San Francisco once belonged to the Yelamu.
It's Thanksgiving, and in addition to finding gratitude for all that we have, we also wanted to give a nod to the natives and history of our home. Before the summer of love and the gold rush, what is now the Bay Area was Ohlone (also referred to as Costanoan) land. Take a step into their culture.
Ohlone Tribes/Languages
via Wikimedia
The Ohlone tribes were separated by the eight languages spoken by the people. There were about 50 land-holding groups in total, and within those areas were smaller tribelets, or groups of villages.
▲What the Bay's Cities Were Once Called
"Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas," Rebecca Solnit. Cartography by Ben Pease/Business Insider
This 1769 map shows what the Bay Area used to look like. Some of the Ohlone tribelets are:
- Yelamu - San Francisco
- Kalindaruk (Calendaruc) - Monterey County
- Uypi - Santa Cruz
- Lamchin - San Carlos
- Shalson (Written as Ssalson by the Spanish) - San Mateo
Ohlone Buildings
via Pinterest
The Ohlones lived in temporary thatched houses that were often dome or cone-shaped. They were constructed using tule reeds, willow, and sometimes slabs of redwood bark. Each house had a fire pit in its center. There were also larger buildings which served as dance or assembly houses, and sweat lodges.
▲Ohlone Transportation
Unknown photographer, © Big-Valley.net
The Ohlone also used tule to make boats. These woven vessels were used to navigate the natives through the Bay Area's various channels of water, and are still constructed and sailed by Ohlone tribe members today.
▲Ohlone Words
via Pinterest
Chochenyo Ohlone words
English | |
One | Hemetca |
Two | Uthin |
Three | Kaphan |
Four | Utit |
Five | Parwes |
Man | Taares |
Woman | Mukurma |
Dog | Hutcekniš |
Sun | Hismen |
Moon | Tar |
Water | Sii |
Ohlone Faith
via UC Berkeley Golden Bears
The Ohlone practiced Kusku, a type of shamanism that includes ceremonial dances and rituals. The Rumsen Ohlone creation story involves the hummingbird, eagle, and coyote. After a flood covers the world, they unite and the coyote creates the human race.
▲Ohlone Food
The Ohlone diet included acorns, berries, fish, ducks, geese, flowers, deer, rodents, rabbits, wild grapes, mussels, abalone, eel, wild onion, wild carrot, grizzly bears, racoons, quail, and more.
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