Western education was imposed on Yurok children beginning in the late 1850s at Fort Terwer and at the Agency Office at Wauk-ell. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. While miners established camps along the Klamath and Trinity Rivers, the federal government worked toward finding a solution to the conflicts, which dramatically increased as each new settlement was established. Families often hid their children when they saw government officials. Despite such a large land base, the Klamath River remains the heart of Yurok ancestral land and serves as the “highway” for Yurok people. This page has been viewed 1,709 times (851 via redirect). Some elders went to great lengths to escape from the schools, traveling hundreds of miles to return home to their families. Tribe History. It is probable that they do not belong to the Californian type physically, but are a mixture of this with an Athapascan type. In all cases payment for the dead and for all property destroyed was made at the conclusion of peace. Most of the so-called wars of the Yurok were private feuds, participated in by villages. Their facial expression is different from that of their neighbors, the Karok and the Hupa, but they do not appear to differ much in their measured proportions from the Hupa. Although they were granted access, many faced harsh prejudice and stereotypes. In the interim, the squatters pursued other avenues to acquire land. The Yurok and neighboring developed a number of specializes ceremonies, especially the Deerskin and Jumping or Woodpecker dances. Box 1027. and considerably above the average Californian in stature. In the early 1800s, the first American ship visited the area of Trinidad and Big Lagoon. Others lived along the lower Klamath River. The Yurok canneries were established near the mouth of the Klamath River beginning in 1876. Del Norte County Historical Society Yurok Indians (from Karok yuruk, ‘downstream’). When government policy forbade the use of traditional languages and outlawed the practice of traditional ceremonies, Yurok people continued. This industry went through cycles of success and failure, and was largely dependent on the needs of the nation. Once the Hoopa Valley Reservation was established, many Yurok people were sent to live there, as were the Mad River, Eel River and Tolowa Indians. Initially, the Americans traded for sea otter fur with the coastal people. The government sent Indian agent Redick McKee to initiate treaty negotiations. The mountain areas above the coastal and riparian areas were mostly used for gathering and hunting (Waterman 1920: 183, Bearss 1969). With so few Yurok families able to hold onto traditional ways, it appeared as though the attempts to eliminate the cultural traditions would be successful. The Yurok Indians are also known historically as the Pohlik-la, Ner-er-er, Petch-ik-lah and Klamath River Indians. However, this relationship quickly changed as more settlers moved into the area and demonstrated hostility toward Indian people. Alfred L. Kroeber put the 1770 population of the Yurok at 2500. This visit resulted in Bodega laying claim by mounting a cross at Trinidad Head. Their cephalic index is 83 being the highest known from California. Through its community-driven legislative process, the Tribe also created a comprehensive Pesticide Ordinance, and is deploying ongoing public education campaigns to effectively enforce both laws. Elders recall getting up early in the morning, traveling by canoe to the nearest day school, and returning home late at night. Apart from a few vessels that touched at Trinidad in the 18th century, and a few trappers that visited Klamath River, whites did not come into contact with them and were utterly unknown to them before 1850. “The Ancestral Lands of the Yurok Tribe extend unbroken along the Pacific Ocean coast(including usual and customary off¬shore fishing areas) from Damnation Creek, its northern boundary, to the southern boundary of the Little River drainage basin, and unbroken along the Klamath River, including both sides and its bed, from its mouth upstream to and including the Bluff Creek drainage basin. Western education was imposed on Yurok children beginning in the late 1850s at Fort Terwer and at the Agency Office at Wauk-ell. By the end of the gold rush era at least 75% of the Yurok people died due to massacres and disease, while other tribes in California saw a 95% loss of life. The Yurok, whose name means "downriver people," are Native Americans whose ancestors have long lived along the Klamath River and the Trinity River, its longest tributary, near the Pacific coast of Northern California. Smith’s expedition, though brief, was influential to all other trappers and explorers. However, the Smith River Reservation was closed in July 1867. The Spanish explorers came in 1775, followed by fur traders in 1827 and white settlers in 1850, during the time of gold rush. Culturally, our people are known as great fishermen, eelers, basket weavers, canoe makers, storytellers, singers, dancers, healers and strong medicine people. The Yurok Tribe is California’s largest Indian Tribe with nearly 5,000 enrolled members. Yurok is an Algic language. Elders recall getting up early in the morning, traveling by canoe to the nearest day school and returning home late at night. The name Yurok comes from the Karuk word for “downriver”, this is the most widely used word to describe the Tribe and people. The rough terrain of the local area did not deter settlers in their pursuit of gold. Some dances stopped while others were revitalized. 