Miwok, << MEE wok, >> is the name of three Native American groups in northern California who speak related languages. The three are (1) the Lake Miwok, who traditionally lived south of Clear Lake; (2) the Coast Miwok, who made their homes near the Pacific coast just north of present-day San Francisco; and (3) the Eastern Miwok, who lived in central California, south of what is now Sacramento.
Traditionally, each of the three Miwok groups consisted of smaller units called tribelets. A typical tribelet was made up of several villages. Each Lake or Eastern Miwok tribelet had its own hereditary chief. Each Coast Miwok tribelet chose two chiefs–one male and one female–and a female ceremonial leader, or maien.
The Miwok lived in houses made of bark, grass, and other materials. Some homes stood partly underground and were covered with branches and earth. For food, the Miwok fished and hunted and gathered acorns and other wild plant foods.
In the early 1800’s, Spaniards captured many Miwok to work as laborers on missions and ranches. In the 1820’s and 1830’s, some Miwok fought for their territory. The United States Army killed many Miwok in a series of massacres in the 1850’s. Many Miwok live in California. Some dwell on rancherias, small tracts of land reserved for Native American use. According to the 2020 U.S. census, there are about 3,000 Miwok.
