Achomawi
Encyclopedia
The Achomawi are one of eleven bands of the Pit River tribe
of Native Americans
who lived in northeastern California
, USA.
Historicaly, the Achomawi homeland was located along the Pit River
in northeastern California. Their territory extended from Big Bend
to Goose Lake
. This land was also home to the Atsugewi
, who lived south of the Achomawi.
estimated the combined 1770 population of the Achomawi and Atsugewi as 3,000. A more detailed analysis by Fred B. Kniffen arrived at the same figure. T. R. Garth estimated the Atsugewi population at a maximum of 850, which would leave at least 2,150 for the Achomawi. Kroeber estimated population of the Achomawi 1910 as 1,000 and "three-fourths still full blood". Edward S. Curtis
, a photographer and author in the 1920s, gave a 1910 population of Achomawi at 984. The Achomawi population was estimated at 1,500 in 2000.
language.
-mat and spent time under shade or behind windbreaks of brush or mats. In the winter, larger houses were built. Partially underground, these winter homes had wooden frames which supported a covering made of a mix of bark, grass and tule.
and had food restrictions while waiting for their babies umbilical cord
to fall off. If twins were born, one of them was killed at birth.
Achomawi buried their dead in a flexed position, on the side, facing east and at times in baskets. They also cremated those who died outside of the community, bringing the ashes back for burial back home. The dead's belongings and relatives offerings were buried or burned with the body and the dead's house was born. There were no special ceremonies or rituals. When women became widows, they would crop their hair and rub pitch
into the stubble and on her face. A widow would also wear a necklace with lumps of pitch around her neck, with all being worn upwards of three years. After her hair grew to her upper arm, she would go on to marry her dead husband's brother.
For leisure, women within the community would play a double ball game. The Achomawi also built and used sweat lodge
s.
with coats and shirts. A deerskin with a hole cut out in the middle was put over the heads after the sides were sewn together to provide armholes, and then it would be belted. Buckskin leggings
with fringe were rare but occasionally worn by Achomawi. Moccasins of twined tule and stuffed with grass were the most common type of footwear. Deerskin moccasins were worn during dry weather. An apron
like kilt
was also seen within communities, similar to the breechcloth
of Eastern communities. Women wore short gowns or tops similar to the men, along with a deerskin skirt or a fringed apron. Bucksin moccasins and a basket cap were also standard among women. Both men and women's clothing might be decorated with porcupine quill embroidery.
Both men and women did have tattoos. Women would have three lines tattooed under the mouth and perhaps a few lines on the cheek. Men had septum piercings with dentalium shell or other jewelry.
, wildfowl, bass
, pike, trout
, and catfish
were caught. Wild plant foods, herbs, eggs, insects and larvae were also gathered. The only meat avoided by the Achomawi was the domestic dog and salt
was used in extreme moderation, as the community believed that too much salt caused sore eyes.
Fishermen used nets, baskets and spears to fish, and fish trap
s to catch the Sacramento sucker. Ten fish traps were found and are on display at the Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
. Made of stone, the traps consisted of a large outer wall that connects two points of land on the lake. The wall was built to the water level out of lava stones. A central opening in the wall, which measured between 20-50 centimeters, was supplied to allow the suckers to enter the traps. The opening pulls in the spring water outflow that is strong enough to carry in the suckers. To entrap the fish, a log, dip net or a canoe prow
, and then they were speared. The stones are described as labyrinth
s due to the many interior channels and pools they form.
Aside from traps, other tools were made and used by the community for fishing purposes, including fish hook
s and spear
points made of bone and horn. Achomawi fish hooks were made of deer bone, and fishing spears consisted of a long wooden shaft with a double-pointed bone head with a socket in which the base of the shaft was installed. A line was fastened to the spear point which was then held by the spearsman for control. Hemp
was also used to make cords to make fishing nets and rawhide was used for fishing weirs. The Achomawi made five types of fishing nets, three of them were dip nets, one a gill net and the fifth a seine.
The three dip nets were shaped like bags. One type, called taláka'yi, was suspended on the prongs of a forked pole, and was used from a canoe, land, or from wading and was used for catching suckers, trout
and pike. Another dip net, a tamichi, was used only for fishing suckers. The tamichi was four to five feet deep and wide when closed. The mesh at the lower edge of the bags opening are threaded along a stick which is then placed in the water to catch the fish. The fisherman would wade in the water while moving the net while women and children would wade pushing the fish towards the fisherman. When the fish enter the net, the fisherman releases the bag which then closes. The third bag, the lipake, was small with an oval hoop sewn into the opening. The fisherman would dive into the water and would hold the net in one hand while driving the suckers in with his free hand. Upon succeeding at capturing the fish, the fisherman would then flip the hoop over the net to close it for safe capture.
