California Studies
Feb 26 2024 - Coast Miwok Tribe of Point Reyes National Seashore - Home

The Coast Miwok are an Indigenous people of California who have lived in the coastal and inland areas of present-day Marin and southern Sonoma counties for thousands of years. They have enriched the landscape with their history and culture.

Food Gathering
The Coast Miwok people gathered fresh new greens in the springtime. In the fall, this tribe collected tule for making skirts, baskets, houses, boats and mats. Additionally, they gathered acorns, buckeye, hazel and bay nuts by hitting the ripened seeds with a beater basket and letting them fall into a collecting basket. These nuts were stored in a granary for year-round consumption. Furthermore, the ocean provided food year-round, such as crab, clams, mussels, abalone, limpets and oysters.
Food Preparation
The Coast Miwok people had various ways of cooking their food, depending on the type and availability of the ingredients. They used obsidian knives, hot stones, coals, ashes, and fire to prepare different kinds of meat and plants. They also made acorn mush and biscuits, which were common foods for them. They had a special oven, which was a pit filled with layers of food, leaves, and stones, and covered with earth and fire. This oven could cook food for several hours or even days, and was shared by multiple families. They also had tools to handle hot stones, such as wooden sticks with pointed ends.
Trading
The Coast Miwok people participated in trade networks with other tribes, exchanging goods such as obsidian, clamshell beads, and acorns. Among these goods, obsidian was a volcanic glass that was used to make sharp arrowheads and knives. Another valuable item was clamshell beads, which were made from the shells of the Washington clam, that were ground into circular disks with holes in the middle. These beads were used as money and jewelry.
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