Vanyume facts for kids
| Languages | |
|---|---|
| Vanyume language | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Serrano people |
The Vanyume (pronounced Van-YOO-may) are an Indigenous group from Southern California. They are also known as the Desert Serrano. Their traditional land stretched along the Mojave River. This area went from the eastern Mojave Desert to what is now Victorville. It might have also included parts of the southern Antelope Valley.
Even though the Vanyume were similar to the nearby Serrano people in language and culture, they were separate groups politically. This was before Europeans arrived. We don't have much information about the Vanyume. This is because their villages were empty before modern studies could be done.
Contents
Who are the Vanyume?
What does "Vanyume" mean?
The first European to mention the Vanyume was Father Francisco Garcés. He called them Beñemé. This name came from the Mohave language. Later, a researcher named Alfred Louis Kroeber used a different version, Vanyumé. This is the name we use today.
Life Before European Contact
How many Vanyume people were there?
When Europeans first came to California, the Vanyume population was thought to be "very small." However, a study in 2017 suggested there might have been as many as 700 Vanyume people.
What language did the Vanyume speak?
The Vanyume people traditionally spoke the Vanyume language. This language is now extinct, meaning no one speaks it anymore. It was part of the Uto-Aztecan language family, specifically the Takic branch. The Vanyume language was probably very similar to the Serrano language. It might have also shared some features with the nearby Kitanemuk language.
Changes to the Vanyume Population
Between the late 1700s and early 1900s, the number of Vanyume people greatly decreased.
The influence of missions
Starting in 1790, some Vanyume people were baptized at Mission San Fernando and Mission San Gabriel. Many Vanyume people joined the missions between 1811 and 1814. This process was likely helped by military pressure. In 1811, there might have been an attempt to force the Vanyume and Serrano people to move.
Vanyume villages located further down the Mojave River had more freedom. They were less affected by Spanish influence and the missions. In the late 1810s, some Vanyume settlements became empty. Their residents were killed during conflicts between Spanish and Mohave people.
Other reasons for population decline
Indigenous Californians who were interviewed in the late 1800s and early 1900s talked about violence related to trade with the Mohave people. They said these conflicts were a big reason for the Vanyume population to shrink and scatter. These fights likely happened around the 1830s.
Today, there are still people alive who have Vanyume ancestors.
