Ione Band of Miwok Indians facts for kids
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 750 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( California) |
|
| Languages | |
| English, historically Northern Sierra Miwok language |
|
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Miwok tribes |
The Ione Band of Miwok Indians is a Native American tribe. They are officially recognized by the United States government. They are part of the larger Miwok people and live in Amador County, California. In 2010, a small number of people, just 5, were counted as living there.
A Look at Miwok History
Ancient Miwok Life
The Miwok people have lived for a very long time in California. They had over a hundred villages along the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River. Their lands also stretched north of the San Francisco Bay area. They lived east into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The Ione Miwok have a special story passed down through generations. Their oral history says the tribe came from the Buena Vista Peaks. These peaks are south of Ione, California. This was a time when the Sacramento Valley was covered by water.
European Arrival and Changes
In the 1800s, European explorers arrived in Miwok lands. This contact brought big changes. Spanish explorers came to California and forced many Native Americans to work. This happened during the mission system period. Sadly, diseases like smallpox spread between 1820 and 1840. These diseases greatly reduced the Native American population. Before the Spanish arrived, there were about 22,000 Miwok people. Today, there are about 750.
Gold Rush and Land Conflicts
In 1839, John Sutter built his fort. He continued to force Native Americans to work. He also raided areas around Ione. Then, the California Gold Rush happened from 1848 to 1850. Many non-Native people rushed into the region looking for gold. This huge number of new people moved onto the Miwok's land. They took over areas where the Miwok hunted and gathered food. This led to very difficult and sometimes deadly conflicts between the newcomers and the Native Americans.
Struggles for Land and Recognition
Because of the violence, the United States government tried to make three treaties with the Ione Miwok. However, the US Congress never officially approved these treaties. The public did not even know about them until 1905. The Miwok people were forced off their traditional lands. They were denied basic human rights and protection. This meant many Miwok people became homeless. They had to find new ways to survive. Some joined other tribes in the Sierra foothills. Others worked as laborers on ranches.
In 1915, a count by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) showed 101 homeless Miwok people near Ione. These groups later became the Jackson Rancheria, Buena Vista Rancheria, and the Ione Band of Miwok Indians. The US government tried to create a 40-acre Indian rancheria (a small reservation) for the Ione Miwok, but it did not work out at first. Families settled on the land. Finally, in 1972, the land was given to 12 individuals and other Ione Miwok members. But it was not given to the tribe as a whole. Discussions and legal fights over land ownership and tribal recognition went on for many years.
In 1994, Ada Deer confirmed that the Ione Band of Miwok Indians was indeed recognized by the federal government. The Ione Miwok elected a tribal council in 1996. They approved a constitution that the BIA accepted in 2002. They held another election in 2003. In 2012, the BIA approved the tribe's request to put 228 acres of land in Amador County into a trust. This means the land is held by the government for the tribe's benefit. In 2015, two court cases were decided in favor of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians. This allowed the 228-acre land transfer to finally happen.
Miwok Language and Communication
The Miwok people lived peacefully for thousands of years in Northern and Central California. They originally had three main groups: the Sierra Miwok, Lake Miwok, and Coast Miwok. Their ancestors' traditional lands included the Sierra Nevada foothills and Central California. Their languages are part of the Penutian language family. This includes Northern Miwok and Plains Miwok languages.
Most Miwok people still live in Central California today on "Rancherias." These are similar to reservations. However, some live in communities with members of other tribes. Others live in towns in Northern California. Today, most Miwok people speak English. But in the past, they spoke their native "Miwok language," also known as Moquelumnan. Some elders still remember words from the language. Younger people are also interested in learning and speaking their native language again. However, overall, it is an endangered language, meaning not many people speak it anymore.
Miwok Culture and Daily Life
Traditional Leadership and Food
Traditionally, each Miwok group was led by a chief. This leader was usually a man. In some groups, the chief's position was passed down through families. In others, elders would choose the next chief. The Miwok tribe were skilled hunters, gatherers, and fishers. Their diet included acorns, which they used to make soups, cakes, and bread. They hunted deer, black bear, elk, and birds. They also caught small animals like rabbits, fish, or quail. They gathered many foods available to them. These included buckeye nuts, berries, mushrooms, and other green plants.
Tools and Clothing
The weapons they used included spears, slings, knives, clubs, and bows and arrows. Their traditional clothing was made from grass or bark fibers and animal hides. Men wore loincloths. In colder seasons, they wore fur robes and kilts. Women traditionally wore aprons made from shredded willow bark. Their dresses usually reached their calves. They decorated their dresses with ornaments, tassels, shells, and quills. Like the men, women also wore fur robes in the winter. Both genders wore moccasins in cold weather. Men would often go barefoot if it was warm enough outside.
Ceremonial Attire and Art
For ceremonies, they wore special clothing. This included headdresses and flicker headbands. These headbands were made from the longest and narrowest flicker quill wing feathers. The feathers were dark pink or yellow. They were sewn together with darker brown feathers to create the headband. It would be tied from the back. Their styles also included body decorations. Most of them wore earrings and nose rings. They also practiced tattooing. They made white paint from chalk deposits and black paint from charcoal. This resulted in black and white face and body painting. It was often applied in horizontal lines. These tattoos and body decorations made the Miwok tribe very unique.
Homes and Games
In the past, the Miwok lived in tule houses. These homes usually had cone-shaped frames of wooden poles. The poles were placed over a hole dug into the ground. The frame was covered by mats woven from tule reeds. Dirt was packed over it to keep it insulated. Today, Miwok people live in modern houses or apartments. Miwok children used to have many chores and little time to play. Today, they commonly go hunting or fishing with their fathers. A popular game for free time was "shinny." This is an athletic game much like rugby and lacrosse. Younger children played a "skipping stone" game, similar to "jacks." Miwok girls also played with dolls, just like young girls do today.
Beliefs and Celebrations
Their culture is strongly connected to their sacred ceremonies and beliefs. They often prayed and thanked their spirits. They believed everything in the world had a spiritual power. This included plants, animals, rocks, and trees. Because of this, they often took only what they needed. They did not like to waste anything from their sacred land. They had high respect for animals. They showed this through imitation dances and mythical legends. These stories were about animals and their people's connection.
Dancing was very important to them. They performed dances for many occasions. These included giving thanks, celebrating, and hoping to cure the sick. They also danced as prayers for the dead. They had musical instruments. These included elderberry flutes, drums, cocoon rattles, clappers, and whistles.
Economy and Future
For their economy, Coast and Lake Miwok used clamshell beads as money. They often traveled west to gather marine resources. These included clamshells and seaweed. Today, the Ione Band is still working to establish a gambling facility (a casino) near Plymouth, California. The Ione Band plans to use the money from the casino to support the tribe's government operations. It will also fund programs and help tribal members. The Ione Band is actively looking for other ways to develop their economy to help the tribe.