The other two nets were generally used for capturing trout and pike. The gill net, called tuwátifshi, was 40 to 60 feet long and was weighted with stones to sink it. One end was fasted to a tree and the other to a buoy
; when a fish was captured the buoy would move. The seine, talámámchi, was six to feet in depth and extended across the stream from one side to the other in calm water. Stones were used to sink the lower edge, and buoys were used on the upper edge. The fisherman would sit in a canoe at one bank, and a pulley was attached to the opposite shore. When the net was tugged upon by the fish, the fisherman would haul in the float line with the pulley to remove the catch.
Minnows were also caught for drying. They were captured with a fish trap made of willow
rods and pine root weft
. Cylindrical in shape, the mouth of the trap had splints converging inwards, which would prevent the scape of the fish, were controlled by two weirs
. A weir, called tatápi, was placed in shallow streams to capture trout, pike and suckers. A row of stakes were placed in the bottom of the stream and stones, logs, stumps and dirt was piled up against the stakes so that the water would be dammed and have to pour over the weir and into a trap on the other side. Another weir, the tafsifschi, was used in a larger stream to catch allis (steelhead trout) when they would return to sea in the fall. The tafsifschi consisted of two fence sections which extended from opposite river banks at a down-stream angle; almost meeting mid-river. They were connected by a short section of wall made by lashing horizontal poles close together across the gap. This was the lowest point in the created dam, and water would pour over carrying the fish into the basket on the other side of the gap. Salmon
would be caught by spear, seine, or in nets that hung above water falls or dams.
being cooked while going through their maturity ceremony.
Waterfowl, like ducks, were snared by a noose stretched across streams. Rabbits would be driven into nets.
sprouts were gathered in the spring and acorns, a staple of California Natives, were obtained through trade, due to the scarcity of oak tree
s in the area. Acorns, peanuts, pine nuts, seeds of wild oats and other grasses, manzanita berries and other berries are prepared for either consumption, winter storage or for trade.
Achomawi shaman maintained the health of the community, serving as doctors. Shaman would focus on "pains" which were physical and spiritual. These pains were believed to have been put on people by hostile shamans. After curing the pain, the shaman would then swallow it. Both men and women held the role of shaman. A shaman had a fetish
called kaku, which was a bundle of feathers which were believed to grow in rural places, rooted in the earth, and when secured, dripped of blood constantly. The kaku was used as an oracle
to locate pains in the body. Quartz crystal was also revered within the community and was obtained by diving into a waterfall. In the pool in the waterfall the diver would find a spirit (like a mermaid
) who would lead the diver to a cave where the crystals grew. A giant moth
cocoon
, which symbolized the "heart of the world", was another fetish, and harder to obtain.
. During the ritual time, she would have herbs stuffed up her nose to avoid smelling venison
being cooked. In the morning, she would be picked up and dropped again, and she would run off with the deer hoof rattle. This repeated for five day and nights. On the fifth night, she would return from her run to be sprinkled with fir
leaves and bathed, completing the ritual.
Boys puberty rites were similar to the girls ritual but adds shamanistic elements. The boys ears are pierced, and then he is hit with a bowstring and runs away to fast and bathe in a lake or spring. While he is gone, his father prays for the mountains and the Deer Woman to watch over the boy. In the morning, he returns, lighting fires during his trip home and eats outside the home and then runs away again. He stays several nights away, lighting fires, piling up stones and drinking through a reed
so that his teeth would not come into contact with water. If he sees an animal on the first night in the lake or spring or dream of an animal; that animal would become his personal protector. If the boy has a vision like this, he will become a shaman.
, that were noticeably flatter than those used by the Yurok and other California tribes. Body armor would be made of hard elk
or bear
hide with a waistcoat
of thin sticks wrapped together.
and Yurok
are described as being softer, larger, and with designs that lack the focus on one horizontal band. The shapes are similar to those made by the Modoc
and have slightly rounded bottoms and sides, wide openings and shallow depth. Baskets sizes and shapes depend on the intended use. Some baskets are created for women to wear as caps, some for cooking on hot stones, holding semi-liquid food or water. Willow rods are used for the warp and pine root is used for the weft. In the caps, only tule fiber is used. A burden basket was also made by the Achomwai, as was a mesh beater which would be used to harvest seeds into the burden baskets, made of willow or a mix of willow and pine root.
