.
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$u sistence•
8hite 0a1 and other species utili:ed.• Acorns harvested, pounded in a mortar/pestle, then
leached in water to remove tannic acid.• Acorn mush a1ed into ca1es.•
0ther plant foods@ tu ers, ul s, erries, clover,
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"omo5 $u sistence•
The "omo area is north of the $an +rancisco #ay, whichis a protein rich area.• ivers and forests teaming with =sh and game.• a it, el1, and deer hunted using the surround method.•
!l1 and deer were also hunted with ow and arrow.• $(uirrel, wood rat, (uail, water fowl, grasshoppers,
insects, salmon, trout, and cat=sh were also eaten.• #oats and nets were made out of tule rush.
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"omo5Culture•
;omed grass and tule thatched houses, semisu terranean sweat lodges.• Twined and coiled as1ets with red and lac1 geometric
designs.• ;entalia and clam shells were used to show wealth. They
were traded as far east as the !astern 8oodland areaIro(uoisB.
• "lains Indians sewed dentalia shells on uc1s1in dresses.• $ome nec1laces were also made out of magnetite.• 0 sidian was used to ma1e pri:ed lades.
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"omo5Culture•
,--- "omo5 &o local groups with no political unity.• D&53-- people per village.• 2ocal groups had territories, ut oundaries not strictly
enforced.•
0a1 groves and open meadows, however, were privateproperty.• 2ittle formal government, pro lems were handled y the
men fo the village.
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"omo5$ocial 0rgani:ation•
!ach village was an autonomous cluster of severalpatrilineal families led y a headman.• $everal local villages were compromised of a >tri elet?.• A term coined y Alfred 6roe er.•
;e=ned as small independent groups of nativeCalifornians which shared a language and usuallycomprised of a principal village.
• "atrilineal clans5 lineage mem ers loyal to one another.• Nuclear family the residential group.
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"omo5$ocial 0rgani:ation•
!ach village had a headman who made sure ceremonieswere held at the the right time.• The headman was a hereditary position of respect and
power.• 4e responsi ilities included informing people of current
events and gave moral lectures to children.• Maintained amia le relations etween village adults.