Yokuts – Natives of California
Ever heard of the Yokuts? If you’re a California history buff, you might have! These folks are the original inhabitants of a big chunk of central California, going way back. They’re sometimes called Mariposan, a name that comes from Mariposa County. "Yokuts" itself just means "person" or "people" – pretty straightforward, right?
Where Did They Hang Out?
Imagine a strip of land stretching about 250 miles through the San Joaquin Valley. That’s Yokuts country! They lived there from the mouth of the San Joaquin River all the way to the Tehachapi Mountains. They also chilled in the lower foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, up to a few thousand feet, starting from the Fresno River south. In the northern part of their territory, some Yokuts tribes even lived in the Coast Range foothills. There’s evidence they were hanging out in the Carrizo Plain, making some awesome rock art in the Painted Rock area.
For organizational purposes, people often divide the Yokuts into three groups: Southern Valley Yokuts, Northern Valley Yokuts, and Foothill Yokuts.
A Bunch of Tribes, a Bunch of Languages
The Yokuts weren’t one big, monolithic group. Nope, they were made up of around 60 different tribes, each with their own unique dialect of the Yokuts language family. That’s a lot of variety! Each tribe had villages, some with as many as 350 people.
Leadership and Roles
Every tribe had a hierarchy:
- Head Chief: The big cheese, in charge of the whole shebang.
- Winatun: A sub-chief, kind of like the vice president.
- Village Chief: Focused on the day-to-day happenings in the village.
Chiefs were usually well-off and knew their stuff when it came to religion. The role of chief was usually passed down through the family, and both men and women could hold the position. They were like the ultimate hosts, taking care of guests and the less fortunate. They also settled disputes, organized hunts, and even had the authority to deal with troublemakers like sorcerers.
But there were other important roles, too! There was always a jester or clown to keep things light, and an undertaker to handle, well, you know. Interestingly, undertakers were often two-spirit people (individuals who identified with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth).
Relationships and Family Life
Marriage was a big deal, and families would arrange things with the couple’s blessing. Polygamy (having more than one spouse) was technically allowed, but it wasn’t super common. When a couple got hitched, they’d live with the woman’s family for a year, then move closer to the husband’s parents.
One quirky thing: there were some serious in-law taboos. A son-in-law and mother-in-law could never speak directly to each other, and the same went for a daughter-in-law and father-in-law. Talk about awkward family dinners!
Divorce wasn’t a huge hassle. You could split up for reasons like cheating, being lazy, or not being able to have kids.
Some Notable Yokuts Bands
Here are a few of the Yokuts bands you might hear about:
- Chaushila (Chowchilla)
- Choinumni
- Chukchansi
- Gashowu
- Lakisamni
- Tachi
- Wukchumni
What Did They Eat and Do?
The Yokuts had a pretty resourceful way of life.
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Guys’ Stuff: Men were the hunters, fishers, and builders. They used spears, traps, and all sorts of tools to catch animals. They’d fish for trout, perch, salmon, and other tasty critters. They also snagged waterfowl like geese and ducks. Mussels and turtles were on the menu, too! When deer and elk came to the lakes for a drink, the Yokuts were ready. They also ate pigeons, quail, rabbits, squirrels, and even dogs (though that probably wasn’t their first choice).
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Gals’ Stuff: Women were the gatherers, homemakers, and child-rearers. Their main food was acorn mash (more on that later), but they also used tule roots and iris bulbs to make flour. They gathered manzanita berries, pine nuts, and seeds. Salt came from salt grass. They even grew their own tobacco.
Tools of the Trade
Bows and arrows were key for hunting and fighting. The Yokuts made some themselves, but they also traded for them. The bows were reinforced with sinew, and the arrows had feathers. They also used traps and snares made from branches and brush. Fish traps were set up in streams, and spears were used for fishing. Some birds were caught with nets made from milkweed fibers.
One essential tool was a stick with a loop on the end. They used it to take hot stones out of cooking baskets, stir mush, and lift those hot stones. Talk about multi-purpose!
Getting Around
The Valley Yokuts were clever boat builders. They made canoe-shaped rafts out of tule reeds tied together. These rafts were big enough for about six people, and they used long poles to push them along. The Foothill Yokuts made rafts by lashing two logs together.
What They Wore
Men often wore deerskin around their hips or just went bare. When it got cold, they’d throw on robes made from rabbit or mud hen skins. They only wore moccasins when the ground was rough.