Most baskets are covered in a light white overlay of xerophyllum tenax
, though it is believed that those covered in xerophyllum tenax are for trade and sale only, not for daily use. The xerophyllum tenax protects the baskets artwork and materials when used, helpful for when boiling or holding water. Anthropologist Alfred Kroeber believed that by 1925 the Achomawi were no longer cooking in baskets, and were merely making them for sale and trade.
or cedar
. Longer, thinner and less detailed than the Yurok redwood boats and Modoc canoes, the canoes were produced simply for transportation and hunting.
were victims of slave raids by the Klamath and Modoc, and other tribes of the north. Captured people would be sold into slavery at an inter-tribal slave market at The Dalles
in present day Oregon. The Achomawi had positive relations with the Atsugewi
and Wintun. The Achomawi also served as transmitters in trade between the Wintun, Modoc and possibly the Paiute. The Achomawi traded with people throughout the area, trading their own furs, basketry, steatite, rabbit-skin blankets, food and acorn in exchange for goods such as epos root, clam beads, obsidian
and other goods. Eventually they would also trade for horses with the Modoc. The Achomawi used beads for money, specifically dentalia.
when outsiders began to arrive in large numbers and taking land and disturbing the Achomawi lifeways. The Rogue River Wars
in 1855-56 brought a strong U.S. military presence to the area, as well.
movement, and other future religious revitalization movements during after moving to a reservation
. In 1921, a small pox epidemic took it's toll on the Achomawi's.
. The Achumawi are one of eleven autonomous bands: Ajumawi, Atsugewi, Atwamsini, Illmawi, Astarawi, Hammawi, Hewisedawi, Itsatawi, Aporige, Kosealekte, and Madesi, that since time immemorial have resided in the area known as the 100 miles (160.9 km) square, located in parts of Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc, and Lassen Counties in the State of California.
There is a Housing Authority that through Government grants has developed community housing projects, such as housing for low income families and elders. The Tribe operates a Day Care center, and environmental program. The Pit River Tribe currently operates Pit River Casino, a Class III gaming facility located on 79 acres (319,701.9 m²) in Burney, California
.
Today there are around 1,800 tribal members enrolled in contemporary Achumawi federally recognized tribes, that are as follows:
The following three rancheria's are shared with other communities:
Pit River Tribe
The Pit River Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of eleven bands of indigenous peoples of California. They primarily live along the Pit River in the northeast corner of California...
of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
who lived in northeastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA.
Historicaly, the Achomawi homeland was located along the Pit River
Pit River
The Pit River is a major river draining from northeastern California into the state's Central Valley. The Pit, the Klamath and the Columbia are the only three rivers in the U.S...
in northeastern California. Their territory extended from Big Bend
Big Bend, California
Big Bend is a census-designated place in Shasta County, California, United States. The population was 102 at the 2010 census, down from 149 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Big Bend is located at ....
to Goose Lake
Goose Lake (Oregon-California)
Goose Lake is a large alkaline glacial lake located in the Goose Lake Valley on the Oregon-California border. The north end of the lake is in Lake County, Oregon and the south end is in Modoc County, California. The mountains at the north end of the lake are part of the Fremont National Forest...
. This land was also home to the Atsugewi
Atsugewi
The Atsugewi are Native Americans residing in what is now northern California, United States. Their traditional lands are near Mount Shasta, specifically the Pit River drainage on Burney, Hat, and Dixie Valley or Horse Creeks. They are closely related to the Achomawi and consisted of two groups...
, who lived south of the Achomawi.
Population
Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially. Alfred L. KroeberAlfred L. Kroeber
Alfred Louis Kroeber was an American anthropologist. He was the first professor appointed to the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, and played an integral role in the early days of its Museum of Anthropology, where he served as director from 1909 through...
estimated the combined 1770 population of the Achomawi and Atsugewi as 3,000. A more detailed analysis by Fred B. Kniffen arrived at the same figure. T. R. Garth estimated the Atsugewi population at a maximum of 850, which would leave at least 2,150 for the Achomawi. Kroeber estimated population of the Achomawi 1910 as 1,000 and "three-fourths still full blood". Edward S. Curtis
Edward S. Curtis
Edward Sheriff Curtis was a photographer of the American West and of Native American peoples.-Early life:...
, a photographer and author in the 1920s, gave a 1910 population of Achomawi at 984. The Achomawi population was estimated at 1,500 in 2000.
Language
The Achomawi speak the Achomawi language, a PalaihnihanPalaihnihan languages
-Family division:Palaihnihan is said to comprise:# Atsugewi # Achumawi -Genetic relations:The basis of this Palaihnihan grouping is weakened by poor quality of data...
language.
