Customer Reviews

Historical Atlas of California,

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In the book they have a map of James Savage's Mariposa Battalion entering Yosemite.

The problem with the map is that it states that Southern Sierra Miwoks were the tribe of Yosemite. Yet Lafayette Bunnell wrote that Chief Tenaya was the founder of the PAIUTE Colony of Ahwahne, that Chief Tenaya spoke a PAIUTE jargon, that Chief Tenaya's band was primarily made up of MONO PAIUTES and a few outlaws from (unspecific) western tribes. The the Monos considered Chief Tenaya as one of their own, but the Miwoks were afraid of the Ahwahneechees and called the them "Yosemites" which means "The Killers - Grizzlies" in their language. Tenaya was said to like the name "Yosemites" because it brought fear into the heart of his enemies. That means that the Miwoks and Yosemite Indians were NOT the same, but enemies. When Chief Tenaya was killed the remaining child bearing Ahwahneechees were taken back to Mono Lake Paiute area. In 1854, a year after Tenaya's death, the only Indians in Yosemite were PAIUTES and no other Indians.

So the information that the Ahwahneechees or Yosemites were Miwoks is incorrect they were primarily Paiutes.

People should read Lafayette Bunnell's about the Mariposa Battalion and learn the truth about who the real Yosemite Ahwahneechees really were.

A good basic book in California history. An outstanding collection of maps of maps tracing the routes of early Spanish and Mexican explorers, early Indian wars, the Bear Flag revolt, and other items of interest to California historians.