![]() It is known as The Chukchansi Yokuts Revitalization Project. Since June 2009, there's been a push to work with the Department of Linguistics, California State University, Fresno to establish courses studies on the language and culture to prevent the history and culture from extinction. Their language is/was at the point of extinction. The tribe is a high advocate for education. Recently, the tribe was able to establish a casino named Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino. Since then, the Picayune have struggled to buy back the land that was once stolen from them. Thankfully in 1983, the tribe was Federally recognized but they remained without land. The sovereignty of Chukchansi tribe was denied and their land was sold. This gave the tribe back their agency of autonomy however, the relationship with the Federal government was severed between the 1950s and 60's. government began to distribute land to the landless Native Californians and created Rancherias-not reservations. These series of misfortunes forced the community to become laborers within the farm, logging, mining, and cowboy industries. Their lands were taken away from them and their way of life was changed forever." Under American rule at the time, Native people had no legal rights. By 1900, it is estimated that approximately 85% – 90% of all California Indians 'disappeared.' The discovery of gold in the mid-19th century brought thousands of foreigners in search of wealth. According to the website, "The introduction of diseases that the Native people had no immunity to caused waves of de-population. It is stated that prior to contact, there was a population between 70,000-80,000. From such an understanding of the environment and its resources, the Chukchansi have created an epistemology that remains important for Picayunes today.Īfter contact with Europeans, Spanish missionary settlers and American trappers and gold miners, the population of the indigenous Picayune were disrupted, weakened, and displaced. According to Blume, fires "usually occurred after harvesting seeds in the fall as well as in the spring" (15). Fire also increased the number of livable conditions within their environment. Because the brush from the grassland would be cleared by the fire, hunting and gathering were made easier as it attracted more wildlife and produced the ability to sow crops. Fire was used to cut hair, drive rabbits and squirrels out of their holes when hunting, and reduce grassland and vegetation that may otherwise cause greater fires. ![]() It had a multiplicative purpose to the Picayune Rancheria. Sources of nutrition were also derived from plants that peaked in the summer: acorns, nuts, seeds, roots, and berries these sources were gathered and reaped by certain members of the tribal communities.įire was more than just used for cooking. Blume also states that they would participate in communal drives several members of the tribes would drive rabbits into nets. According to Joana Blume, such decoys included the use of antlers and skin from previous kills to attract antelope. They would use decoys to capture or kill animals. Although deer and antelope were their primary source of protein, they also hunted for squirrel, rabbit, raccoons, and anything within the marshes and grasslands of their home. They adapted themselves to a natural world that produced consistent harvests through the manipulation of sophisticated techniques such as farming, hunting, fishing, and gathering. The first Picayunes were agents of their environment. However, according to the official website of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, these tribes all have similar culture and customs but have had different dialects throughout history. Chukchansi is the language spoken regionally, in which anthropologists have classified an estimated 60 tribes together as Yokuts-meaning people. Many Chukchansi still live in these foothills about 30 miles north of Fresno the headquarters of the tribe, Picayune Rancheria, is located there today. In recent times, the territory of the Chukchansi population has ranged from the Sierra Nevada foothills in the East, to the Fresno and Chowchilla river valleys in Central California, down to the Tehachapi mountains in the South. Chukchansi Yokuts are indigenous to Central California where they have inhabited areas of the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills for more than 12,000 years. The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians is affiliated to Chukchansi Yokuts culture.
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