Achumawi
The Achumawi, often referred to as the Pit River Indians, are a collective of eleven autonomous bands residing in the northeastern region of California. The term "Achumawi" specifically identifies one of these bands, while the others include the Aporige, Astarwawi, Atsuge, Atwamsini, Hammawi, Hewisedawi, Ilmawi, Itsatawi, Kosalextawi, and Madesi. Historically, the Achumawi adapted well to their environment and engaged in fishing, hunting, and gathering for sustenance, utilizing a variety of natural resources. Their traditional dwellings included summer houses made from reeds and winter homes that were partially underground. Known for their intricate basketry and clothing made from deerskin, the Achumawi also practiced notable spiritual traditions, including the seeking of guardian spirits by young men.
In the early 19th century, the Achumawi faced significant challenges with the arrival of trappers and later, the influx of settlers during the California gold rush, leading to drastic changes in their way of life. Despite these challenges, the Achumawi continue to inhabit their ancestral lands, maintaining a tribal office and offering essential services to their community, such as housing assistance and childcare programs. While the Achumawi language has become extinct, revitalization efforts are underway to preserve their cultural heritage. Today, they operate the Pit River Casino and engage in various initiatives to sustain their community and heritage.
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Achumawi
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: California
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Hokan, specifically Palaihnihan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Northern California
- POPULATION SIZE: 1,539 (2021 US Census Bureau American Community Survey)
The Achumawi (sometimes spelled Achomawi), also known as the Pit River Indians, live in the northeastern corner of California. They are not one tribe but eleven autonomous bands. “Achumawi,” the name of one of these bands, serves as a collective label. The other ten are the Aporige, Astarwawi, Atsuge, Atwamsini, Hammawi, Hewisedawi, Ilmawi, Itsatawi, Kosalextawi, and Madesi.
Like all California Indigenous people, the Achumawi were well adapted to their environment. Summer houses were lashed-together poles covered by reed or tule mats; winter dwellings were semi-subterranean, with a wood frame covered by a layer of earth, tule, or bark.
The Achumawi fished, hunted, and gathered for their subsistence. They collected seeds, roots, and insects, and they hunted game such as deer, beaver, and badger. The Achumawi dug pits to trap deer, a practice that led the first Whites who came in contact with them to dub them the “Pit River people.”
The Achumawi’s clothing was made of deerskin and shredded juniper bark, and their basketry was detailed and artistic. Bows and arrows were used in hunting; the arrowheads were made of obsidian (volcanic glass).
Among the Achumawi, shamans were highly respected for their religious leadership and their encyclopedic knowledge of medicine and healing. When they reached adolescence, boys would go to the mountains to seek a tinhowi, or guardian spirit. The tinhowi would impart supernatural powers to the young men.
The first Whites to come to Achumawi lands were trappers in about 1828. There were about three thousand Achumawi at that time. Later, during the California gold rush, a great influx of White settlers threatened the Achumawi's way of life.
Despite past problems, the Achumawi live on ancestral land around Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc, and Lassen Counties in California. The X-L Ranch, founded in 1938, comprises around 9,000 acres of Achumawi land. Not all Achumawi live on the reservation. They maintain a tribal office in Burney, California. The Achumawi offer various services to their people, including housing assistance, childcare, and environmental programs. They also operate the Pit River Casino. The Achumawi language is considered extinct, with the last fluent speaker dying in the twentieth century. However, efforts are underway to revitalize the language to preserve the oral history of the Achumawi people.
Bibliography
"Achumawi – NAHC Digital Atlas." California Native American Heritage Commission, nahc.ca.gov/cp/p01achumawi. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
Johansen, Bruce E., and Barry Pritzker. Encyclopedia of American Indian History. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2008.
Kania, John J., and Alan Blaugrund. Antique Native American Basketry of Western North America: A Comprehensive Guide to Identification. Seattle: Marquand, 2014.
Luthin, Herbert W. Surviving through the Days: Translations of Native California Stories and Songs—A California Indian Reader. Berkeley: U of California P, 2002.
"Pit River Tribe – XL Ranch Well Project - July 2010." Bureau of Reclamation, 7 July 2010, www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/includes/documentShow.php?Doc‗ID=6162. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.
Smythe, Charles W., and Priya Helweg. Summary of Ethnological Objects in the National Museum of Natural History Associated with the Achumawi Culture. Washington: Repatriation Office, Natl. Museum of Natural Hist., Smithsonian Inst., 1997.
"Tribal History." Official Home of the Pit River Tribe, pitrivertribe.gov/tribal-history/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
"2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates American Indian and Alaska Native Detailed Tables." US Census Bureau, 2021, data.census.gov/table?q=pit%20river&y=2021. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
"A Very Brief Overview of California's Achumawi Indians." Native American Netroots, 27 Mar. 2017, nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/2283. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
Woiche, Istet, and C. Hart Merriam. Annikadel: The History of the Universe as Told by the Achumawi Indians of California. Tucson: U of Arizona P, 1992.