Lodging and villages
Historically, the Achomawi had upwards of 28 villages including Achomawi, Hamawi, Hantiwi, Atuami, Madehsi and Ilmawi. The villages were organized by having one central village with smaller satellite villages. In the summer, the Achomawi lived in cone-shaped homes covered in tuleTule
Schoenoplectus acutus , called tule , common tule, hardstem tule, tule rush, hardstem bulrush, or viscid bulrush, is a giant species of sedge in the plant family Cyperaceae, native to freshwater marshes all over North America...
-mat and spent time under shade or behind windbreaks of brush or mats. In the winter, larger houses were built. Partially underground, these winter homes had wooden frames which supported a covering made of a mix of bark, grass and tule.
Family life
In marriage, the bridegroom lived in the bride's home briefly, hunting and working for the bride's relatives. Eventually she would move with him to his family. A patrilineal society, chiefdom was handed down to the eldest son. When children were born, the parents would were put into seclusionSeclusion
The act of secluding, i.e. shutting out or keeping apart from society, or the state of being secluded, or a place that facilitates it . A person, a couple, or a larger group may go to a secluded place for privacy, or because the place is quiet...
and had food restrictions while waiting for their babies umbilical cord
Umbilical cord
In placental mammals, the umbilical cord is the connecting cord from the developing embryo or fetus to the placenta...
to fall off. If twins were born, one of them was killed at birth.
Achomawi buried their dead in a flexed position, on the side, facing east and at times in baskets. They also cremated those who died outside of the community, bringing the ashes back for burial back home. The dead's belongings and relatives offerings were buried or burned with the body and the dead's house was born. There were no special ceremonies or rituals. When women became widows, they would crop their hair and rub pitch
Pitch (resin)
Pitch is the name for any of a number of viscoelastic, solid polymers. Pitch can be made from petroleum products or plants. Petroleum-derived pitch is also called bitumen. Pitch produced from plants is also known as resin. Products made from plant resin are also known as rosin.Pitch was...
into the stubble and on her face. A widow would also wear a necklace with lumps of pitch around her neck, with all being worn upwards of three years. After her hair grew to her upper arm, she would go on to marry her dead husband's brother.
For leisure, women within the community would play a double ball game. The Achomawi also built and used sweat lodge
Sweat lodge
The sweat lodge is a ceremonial sauna and is an important event in some North American First Nations or Native American cultures...
s.
Dress and body art
Achomawi men wore buckskinBuckskin
Buckskin may refer to:*Buckskin , leather made of buck hide*Buckskins, an outfit of buckskin leather*Buckskin , a color of horses similar to buckskin leather...
with coats and shirts. A deerskin with a hole cut out in the middle was put over the heads after the sides were sewn together to provide armholes, and then it would be belted. Buckskin leggings
Leggings
Leggings are a type of fitted clothing covering the legs, which can be worn by both men and women.Originally leggings were two separate garments, one for each leg....
with fringe were rare but occasionally worn by Achomawi. Moccasins of twined tule and stuffed with grass were the most common type of footwear. Deerskin moccasins were worn during dry weather. An apron
Apron
An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. It may be worn for hygienic reasons as well as in order to protect clothes from wear and tear. The apron is commonly part of the uniform of several work categories, including waitresses, nurses, and domestic...
like kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
was also seen within communities, similar to the breechcloth
Breechcloth
A breechcloth, or breechclout, is a form of loincloth consisting in a strip of material – usually a narrow rectangle – passed between the thighs and held up in front and behind by a belt or string. Often, the flaps hang down in front and back.- Native Americans :In most Native American...
of Eastern communities. Women wore short gowns or tops similar to the men, along with a deerskin skirt or a fringed apron. Bucksin moccasins and a basket cap were also standard among women. Both men and women's clothing might be decorated with porcupine quill embroidery.
Both men and women did have tattoos. Women would have three lines tattooed under the mouth and perhaps a few lines on the cheek. Men had septum piercings with dentalium shell or other jewelry.
Subsistence
The Achomawi fished, hunted and gathered from around the area. DeerDeer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, wildfowl, bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
, pike, trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
, and catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
were caught. Wild plant foods, herbs, eggs, insects and larvae were also gathered. The only meat avoided by the Achomawi was the domestic dog and salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
was used in extreme moderation, as the community believed that too much salt caused sore eyes.
