Coast Miwok facts for kids
Modern reconstructions of Coast Miwok shelters at Kule Loklo
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1770: 2,000 1850: 250 1880: 60 2000: 167 |
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| Regions with significant populations | |
| California: Sonoma County |
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| Languages | |
| Utian: Coast Miwok |
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| Religion | |
| Shamanism: Kuksu: Miwok mythology |
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| Related ethnic groups | |
| Miwok Plains & Sierra Miwok |
The Coast Miwok are a group of Native American people from California. They were the second-largest group of the Miwok people. The Coast Miwok lived in what is now Marin County and southern Sonoma County in Northern California. Their land stretched from the Golden Gate up to Duncans Point and east to Sonoma Creek.
The Coast Miwok didn't have one big name for themselves. They were known by names like Bodega Bay Miwok (Olamentke), Marin Miwok (Huukuiko), and Southern Sonoma Miwok (Lekatuit). The word "Miwok" itself comes from a different Miwok language and means "people."
Contents
Coast Miwok Culture and Daily Life
The Coast Miwok spoke their own Coast Miwok language. They lived by hunting and gathering food. They lived in small groups and did not have one main leader for everyone.
What did they eat?
In spring, they went to the coast to hunt salmon and other seafood, including seaweed. Their main foods were acorns from oak trees, nuts, and wild animals. They hunted deer and rabbits. When hunting deer, they used a plant called Brewer's angelica to hide their own smell. They usually did not hunt bears.
Homes and Crafts
Their traditional homes were called "kotcha." These houses were cone-shaped and built with slabs of tule grass or redwood bark. The Miwok people were very skilled at making baskets. You can see a recreated Coast Miwok village called Kule Loklo at the Point Reyes National Seashore.
How were they organized?
The Coast Miwok lived in smaller groups called "tribelets." These groups had their own chiefs or headmen. They did not have one big political structure for all the Coast Miwok people. Some of these tribelets included the Olamentke (around Bodega Bay), Lekatuit (in south-central Sonoma County), and Huukuiko (in Marin and southern Sonoma County).
Language Today
The Coast Miwok language is still spoken by some people. The Bodega dialect, spoken by the Olamentke group, has been written down and studied.
Beliefs and Stories
The Coast Miwok believed that spirits were in animals and nature. They practiced the Kuksu religion, which involved special dances and ceremonies. These ceremonies often included costumes and were held in underground dance rooms. This religion was shared with other Native American groups in California.
The Coast Miwok believed that animal spirits were their ancestors. Coyote was seen as their ancestor and the creator god. Their stories say that the Earth began when land formed out of the Pacific Ocean.
Coast Miwok History
The first records of Miwok people date back to 1579. A priest on Sir Francis Drake's ship wrote about them. Other records come from Spanish and Russian travelers between 1595 and 1808. Many ancient charmstones and arrowheads have been found at Tolay Lake. Some of these are 4,000 years old! This lake was a sacred place for ceremonies and healing.
Arrival of Europeans
When Europeans came to California, the Coast Miwok population sadly decreased. This was mainly due to new diseases brought by the Europeans. Starting in 1783, some Coast Miwok people began to join Mission San Francisco de Asis. Many more joined around 1803.
In 1817, Mission San Rafael was built in Coast Miwok territory. Most Coast Miwok people who had gone to other missions were brought back to Mission San Rafael. This mission became a home for Coast Miwok and Pomo speakers.
Life After the Missions
After the Mission period ended (1769–1834), the Coast Miwok were no longer controlled by the missionaries. The mission lands were given to Californios (people of Spanish or Mexican descent living in California). Many Coast Miwok began to work on these new ranches. They used their farming and ranching skills. Others chose to live independently in their own groups.
In 1837, a smallpox sickness greatly reduced the native populations in the Sonoma region. The Coast Miwok population continued to decline due to other diseases as well.
By 1850, when California became a state, many Miwok people worked as farm laborers or fished in their traditional lands. They also worked on ranches that were now owned by Anglo-Americans.
Olompali and Nicasio Lands
After Mission San Rafael closed, the Mexican government allowed Miwok people to own land in two places: Olompali and Nicasio.
A Coast Miwok leader named Camilo Ynitia received a land grant called Rancho Olompali in 1843. This land included his home village of Olompali, which was a very old and important Miwok village. Ynitia kept the land for nine years before selling most of it.
Another Miwok-owned ranch was Rancho Nicasio. About 500 Miwok people moved there. However, over time, much of their land was taken illegally. By 1880, only 36 Miwok people remained at Nicasio. They were later encouraged to leave.
Some Coast Miwok people were forced to work on plantations. For example, in 1846, a man named Joseph Warren Revere bought a large piece of Coast Miwok land. He forced enslaved Coast Miwok people to work on his plantation.
By the early 1900s, some Miwok families earned a living by fishing. Others worked in agriculture, moving around Marin and Sonoma counties for jobs.
Official Recognition
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which includes people of both Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo descent, gained official recognition from the U.S. government in 2000.
Coast Miwok Population Changes
Historians have estimated the Coast Miwok population before Europeans arrived. In 1770, it was thought to be around 1,500 to 2,000 people. By 1848, the population had dropped to about 300, and by 1880, it was only about 60.
Important Coast Miwok People
- José Calistro: He was the last community leader at Nicasio.
- Chief Marin: He was a Coast Miwok leader from the Huimen group. He was important at Mission San Rafael in the 1820s. Marin County is named after him.
- Quintin: He was a sub-chief under Marin. The San Quentin Peninsula is said to be named after him.
- Julia F. Parker: A famous basket weaver.
- Ponponio: He was a leader of Native American people who tried to escape from the missions.
- Greg Sarris: He is the current Tribal Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. He is also a college professor and author.
- William Smith: He was a Coast Miwok from Bodega Bay. He helped start the commercial fishing industry in that area.
- Camilo Ynitia: A Coast Miwok leader who owned the Rancho Olompali land grant. This land is now Olompali State Historic Park.
Images for kids
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Illustration from a 1590 book showing Francis Drake's expedition with Californian natives.
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Balthazar, Inhabitant of Northern California, painted in 1818.
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