The phrase California Indians refers to people of many different tribes within the California Culture Area. This geographical region roughly corresponds to the state of California as it exists today, along with the Lower California Peninsula, which is part of Mexico. In the eastern part of this geographical region, the Sierra Nevada, a tall and rugged mountain range, provides a natural barrier. As a result, some of the tribes that once lived in territory now mapped as the eastern part of the state of California are categorized in the Great Basin and Southwest Culture Areas. And to the north, some of the tribes who lived on both sides of the California-Oregon border are included in the Northwest Coast and Plateau Culture Areas.
In addition to the Sierra Nevada, the smaller Coast Range runs north-south within the California Culture Area, extending into Mexico. Between the two mountain ranges, in the heart of the culture area, is the Great California Valley, formed by the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers and their tributaries.
The amount of rainfall in the culture area varies dramatically from north to south. The northern uplands receive the greatest amount of precipitation, mostly in winter. As a result, there are many tall forests in northern California. The south of the culture area is much drier. Near the California-Arizona border is the Mojave Desert. In Mexico, most of the coastal lowlands, especially along the Gulf of California, are also desert country.
For the most part, the culture area offers bountiful wild plant foods and game. California Indians prospered and grew to high population levels as hunter-gatherers without a need for farming. The only cultivated crop found was tobacco.
There were many different California peoples, speaking at least 100 distinct dialects. The main language groups identified are the Athapascan language family (part of the Na-Dene language phylum), the Hokan language phylum, the Penutian language phylum, and the Uto-Aztecan language family (part of the Aztec-Tanoan language phylum).
Among the ATHAPASCANS, mostly in the north, are the Bear River, Cahto (Kato), Chilula, HUPA, Lassik, Mattole, Nongatl, Sinkyone, TOLOWA, Wailaki, and Whilkut.
Among the Hokan tribes, speaking dialects of a number of small language families or language isolates, are the ACHOMAWI (pit RIVER), Atsugewi, CHIMARIKO, CHUMASH, ESSELEN, KAROK, Konomihu, New River Indians, Okwanuchu, POMO, SALINAS, SHASTA, YAHI, and Yana. The larger Yuman language family is also part of the Hokan phylum. The Yuman-speaking tribes in the culture area are Akwaala, DIEGUENO (tipai-IPAI), Kamia, plust tribes to the south in Baja California, now part of Mexico.
Among the Penutian tribes, speaking dialects of a number of small language families, are COSTANOAN, MAIDU, MIWOK, WINTUN, and YOKUTS.
Among the Uto-Aztecan-speaking tribes, mostly in the south, are Alliklik (Tataviam), CAHUILLA, CUPENO,
The California Culture Area, showing the approximate locations of Indian tribes circa 1500, before displacement by non-Indians (with modern boundaries)
Fernandeno, GABRIELENO, Juaneno, Kitanemuk, LUISENO, Nicoleno, Serrano, Tubatulabal, and Vanyume. Many of these Uto-Aztecan peoples came to be known historically as MISSION INDIANS.
Other languages are identified in the California Culture Area as well: dialects of Algonquian (Ritwan subgroup), spoken by the Wiyot and YUROK, making these peoples the westernmost ALGONQUIANS; and a language family known as Yukian (of undetermined phylum affiliation), spoken by the Huchnom, Wappo, and YUKI.
World History