190 Klamath Blvd., P.O. They hunted, fished, and … Today, many elders look back on this period in time as a horrifying experience because they lost their connection to their families, and their culture. Most importantly, the knowledge and beliefs continued and eventually reappeared and have remained constant. The government’s response was to use military force in order to try to evict squatters. Many Yurok people went to extreme measures to hold on to their traditional ways. Gill nets, dip nets, weirs, basket traps, and hooks are used to obtain fish from the River. The Yurok reservation of 63,035 acres (25,509 ha) has an 80% poverty rate and 70% of the inhabitants do not have telephone service or electricity, according to the tribe's Web page. Crescent City, CA. With the surge of settlers, the government was pressured to change laws to better protect the Yurok from loss of land and assault. Eventually, Indian children were granted permission to enroll in public schools. The other primary food source for the Yurok is acorns. The men wore no regular clothing, using skins as occasion required. When we refer to ourselves we say Oohl, meaning Indian people. Some dances stopped while others were … They have no name for themselves other than Olekwo’l (‘persons’), sometimes written Alikwa. Several Yurok people were relocated to the newly established Reservation in Smith River that same year. The treaties negotiated by McKee were sent to Congress, which was inundated with complaints from settlers claiming the Indians were receiving an excess of valuable land and resources. (Yurok Tribe 2007). Actually the Government has interfered very little with the Yurok who have always been self-supporting. The territory of the Yurok extended from Bluff Creek 6 miles above the mouth of the Trinity, down Klamath River to its mouth, and on the coast from beyond … With the help of many elders (who have since passed on), a glimpse of light began to emerge. Yurok people have lived in Northwestern California along the Redwood Coast and the Klamath River since Noohl Hee-Kon (time immemorial). Walt McCovey Jr in a 1996 interview explained, “That river is in the life of Indian people, we depend on the fish, depend on eels, sturgeon” (McCovey 1996). By 1828, the area was gaining attention because of the reports back from the American expeditions, despite the news that the local terrain was rough. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These took place as frequently between Yurok village’s as against alien tribes. The goal of the missionary style of teaching was to eliminate the continued use of … They now (1905) number 500 or 600 along Klamath river, those on the coast being very few. Acorns are processed into a mush, which is cooked in large baskets with hot stones. 95531 Frederick Webb Hodge, in his Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, gave a more complete history of the Yurok tribe, with estimations of the population of the tribe at various time periods. You can give a fishing place to someone else” (Moore 1996). Their peaceful existence underwent a significant change post the intrusion of non-natives into their territory. Yurok Indians. Address: Oohl, translates to mean Indian people, and describes the entirety of the Yurok people. In the year 2000, the White Deerskin Dance was held again at the village of Weych-pues. The late 1970s and 80s were a time when the revitalization effort soared in the local area. 95501Office Hours:Front Desk: M 2pm to 5pm, T 8:30am to 3pm, W 8:30am to 12:30pm & 2pm to 5pm, TH 8:30am to 3pm, F 8:30am to 4pmPhone:1-707- 444-0433Fax: 1-707- 444-0104. The mission of the Yurok Tribe is to exercise the aboriginal and sovereign rights of the Yurok People to continue forever our Tribal traditions of self-governance, cultural and spiritual preservation, stewardship of Yurok lands, waters and other natural endowments, balanced social and economic development, peace and reciprocity, and respect for the dignity and individual rights of all persons living within the jurisdiction of the Yurok Tribe… Learn how your comment data is processed. Smith guided a team of trappers through the local area, coming down through the Yurok village of Kep’-el, crossing over Bald Hills and eventually making their way to the villages of O men and O men hee-puer on the coast. 190 Klamath Blvd., P.O. The fact that they were at day schools did not eliminate the constant pressure to forget their language and culture. In 1870 the number on the, river was said to be 2,700. Families disguised the practice of teaching traditional ways, while others succumbed to the western philosophy of education and left their traditional ways behind. The river is vital part of Yurok life providing food resources such as salmon, sturgeon, eel and other fish. 1). The primary game are deer and elk, but other smaller animals are also utilized. Of recent years this has been discontinued, the few surviving Indians having allotments in severalty. Their settlements in the valley were confined closely to the river, and those along the coast were close to the beach or on the lagoons. M-F ~ 8:30 to 5:00pmPhone: 1-530- 625-4130Fax: 1-530- 625-4148, Eureka/Cutten Office3969 Walnut DriveCutten, CA. Along Klamath River the Yurok language was everywhere uniform, but along the Coast south of the mouth of the Klamath there were three slightly varying dialects, one spoken at Gold Bluff, one at Redwood Creek, and a third at Trinidad, the last differing most from that of the river. The Yurok people were opposed to non-Indians taking salmon, and asserted that they did not have the right to take fish from the river because it was an inherent right of the Yurok people. Yurok children, sent to live at the Hoopa Valley Reservation, continued to be taught by missionaries. The Yurok Tribe is currently the largest group of Native Americans in the state of California, with 6357 enrolled members living in or around the reservation. The younger generations of Yurok who survived these eras became strong advocates (as elders) for cultural revitalization.