Shasta
Shasta refers to the Indigenous people originally inhabiting the regions around Mount Shasta in Northern California and southern Oregon. Historically, they lived in village communities divided into four regional groups, each with its own dialect and social structure, and were known for their use of obsidian in tool-making and woodwork. Their diet included game such as deer and staple foods like acorns, which they processed into flour. Though largely peaceful, the Shasta organized war raids when necessary, and they placed significant emphasis on peace negotiations and rituals. Shamanism played an important role in their spiritual practices, with shamans serving as healers and mediators. While the Shasta people are closely related to other Indigenous groups in Northern California, including the Karok and Yurok, they currently lack federal recognition as a distinct tribe. Today, many descendants are enrolled in the Karuk Tribe or Redding Rancheria. Although their languages are considered extinct, there are ongoing efforts to revive them. Recently, the Shasta people have seen a positive development with the return of 2,800 acres of ancestral land and initiatives aimed at environmental restoration.
On this Page
Shasta
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: California
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Shastan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Northern California, southern Oregon
- POPULATION SIZE: Estimated in the hundreds; 653 (2010 US Census)
The Shasta people originally lived around the area of Mount Shasta and the nearby Siskiyou Mountains, in what is now Siskiyou County in northwestern California and Jackson County in southwestern Oregon. They lived in village communities that were loosely organized into four regional groups that spoke four regional dialects: the Klamath River Shasta, iruhikwá:cu, whose name translates as "people from along the river upstream"; the Scott Valley Shasta, or Uwáˑtuhúcˑu, "people from the other side"; the Shasta Valley Shasta, or Ahútˑireˀeˑcˑu, "people from the open place"; and the Rogue River or Oregon Shasta, or Ikirakácˑu, "people from back behind." Each group had a single headman or chief, who functioned as a mediator during disputes. Historically, the head of the Oregon group was recognized as the leader overall and served as a mediator for intergroup disputes.
The Shasta people were noted for using obsidian, a volcanic glass that occurs naturally when lava cools rapidly, in the making of knives and arrow points, as well as in woodwork. They traditionally hunted deer and gathered berries. As was the case for many Californian groups, acorns provided the main staple for their diet; they ground the acorns into a kind of flour from which various breadlike products were produced.
While mostly a peaceful people, the Shasta would organize war raids on occasions of great Tribal importance. Of equal importance and practiced far more frequently were elaborate peace negotiations and rituals. The Shasta people practiced a form of shamanism to drive away the evil powers of spirits. The role of the shaman was not restricted by gender.
The Shasta are closely related to other Northern California tribal groupings, such as the Karok (or Karuk), Yurok, and Hupa peoples. As there is no federally recognized Shasta Tribe, many modern descendants of the Shasta people are enrolled in the Karuk Tribe or Redding Rancheria. All Shastan, or Sastean, languages are considered extinct in the twenty-first century. Some efforts have been made to recover the language, but a lack of funding has limited these programs.
After more than 150 years of displacement, 2,800 acres of ancestral land were returned to the Shasta people in 2024. The Nation partnered with Resource Environmental Solutions to remove four hydroelectric dams from the Klamath River and restore the land’s wildlife and vegetation.
Bibliography
Eargle, Dolan H., Jr. Native California Guide: An Introduction to the Original Peoples from Earliest to Modern Times. Rev. ed., Trees, 2008.
Golla, Victor. California Indian Languages. U of California P, 2011.
Johnson, Michael. Encyclopedia of Native Tribes of North America. 2nd ed., Firefly Books Ltd., 2014.
Pritzker, Barry M. "Shasta." A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford UP, 2000, pp. 143–45.
"Shasta History." Shasta Indian Nation, www.shastaindiannation.org/history.html. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
"Shasta Indian Nation and RES to Jointly Restore Tribal Land at Former Site of Copco Lake." Resource Environmental Solutions, 9 Oct. 2024, res.us/news/shasta-indian-nation-and-res-to-jointly-restore-tribal-land-at-former-site-of-copco-lake. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
Smith, David. "Siskiyou County Woman Hopes to Revive Shasta Indian Language." Siskiyou Daily News, 1 July 2012, www.siskiyoudaily.com/story/lifestyle/2008/06/23/siskiyou-county-woman-hopes-to/49539377007. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.