Tuluka, California facts for kids

Tuluka (also known as Tulucay, Re-ho, Tu-lo-kai-di-sel, or Tulkays) was once a village belonging to the Patwin people. It was located in Napa County, California, southeast of the city of Napa. Today, we don't know its exact spot.

What Was Tuluka?

Tuluka was a village where the Patwin people lived a long time ago. The Patwin were a group of Native Americans who lived in the central part of California. The name "Tuluka" might mean "red," according to a famous expert named Alfred Kroeber.

Where Was Tuluka Located?

Even though we know Tuluka was near Napa, California, its precise location is a bit of a mystery. Historians and researchers have tried to figure out exactly where it was.

Ideas About Tuluka's Location

A researcher named Clinton Hart Merriam thought that Tuluka might have been in the same area as the modern-day city of Napa. He also believed it was part of the northern border for another group of people called the Pooewin. The Pooewin were often in conflict with the Patwin people.

Merriam also wrote about a place called Too-loo'-kah ranchería, which was a small settlement southeast of Napa. This land later became part of a large ranch called Rancho Tulucay, owned by Cayetano Juárez. Eventually, a hospital, likely the Napa State Hospital, was built on or near this site.

Merriam wondered if the people living at the Too-loo'-kah ranchería were originally from Napa, or if they had been moved there by the Spanish during the time of the missions.