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“Building a Sense of Community Through Sharing”
Me-Wuk territory spans much of the Central Sierra Nevada in California. The Northern Me-Wuk homelands surround much of the Central Sierra region, including present day Amador and Calaveras counties. The Sierra Nevada counties of southern Calaveras and Tuolumne comprise the Central Me-Wuk homeland, while the Southern Me-Wuk homeland is bordered by Mariposa county and Yosemite National Park. The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, who own and operate Black Oak Casino, are direct descendants of all three regional tribes.
The ceremonial roundhouse or “hangi” was usually 30 to 40 feet in diameter and round in shape. The roundhouse could be covered by earth, bark, or shingles like the one is today at the Tuolumne Rancheria. The hangi should be respected as would any place of worship. Dances are held in the roundhouse as a way of giving thanks and respect for all that the Earth Mother gave to the people. One of the main ceremonial dances that was and is still celebrated today is in respect to the Black Oak Acorn, which was one of the staple foods in the Me-Wuk diet. Many acorn pounding rocks can be seen throughout the region indicating historic Me-Wuk villages. The Black Oak Acorn was the inspiration for naming the tribe’s casino “Black Oak”.
The Me-Wuk resided in cedar bark homes called umachas. These homes were made from pine poles, grape vines, and cedar bark. They were conical in shape, similar to teepees of the Plains Indians, but made of much different materials.
The Tuolumne Rancheria was established in 1910. It was originally set up as a reservation for homeless natives. The Tuolumne Rancheria became the home of many Me-Wuk from different neighboring villages. Through programs with Elders and speakers of the language, Me-Wuk traditions and native languages are being taught to the young ones today.
Gambling is not foreign to the Me-Wuk. They have played games of chance for most of their history. One of the more popular games is the “Hand Game”, played while singing gambling songs. Teams compete in guessing the “bones”. Games can last for minutes or for days. An annual Hand Games Tournament is held every September as part of the Tuolumne Rancheria “Acorn Festival”.
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