The Native Americans known as the Miwok (or Mewuk) originally lived in more than 100 villages in California, north and east of San Francisco Bay. They were nearly wiped out when settlers flooded into their lands during the California Gold Rush in the mid-19th century.

Society and culture

The Miwok were divided into several groups, including the Lake Miwok, the Coast Miwok, and the Valley Miwok. The Lake Miwok lived near Clear Lake north of San Francisco Bay. The Coast Miwok occupied lands along the Pacific Ocean north of what is now San Francisco. The Valley Miwok—the largest of the groups—were located along the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers.

The Miwok fished using nets, spears, and sometimes even their bare hands. They hunted birds, deer, and other game with bows and arrows. For many Miwok, however, the most important source of food were the nuts, berries, and roots they gathered. Miwok living inland particularly relied on acorns.

The Miwok lived in large earth-covered houses. Some also made simple lean-tos made of bark which they used as summer shelters. They were expert weavers of decorated baskets.

History

The Coast Miwok may have had contact with the Europeans who explored the California coast in the late 16th century. By the early 1800s many of the Miwok had encountered Spanish priests and soldiers who built missions. The Spaniards forced some of the Miwok to live and work at the missions. Russian traders who came from the north also sometimes attacked the Indians.

In 1848 California became part of the United States. That same year gold was discovered in the region. Gold-seeking Americans rushed to Miwok territory and overtook their lands. Many Miwok went hungry when they were longer able to fish, hunt, and gather wild plants. Even worse, large numbers were killed or subjected to harsh treatment by the settlers. Some Valley Miwok joined the Yokut Indians in attacking American settlements. The fighting ended after federal troops were called in to subdue the Miwok and Yokut.

The surviving Miwok scattered. Without land, many gave up their old ways of making a living. They started working for wages as farmhands, ranch hands, fishermen, and migrant workers.

About 3,400 Miwok lived in the United States at the end of the 20th century. They lived on several small California reservations called rancherias. The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk holds an annual acorn festival.