Fishing
Fishing was a major source of food supply for the Achomawi. The Sacramento sucker was described as being of "paramount importance" to the Achomawi. Salmon was scarce for eastern groups, while those in the lower Pit River found it in abundance. The salmon was sun dried, lightly roasted or smoked, and then stored in large bark covered baskets in slabs or in crumbled pieces.Fishermen used nets, baskets and spears to fish, and fish trap
Fish trap
A fish trap is a trap used for fishing. Fish traps may have the form of a fishing weir or a lobster trap. A typical trap might consist of a frame of thick steel wire in the shape of a heart, with chicken wire stretched around it. The mesh wraps around the frame and then tapers into the inside of...
s to catch the Sacramento sucker. Ten fish traps were found and are on display at the Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park is a state park of California, USA, preserving a wilderness of freshwater springs and geologically recent lava flows. Unique in the California state park system, public access is by boat only. It is located in Shasta County, California. The state acquired the...
. Made of stone, the traps consisted of a large outer wall that connects two points of land on the lake. The wall was built to the water level out of lava stones. A central opening in the wall, which measured between 20-50 centimeters, was supplied to allow the suckers to enter the traps. The opening pulls in the spring water outflow that is strong enough to carry in the suckers. To entrap the fish, a log, dip net or a canoe prow
Prow
thumb|right|295pxThe prow is the forward most part of a ship's bow that cuts through the water. The prow is the part of the bow above the waterline. The terms prow and bow are often used interchangeably to describe the most forward part of a ship and its surrounding parts...
, and then they were speared. The stones are described as labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
s due to the many interior channels and pools they form.
Aside from traps, other tools were made and used by the community for fishing purposes, including fish hook
Fish hook
A fish hook is a device for catching fish either by impaling them in the mouth or, more rarely, by snagging the body of the fish. Fish hooks have been employed for centuries by fishermen to catch fresh and saltwater fish. In 2005, the fish hook was chosen by Forbes as one of the top twenty tools...
s and spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
points made of bone and horn. Achomawi fish hooks were made of deer bone, and fishing spears consisted of a long wooden shaft with a double-pointed bone head with a socket in which the base of the shaft was installed. A line was fastened to the spear point which was then held by the spearsman for control. Hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
was also used to make cords to make fishing nets and rawhide was used for fishing weirs. The Achomawi made five types of fishing nets, three of them were dip nets, one a gill net and the fifth a seine.
The three dip nets were shaped like bags. One type, called taláka'yi, was suspended on the prongs of a forked pole, and was used from a canoe, land, or from wading and was used for catching suckers, trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and pike. Another dip net, a tamichi, was used only for fishing suckers. The tamichi was four to five feet deep and wide when closed. The mesh at the lower edge of the bags opening are threaded along a stick which is then placed in the water to catch the fish. The fisherman would wade in the water while moving the net while women and children would wade pushing the fish towards the fisherman. When the fish enter the net, the fisherman releases the bag which then closes. The third bag, the lipake, was small with an oval hoop sewn into the opening. The fisherman would dive into the water and would hold the net in one hand while driving the suckers in with his free hand. Upon succeeding at capturing the fish, the fisherman would then flip the hoop over the net to close it for safe capture.
The other two nets were generally used for capturing trout and pike. The gill net, called tuwátifshi, was 40 to 60 feet long and was weighted with stones to sink it. One end was fasted to a tree and the other to a buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
; when a fish was captured the buoy would move. The seine, talámámchi, was six to feet in depth and extended across the stream from one side to the other in calm water. Stones were used to sink the lower edge, and buoys were used on the upper edge. The fisherman would sit in a canoe at one bank, and a pulley was attached to the opposite shore. When the net was tugged upon by the fish, the fisherman would haul in the float line with the pulley to remove the catch.
Minnows were also caught for drying. They were captured with a fish trap made of willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
rods and pine root weft
Weft
In weaving, weft or woof is the yarn which is drawn through the warp yarns to create cloth. In North America, it is sometimes referred to as the "fill" or the "filling yarn"....
. Cylindrical in shape, the mouth of the trap had splints converging inwards, which would prevent the scape of the fish, were controlled by two weirs
Fishing weir
A fishing weir, or fish weir, is an obstruction placed in tidal waters or wholly or partially across a river, which is designed to hinder the passage of fish. Traditionally they were built from wood or stones. They can be used to trap fish...
. A weir, called tatápi, was placed in shallow streams to capture trout, pike and suckers. A row of stakes were placed in the bottom of the stream and stones, logs, stumps and dirt was piled up against the stakes so that the water would be dammed and have to pour over the weir and into a trap on the other side. Another weir, the tafsifschi, was used in a larger stream to catch allis (steelhead trout) when they would return to sea in the fall. The tafsifschi consisted of two fence sections which extended from opposite river banks at a down-stream angle; almost meeting mid-river. They were connected by a short section of wall made by lashing horizontal poles close together across the gap. This was the lowest point in the created dam, and water would pour over carrying the fish into the basket on the other side of the gap. Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
would be caught by spear, seine, or in nets that hung above water falls or dams.
