preview

The Cahuilla Tribe

Decent Essays

The Cahuilla were a Native Southern Californian tribe that occupied the Riverside County, Higher Palomar Mountain Region and East Colorado Desert. The tribe was divided into two groups or moieties know as Wildcats or Coyotes. The Cahuilla lived in small clans that varied in population, and together all the separate clans made up a larger political group called a sib ”http://www.aguacaliente.org/content/History%20&%20Culture/.” The tribe was at first considered to be very simple and savage because they were never interacted with. As the Europeans and Spanish Missionaries considered the desert an inhospitable place that was better to avoid because …show more content…

”California Indians. 1999, p6. 2p. 1 Black and White Photograph, 1 Chart, 1 Map.” The mesquite and willow wood provide a flexible and strong base for the bow, which allowed the Cahuilla to hunt game from a distance. They also implemented another weapon that was similar to a boomerang that was held in one hand and tossed at smaller game. The throwing stick would incapacitate or stun the game in order to provide a chance for the Cahuilla hunter to acquire their prey ”http://www.augustinetribe.org/cahuilla.html”. Hunting was a big part of the Cahuilla life when the seasons would allow it. Using the seasons as indicators when their game would produce offspring, and when they were able to start hunting was no easy task as it shows excellent organizational and planning skills.

The methods of both hunting and gathering of the Cahuilla Indians are spectacular since most people consider a desert region to be inhospitable. Yet the Cahuilla had an abundance of food by implementing different methods to acquire food. Using both hunting and gathering techniques they were able to successfully plan their life’s out in order to live. They had great organizational and planning skills which were the major reason they were able to live in such a desolate place. Their

Get Access