Women wore skirts made in two pieces: a narrow, fringed part in the front and a bigger piece in the back. These skirts were made from tule reeds, marsh grass, or rabbit skins. They also wore basket caps when carrying heavy loads.
Where They Lived
The Yokuts lived in permanent houses most of the year, only leaving in the summer to gather food. Single families usually made oval-shaped houses with tule mats covering a frame of poles. Some of the Southern Valley tribes built bigger houses for up to ten families. These houses had steep roofs and were covered with tule mats. Each family had their own fireplace and door, but there weren’t any walls separating them.
Houses in the foothills were sometimes built with the floor dug a foot or two into the ground. In marshy areas, the floor was level with the ground. Both Valley and Foothill Yokuts had shady porch-like roofs outside their houses.
Every village had a sweathouse, which was dug into the ground and covered with brush and earth. Only men used them. Some Yokuts villages had dance or assembly houses for ceremonies.
Ceremonies and Beliefs
The Yokuts had important religious ceremonies like the annual mourning rite and the first fruit rite. They also had puberty rites, which involved boys using a hallucinogen called toloache, made from jimsonweed. Many dances and ceremonies were held outside, with brush fences around the dance area. Eagle feathers were a big part of the decorations, and eagle down was used to make ceremonial skirts. They also made tall headdresses using magpie tail feathers and crow feathers.
Shamans (medicine men) were important because they were believed to have supernatural powers. They helped with ceremonies and could heal the sick. Their power came from spirit animals through dreams or vision quests. They charged a lot for their services, but if they used their power for evil, they could be killed.
Art and Culture
The Yokuts expressed themselves through music, singing, painting, and basket weaving. Their baskets were amazing, with intricate designs and images. They also used tattoos and piercings. Some women had tattoos on their chins.
Trade
The Yokuts traded with other tribes, like the Chumash, for things like salt, soapstone, and obsidian. They used marine shells called keha as money, showing they had a working monetary system. They traded for plants, animals, mussels, abalone shells, baskets, bows, and arrows.
Contact and Hard Times
The Yokuts first met Europeans in 1772 when Spanish troops were searching for soldiers.
Before contact, there were probably around 70,000 Yokuts, one of the highest population densities in North America.
In the 19th century, the Spanish built missions and forced the Yokuts to work as farmers. The harsh conditions, disease, and abuse led to many deaths.
In 1833, British fur traders brought malaria, which spread quickly through the Yokuts population.
After the Mexican-American War, the U.S. government tried to set aside land for Indian reservations, but the Senate didn’t approve any of the treaties.
The California Gold Rush in 1849 was a disaster for the Yokuts. American gold prospectors and settlers destroyed their way of life. In 1853, malaria struck again.
The California government wanted to move the Indians east of the Sierras, saying that otherwise, there would be a "war of extermination."
By 1854, the remaining Yokuts were forced to move to the Fort Tejon Reservation. A few years later, white vigilantes attacked the reservation, killing most of the inhabitants. By 1859, the reservation was abandoned.
Settlers and the California State Militia waged war against the Yokuts and other tribes in what became known as the Californian Genocide. The Yokuts population dropped by about 93% between 1850 and 1900. Many survivors were forced into indentured servitude.
Resilience and Revival
The Tule reservation was established in 1873, and many Yokuts moved there. They found work in logging, ranching, and farming. Their children were forced to go to boarding schools.
Despite all the hardship, the Yokuts have survived. In 1910, there were about 600 Yokuts. The Santa Rosa Rancheria was established in 1921.
By the 1950s, most Indian children were in segregated public schools. A cultural revival began in the 1960s.
In 1990, about 1,150 Yokuts lived on two rancherias.
As of the 2010 census, there were 6,273 people who identified as Yokuts. Many live on reservations with casinos, which provide jobs, money, and healthcare. The Tachi tribe is the most well-known and is federally recognized.
Today’s Yokut Tribes
- Santa Rosa Rancheria (Tachi)
- Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians
- Table Mountain Rancheria (Mono)
- Tejon Indian Tribe of California
- Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation
- Tuolumne Rancheria
The Wukchumni and Choinumni communities are not yet federally recognized.
So, there you have it! The story of the Yokuts – a resilient and culturally rich people who have faced incredible challenges but continue to thrive.