Salinan facts for kids
| Te'po'ta'ahl | |
|---|---|
Miguelino family near Mission San Antonio de Padua
|
|
| Total population | |
| 681 (2000, census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 California |
|
| Languages | |
| Salinan language | |
| Religion | |
| (religion, Salinan traditional narratives |
The Salinan are a group of Native American people. Their traditional homeland is in central California. This area includes the southern Salinas Valley and the Santa Lucia Range.
Today, the Salinan people are working to get official recognition from the United States government. This recognition helps tribes protect their culture and land.
Long ago, the Salinan people had two main groups. The Miguelino lived in the south. The Antoniano lived in the north. These names came from the two Spanish missions built in their area. These were Mission San Antonio de Padua and Mission San Miguel Arcángel. There was also a Playano group. They lived along the Pacific Coast near places like San Simeon.
Before Europeans arrived, the Salinan people were hunter-gatherers. This means they found their food by hunting animals and gathering plants. Like many other California tribes, they lived in small groups. They did not have a single, large government.
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What Does "Salinan" Mean?
The Salinan people were named after the Salinas River. This name was given by others in the 1800s. The people's own name for themselves is "Te'po'ta'ahl." This means "People of the Oaks." This name comes from the oak trees that grow in their homeland.
The Salinan Language
The Salinan language was spoken by the Salinan people. It was spoken until the 1950s. This language is considered a language isolate. This means it is not clearly related to other languages. Some experts think it might be part of the larger Hokan language family. However, there is not much strong proof for this idea.
How Many Salinan People Are There?
It is hard to know exactly how many Native Americans lived in California long ago. Experts have made different guesses. One expert, Alfred L. Kroeber, thought there were about 3,000 Salinan people in 1770. Another expert, Sherburne F. Cook, estimated at least 700 Salinan people. The 2000 United States Census counted 681 people who identified as Salinan.
Wagon Cave: A Special Place
The Wagon Cave is a rock formation about 18 miles northwest of Jolon. This area is an important archeological site. It was used by the Salinan Antonianos group. Researchers believe this group had at least two villages in the area. One village dates back to about 450 A.D. A later village was used from about 1450 to 1650 A.D.
Archeologists have found many items at the Wagon Cave site. These include stone tools, shell beads, and animal bones. They also found charred seeds and mortars. The rock overhangs and caves show signs of people living there for hundreds of years. The Wagon Cave area is now a Research Natural Area. It has many old Valley Oak trees.