Hunting
Deer was not always abundant, due to the dry nature of the Achomawi's land, hence their unique way of hunting deer, compared to other Californian Natives Americans. A deep pit would be dug along a deer trail, covered with brush, the trail restored including adding deer tracks using a hoof, and all dirt and human evidence taken away. The settlers' cattle would also fall in these pits, so much so that the settlers convinced the people to stop this practice. The pits were most numerous near the river because the deer came down to drink and so the river is named for these trapping pits. Deer hunting was always preceded by ritual. Rituals also existed that did not involve the hunting process but involved the avoidance of deer meat. Adolescent girls would stuff their nostrils with fragrant herbs to avoid smelling venisonVenison
Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer but also other animals such as antelope, wild boar, etc.-Etymology:The word derives from the Latin vēnor...
being cooked while going through their maturity ceremony.
Waterfowl, like ducks, were snared by a noose stretched across streams. Rabbits would be driven into nets.
Gathering
TuleTule
Schoenoplectus acutus , called tule , common tule, hardstem tule, tule rush, hardstem bulrush, or viscid bulrush, is a giant species of sedge in the plant family Cyperaceae, native to freshwater marshes all over North America...
sprouts were gathered in the spring and acorns, a staple of California Natives, were obtained through trade, due to the scarcity of oak tree
Oak Tree
Oak Tree may refer to:*Oak, the tree*Oak Tree, County Durham, a village in County Durham, England*The Oaktree Foundation, a youth-run aid and development agency*Oak Tree National, golf club in Edmond, Oklahoma...
s in the area. Acorns, peanuts, pine nuts, seeds of wild oats and other grasses, manzanita berries and other berries are prepared for either consumption, winter storage or for trade.
Religion
The chief spiritual being in Achomawi religion is Annikadel. Adolescent boys sought guardian spirits called tinihowi and both genders experienced puberty ceremonies. A victory dance was also held in the community, which involved the toting of a head of the enemy with women participating in the celebration. Elder men would fast to increase the run of fish and women and children would eat out of sight of the river to encourage fish populations.Achomawi shaman maintained the health of the community, serving as doctors. Shaman would focus on "pains" which were physical and spiritual. These pains were believed to have been put on people by hostile shamans. After curing the pain, the shaman would then swallow it. Both men and women held the role of shaman. A shaman had a fetish
Fetish
Fetish may refer to:* Fetishism, the attribution of religious or mystical qualities to inanimate objects* Sexual fetishism, sexual attraction to objects, body parts, or situations not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature....
called kaku, which was a bundle of feathers which were believed to grow in rural places, rooted in the earth, and when secured, dripped of blood constantly. The kaku was used as an oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
to locate pains in the body. Quartz crystal was also revered within the community and was obtained by diving into a waterfall. In the pool in the waterfall the diver would find a spirit (like a mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
) who would lead the diver to a cave where the crystals grew. A giant moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
cocoon
Cocoon
Cocoon may refer to:*Cocoon , a pupal casing made by moth caterpillars and other insect larvae*Apache Cocoon, web development software*Cocoon , a 1985 science fiction film**Cocoon: The Return, 1988 sequel to Cocoon...
, which symbolized the "heart of the world", was another fetish, and harder to obtain.
Puberty rights
A girl would begin her puberty ritual by having her ears pierced by her father or another relative. She would then be picked up, dropped, and then hit with an old basket, before running away. During this part, her father would pray to the mountains for her. The girl would return in the evening with a load of wood, another symbol of women's roles within the community, like the basket. She would then build a fire in front of her house and dance around it throughout the night, with relatives participating; around the fire or inside the house. Music would accompany the dance, made by a deer hoof rattleRattle
Rattle may mean*Rattle *RATTLE magazine, an American poetry journal*Bird-scaring rattle, a Slovene device used to drive birds off vineyards and a folk instrument*Ratchet , a percussion instrument*Death rattle...
. During the ritual time, she would have herbs stuffed up her nose to avoid smelling venison
Venison
Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer but also other animals such as antelope, wild boar, etc.-Etymology:The word derives from the Latin vēnor...
being cooked. In the morning, she would be picked up and dropped again, and she would run off with the deer hoof rattle. This repeated for five day and nights. On the fifth night, she would return from her run to be sprinkled with fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
leaves and bathed, completing the ritual.
