Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony
Encyclopedia
The Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony is a federally recognized tribe of Mono (Northern Paiute)
and Timbisha
Indians
of the Owens Valley
, in Inyo County
of eastern California
.
. The reservation is on the lower slopes and alluvial fan
of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains and is 877 acres (3.5 km²) in size. Approximately 1441 tribal members live on the reservation. The reservation was established in 1912. In 1990, 934 people were enrolled in the federally recognized tribe.
and Mono language
, both of which are part of the Numic
branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Timbisha is in the Central Numic and Mono is in the Western Numic divisions.
. The center displays art and artifacts from area Paiute and Shoshone tribes and has an active repatriation program through NAGPRA. Their museum store sells contemporary beadwork, basketry, jewelry, quillwork
, and educational materials.
Mono
Mono tribe
The Mono are a Native American people who traditionally live in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Eastern Sierra , the Mono Basin, and adjacent areas of the Great Basin.-Culture and geography:...
and Timbisha
Timbisha
The Timbisha are a Native American tribe federally recognized as the Death Valley Timbisha Shoshone Band of California. They are known as the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and are located in south central California, near the Nevada border.-History:The Timbisha have lived in the Death Valley region of...
Indians
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...
of the Owens Valley
Owens Valley
Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
, in Inyo County
Inyo County, California
-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
of eastern 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...
.
Reservation
The 'Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community' have a federal reservation, the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony, in the upper Owens Valley, above the City of Bishop, CaliforniaBishop, California
Bishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...
. The reservation is on the lower slopes and alluvial fan
Alluvial fan
An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain. A convergence of neighboring alluvial fans into a single apron of deposits against a slope is called a bajada, or compound alluvial...
of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains and is 877 acres (3.5 km²) in size. Approximately 1441 tribal members live on the reservation. The reservation was established in 1912. In 1990, 934 people were enrolled in the federally recognized tribe.
Language
The Bishop Community traditionally spoke both the Timbisha languageTimbisha language
The Timbisha language is the language of the Native American people who have inhabited the region in and around Death Valley, California and the southern Owens Valley since late prehistoric times...
and Mono language
Mono language (Native American)
Mono is a Native American language of the Numic group of Uto-Aztecan languages, the ancestral language of the Mono people. Mono consists of two dialects, Eastern and Western. The name "Monachi" is commonly used in reference to Western Mono and "Owens Valley Paiute" in reference to Eastern Mono....
, both of which are part of the Numic
Numic languages
Numic is a branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. It includes seven languages spoken by Native American peoples traditionally living in the Great Basin, Colorado River basin, and southern Great Plains. The word Numic comes from the cognate word in all Numic languages for "person." For...
branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Timbisha is in the Central Numic and Mono is in the Western Numic divisions.
Today
The tribe's headquarters is located in Bishop, California. The tribe is governed by an elected five-member tribal council. With over 2000 enrolled members, the Bishop Community is the Fifth largest Native American tribe in California. The tribe has its own tribal court and many programs for its members. For economic develop, the Bishop Community created the Paiute Palace Casino and Tu-Kah Novie restaurant in Bishop.Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center
The tribe operates the Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center located in Bishop, CaliforniaBishop, California
Bishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...
. The center displays art and artifacts from area Paiute and Shoshone tribes and has an active repatriation program through NAGPRA. Their museum store sells contemporary beadwork, basketry, jewelry, quillwork
Quillwork
Quillwork is a form of textile embellishment traditionally practiced by Native Americans that employs the quills of porcupines as a decorative element.-History:...
, and educational materials.
See also
- Mono traditional narrativesMono traditional narrativesMono traditional narratives include myths, legends, tales, and oral histories preserved by the Mono people, including the Owens Valley Paiute east of the Sierra Nevada and the Monache on that range's western slope, in California....
- Mono language (Native American)Mono language (Native American)Mono is a Native American language of the Numic group of Uto-Aztecan languages, the ancestral language of the Mono people. Mono consists of two dialects, Eastern and Western. The name "Monachi" is commonly used in reference to Western Mono and "Owens Valley Paiute" in reference to Eastern Mono....
- Timbisha languageTimbisha languageThe Timbisha language is the language of the Native American people who have inhabited the region in and around Death Valley, California and the southern Owens Valley since late prehistoric times...
- Population of Native CaliforniaPopulation of Native CaliforniaEstimates of the Native Californian population have varied substantially, both with respect to California's pre-contact count and for changes during subsequent periods. Pre-contact estimates range from 133,000 to 705,000 with some recent scholars concluding that these estimates are low...
External links
- Official Bishop Paiute Tribe website.
- Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center - Museum website.
Mono
Population of Native California
Estimates of the Native Californian population have varied substantially, both with respect to California's pre-contact count and for changes during subsequent periods. Pre-contact estimates range from 133,000 to 705,000 with some recent scholars concluding that these estimates are low...