Karuk
The Karuk, also known as Karok, are an Indigenous people primarily located in northwestern California, with a population of approximately 3,751 as of 2020. Their traditional livelihoods included fishing, hunting, and gathering, with a unique focus on salmon fishing using various tools like nets and harpoons. The Karuk constructed distinct rectangular, semi-subterranean homes and engaged in a rich cultural life that featured ceremonies for hunting and fishing success, as well as practices to cure illnesses, often led by women shamans. Historically, the Karuk faced significant disruptions due to gold mining in the 1850s, leading to violent conflicts and displacement from their lands. Despite the challenges, the Karuk have managed to retain their cultural identity and are recognized as a federally recognized tribe, actively engaging in economic development and cultural preservation initiatives today. They participate in programs that provide education, healthcare, and housing for their members while also working on environmental management strategies, particularly in response to increasing wildfire risks in California. The Karuk Tribe's efforts reflect a commitment to using ancestral knowledge to sustain both their community and the environment.
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Karok
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: California
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Karuk
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Northwestern California
- POPULATION SIZE: 3,751 (2020 Karuk Tribe)
The Karuk (or Karok) people occupied the northwestern corner of California. They subsisted by fishing, hunting, and gathering; tobacco was the only plant they cultivated. The Karuk used nets, harpoons, and clubs to catch salmon and other fish. These Indigenous people used dogs, decoys, bows, and arrows, and snares to hunt large animals such as deer and elk. Surplus meat was dried on scaffolds for winter use. Acorns, bulbs, seeds, and nuts were gathered and ground into flour.
Rectangular, semi-subterranean single-family homes were constructed with cedar planks; they had small, low doorways and stone porches. Men wore buckskin breechcloths or went naked, and women wore deerskin skirts. Both wore fur capes and snowshoes during the winter.
Historically, the Karuk placed great importance on acquiring and retaining wealth. Riches were in the form of shells, obsidian blades, and woodpecker scalps. The wealthiest person in the group also held the most respect and prestige. Dances were performed to ensure good fishing and hunting, as well as to cure sick children. These ceremonies included displays of wealth and religious rites performed by priests. Everyday life was filled with taboos, and rituals were performed regularly to fend off illness and bad luck. Shamans were usually women who used herbal medicines or orally sucked out the “pain” that was causing the illness.
In the early 1800s, Hudson’s Bay Company traders became the first White people to make contact with the Karuk. These early meetings had little effect on indigenous life. Then, in the 1850s, gold miners flooded Karuk territory, and violent clashes ensued. White people burned most of the Indigenous towns, and the Karuk fled to the mountains.
In the late nineteenth century, mining prospects died out and many Whites left. A number of half-White children were left behind. In the 1870s, many Karuk participated in the Ghost Dance religion. Ghost Dancers believed that the dances and rituals they performed would bring back dead ancestors and a more traditional way of life.
No reservations were set aside for the Karuk people, but several moved to Scott Valley, a Shasta reservation. Some Karuk land was set aside in small tracts in a land trust. In the mid-2020s, the Karuk Tribe was a federally recognized Indigenous nation and was among the largest nations in California, based in Happy Camp, with additional populations in Yreka and Orleans. The Karuk people participated in economic development programs such as the Rain Rock Casino, among other businesses. The nation provided education, healthcare, employment, and housing resources for their members. The Karuk Tribe was also active in managing environmental resources and preserving their culture through language revitalization and traditional ceremonies. In response to years of increasing wildfires in California, and using ancestral knowledge of the California ecosystem and fire, the Karuk Tribe created the Climate Adaptation Plan in hopes of encouraging land management practices that mitigated fire risk. The Karuk Tribe increased these efforts following the Slater Fire in 2020.
Bibliography
Eargle, Dolan H., and Fred Dodsworth. Native California Guide: An Introduction to the Original Peoples from Earliest to Modern Times. 1st rev. ed., Trees Co. Press, 2008.
Gomez, Carley. "Inside the Karuk Tribe's Cultural Burning Battle." ABC10, 22 Nov. 2022, www.abc10.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/to-the-point/tribal-traditions-burning-battle-karuk-tribe-happy-camp/103-54f258dd-30d6-46f1-a7ba-39904f6b88d2. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
"Information." Karuk Tribe, www.karuk.us/index.php/information. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
"Karuk Tribe." Alliance for California Traditional Arts, actaonline.org/profile/karuk-tribe. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
"Karuk Tribe." Karuk Tribe, 9 Mar. 2020, www.karuk.us/images/docs/hr-files/Karuk-Tribal‗Government‗Fact‗Sheet‗2020.final.pdf. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
"Karuk Tribe Climate Adaptation Plan." Adaptation Clearinghouse, www.adaptationclearinghouse.org/resources/karuk-tribe-climate-adaptation-plan.html. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
Pritzker, Barry M. "Karuk." A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford UP, 2000, pp. 128–29.
"2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171): Karuk Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, CA." US Census Bureau, data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?q=Karuk%20Reservation%20and%20Off-Reservation%20Trust%20Land,%20CA. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.