Boys puberty rites were similar to the girls ritual but adds shamanistic elements. The boys ears are pierced, and then he is hit with a bowstring and runs away to fast and bathe in a lake or spring. While he is gone, his father prays for the mountains and the Deer Woman to watch over the boy. In the morning, he returns, lighting fires during his trip home and eats outside the home and then runs away again. He stays several nights away, lighting fires, piling up stones and drinking through a reed
Reed (plant)
Reed is a generic polyphyletic botanical term used to describe numerous tall, grass-like plants of wet places, which are the namesake vegetation of reed beds...
so that his teeth would not come into contact with water. If he sees an animal on the first night in the lake or spring or dream of an animal; that animal would become his personal protector. If the boy has a vision like this, he will become a shaman.
War traditions & weaponry
The Achomawi used sinew-backed bowsBow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
, that were noticeably flatter than those used by the Yurok and other California tribes. Body armor would be made of hard elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
or bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
hide with a waistcoat
Waistcoat
A waistcoat or vest is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear, and as the third piece of the three-piece male business suit.-Characteristics and use:...
of thin sticks wrapped together.
Basket-making
The Achomawi follow in the tradition of other California tribes, with their skills in basketry. Baskets are made of willow and are colored with vegetable dyes. Their basketry is twined, and compared to the work of the HupaHupa
Hupa, also spelled Hoopa, are a Native American tribe in northwestern California. Their autonym is Natinixwe, also spelled Natinookwa, meaning "People of the Place Where the Trails Return." The majority of the tribe is enrolled in the federally recognized Hoopa Valley Tribe; however, some Hupa are...
and Yurok
Yurok
Yurok may refer to:*Yurok people, a Native American tribe of northern California*Yurok language, the Algic language of the Yurok tribe*USS Yurok , a fleet tug laid down for the United States Navy in 1945, but converted into a submarine rescue vessel prior to completion and commissioned as USS...
are described as being softer, larger, and with designs that lack the focus on one horizontal band. The shapes are similar to those made by the Modoc
Modoc
The Modoc are a Native American people who originally lived in the area which is now northeastern California and central Southern Oregon. They are currently divided between Oregon and Oklahoma. The latter are a federally recognized tribe, the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma...
and have slightly rounded bottoms and sides, wide openings and shallow depth. Baskets sizes and shapes depend on the intended use. Some baskets are created for women to wear as caps, some for cooking on hot stones, holding semi-liquid food or water. Willow rods are used for the warp and pine root is used for the weft. In the caps, only tule fiber is used. A burden basket was also made by the Achomwai, as was a mesh beater which would be used to harvest seeds into the burden baskets, made of willow or a mix of willow and pine root.
Most baskets are covered in a light white overlay of xerophyllum tenax
Xerophyllum tenax
Xerophyllum tenax is a grasslike perennial in the family Melanthiaceae, closely related to lilies. It is known by several common names, including bear grass, squaw grass, soap grass, quip-quip, and Indian basket grass....
, though it is believed that those covered in xerophyllum tenax are for trade and sale only, not for daily use. The xerophyllum tenax protects the baskets artwork and materials when used, helpful for when boiling or holding water. Anthropologist Alfred Kroeber believed that by 1925 the Achomawi were no longer cooking in baskets, and were merely making them for sale and trade.
Canoes
The Achomawi made simple dugout canoes of pinePine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
or cedar
Cedar
Cedrus is a genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae. They are native to the mountains of the western Himalaya and the Mediterranean region, occurring at altitudes of 1,500–3,200 m in the Himalaya and 1,000–2,200 m in the Mediterranean.-Description:Cedars are trees up to...
. Longer, thinner and less detailed than the Yurok redwood boats and Modoc canoes, the canoes were produced simply for transportation and hunting.
Early history
The Achomawi and AtsugewiAtsugewi
The Atsugewi are Native Americans residing in what is now northern California, United States. Their traditional lands are near Mount Shasta, specifically the Pit River drainage on Burney, Hat, and Dixie Valley or Horse Creeks. They are closely related to the Achomawi and consisted of two groups...
were victims of slave raids by the Klamath and Modoc, and other tribes of the north. Captured people would be sold into slavery at an inter-tribal slave market at The Dalles
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
in present day Oregon. The Achomawi had positive relations with the Atsugewi
Atsugewi
The Atsugewi are Native Americans residing in what is now northern California, United States. Their traditional lands are near Mount Shasta, specifically the Pit River drainage on Burney, Hat, and Dixie Valley or Horse Creeks. They are closely related to the Achomawi and consisted of two groups...
and Wintun. The Achomawi also served as transmitters in trade between the Wintun, Modoc and possibly the Paiute. The Achomawi traded with people throughout the area, trading their own furs, basketry, steatite, rabbit-skin blankets, food and acorn in exchange for goods such as epos root, clam beads, obsidian
Obsidian
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock.It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth...
and other goods. Eventually they would also trade for horses with the Modoc. The Achomawi used beads for money, specifically dentalia.
