Homestead mailing list

[Don Bowen KI6DIU <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

At 10/26/2007, you wrote:
> > The tribes whose permanent homes were in those areas were forced out into
> > the "white man doesn't want them" areas.
>
> Okay, I wasn't aware of that...where exactly were/are those places in
> today's landscape?

Two quick responses.  One area is what is now called the San Pasqual 
Valley.  If you have ever been to the San Diego Wild Animal Park you were 
there.  A well watered valley that became the location of many farms and 
now grows exotic animals and houses.  The reservation in the valley was 
surveyed by Cave Johnson Couts Jr.  When the survey was complete he simply 
moved the township number by one forcing the tribe into the rocky steep 
lands to the north and opening up the valley for farming.  A few years 
later Escondido needed water for the growing vineyards so built a lake in 
the hills, where? on the Indian reservation.  Land was taken "for the 
greater good" and the tribe was pushed further north.  The reservation is 
now the home of the Valley View Casino in Valley Center, one of the areas 
evacuated in teh recent fire.  The reference material is a book called 
"Pushed into the Rocks".

A small valley in Northern Eastern San Diego County was the home of a small 
tribe in semi permanent settlements.  The valley was well watered and had 
plentiful food sources.  The tribe held off all invaders and maintained 
control of the valley.  They had maintained control over the valley that 
they were linguistically separate from all other California tribes.  A 
rancher settled in the area and named it Warner Springs.  The tribe was 
allowed to remain and became employees of the various ranches in the 
area.  Around the turn of the century the ranch was sold to a developer who 
ordered the Indians off his land.  They were given little notice and forced 
to travel to another reservation that was occupied by long time enemies in 
a mini version of the "Trail of Tears".  That reservation was also evacuated.

Those are just two lesser known. Read about the Tulare Indians and the 
death of a large inland lake for irrigation.  And read of Ishi, a Moduc 
Indian whose entire tribe was hunted to extinction and he was found 
starving.  He lived the few remaining years of his life as an object of 
study at the University of California.

> That's kinda what I meant by semi nomadic..they might have a mountain
> home and a valley home, etc. and they would move seasonally, which is of
> course a good way not to overuse and abuse natural resources.  The
> structures could be permanent structures, but they wouldn't live year
> around, year after year, in one place.

Due to the mild climate, few had permanent structures.  Land ownership for 
small gardens was based on who used it last.  You planted a crop in the 
last few years you could continue to use that land.  Stop planting for a 
few years and someone else could start using it.  Fall was spent in the 
mountains gathering Acorns.  Tribes from all areas gathered together to 
harvest acorns.  Animosities were set aside, Marriages arranged, etc while 
women sat around grinding holes and caught up on the latest.  Winter was 
spent in lower elevations away from water courses.



Don Bowen              Awl Knotted Up                       KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com