European contact
In 1828 fur trappers and traders visited Achomawi land. It wasn't until the 1840s and the California gold rushCalifornia Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
when outsiders began to arrive in large numbers and taking land and disturbing the Achomawi lifeways. The Rogue River Wars
Rogue River Wars
The Rogue River Wars was an armed conflict between the US Army, local militias and volunteers, and the Native American tribes commonly grouped under the designation of Rogue River Indians, in the Rogue River Valley area of what today is southern Oregon in 1855–56...
in 1855-56 brought a strong U.S. military presence to the area, as well.
Late 19th and 20th centuries
In 1871 community members participated in the first Ghost DanceGhost Dance
The Ghost Dance was a new religious movement which was incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. The traditional ritual used in the Ghost Dance, the circle dance, has been used by many Native Americans since prehistoric times...
movement, and other future religious revitalization movements during after moving to a reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
. In 1921, a small pox epidemic took it's toll on the Achomawi's.
Present day
The majority of Achumawi people are enrolled in the federally recognized Pit River TribePit River Tribe
The Pit River Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of eleven bands of indigenous peoples of California. They primarily live along the Pit River in the northeast corner of California...
. The Achumawi are one of eleven autonomous bands: Ajumawi, Atsugewi, Atwamsini, Illmawi, Astarawi, Hammawi, Hewisedawi, Itsatawi, Aporige, Kosealekte, and Madesi, that since time immemorial have resided in the area known as the 100 miles (160.9 km) square, located in parts of Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc, and Lassen Counties in the State of California.
There is a Housing Authority that through Government grants has developed community housing projects, such as housing for low income families and elders. The Tribe operates a Day Care center, and environmental program. The Pit River Tribe currently operates Pit River Casino, a Class III gaming facility located on 79 acres (319,701.9 m²) in Burney, California
Burney, California
Burney is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Shasta County, California, United States. The population was 3,154 at the 2010 census, down from 3,217 at the 2000 census...
.
Today there are around 1,800 tribal members enrolled in contemporary Achumawi federally recognized tribes, that are as follows:
- Alturas Indian Rancheria
- Big Bend RancheriaBig Bend RancheriaThe Big Bend Rancheria of the Pit River Tribe is located in California.-See also:* List of Indian reservations in the United States...
- Likely Rancheria
- Lookout Rancheria
- Montgomery Creek Rancheria
The following three rancheria's are shared with other communities:
- Roaring Creek Rancheria.
- Susanville Indian RancheriaSusanville Indian RancheriaThe Susanville Indian Rancheria is a federally recognized ranchería of Native Americans from a mixed community of Washoe, Achomawi, Mountain Maidu, Northern Paiute, and Atsugewi tribes.-Reservation:...
- XL RanchXL RanchThe XL Ranch is a band of the federally recognized tribe Pit River Tribe and one of 11 bands of Achomawi Indians. They are located in northeastern California.-Reservation:...
Further reading
- Evans, Nancy H.,1994. "Pit River," in Native America in the Twentieth Century: An Encyclopedia, ed. Mary B. Davis (NY: Garland Pub. Co).
- Garth, T. R. 1978. "Atsugewi". In California, edited by Robert F. Heizer, pp. 236–243. Handbook of North American Indians, William C. Sturtevant, general editor, vol. 8. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
- Jaimes,M. Annette, 1987. "The Pit River Indian Claim Dispute in Northern California," Journal of Ethnic Studies, 14(4): 47-74.
- Kniffen, Fred B. 1928. "Achomawi Geography". University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 23:297-332.
- Kroeber, A. L. 1925. Handbook of the Indians of California. Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin No. 78. Washington, D.C.
- Mithun, Marianne. 1999. The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge University Press.
- Olmsted, D.L. and Omer C. Stewart. 1978. "Achumawi" in Handbook of North American Indians, vol. 8 (California), pp. 225–235. William C. Sturtevant, and Robert F. Heizer, eds. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution. ISBN 0-16-004578-9/0160045754.
- Tiller, Veronica E. Velarde, 1996. Tiller's Guide to Indian Country (Albuquerque: BowArrow Pub. Co.): see X-L Ranch Reservation, pp. 308–09. There is a new later edition, 2005.
External links
- Official website of the Pit River Tribe
- A bibliography for the Achomawi from Shasta Public Libraries