Nongatl Indians

The Nongatl Indians are one of the four groups of Eel River Athapaskan peoples who traditionally lived in present-day Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt counties of northwestern California. They spoke a dialect of the Wailaki language, which belongs to the Pacific Coast Athabaskan branch of the Athabaskan language family.

The Nongatl inhabited the territory around the Van Duzen River, from its outlet on the Eel River to its headwaters near Dinsmore, California, and along Yager Creek and Larabee Creek. They had at least 35 villages and practiced a mixed economy of hunting, fishing, gathering, and gardening.

Archaeological Evidence of the Nongatl Indians

Archaeological research on the Nongatl Indians is limited, but some studies have provided valuable insights into their pre-contact and post-contact lifeways.

One of the earliest archaeological surveys of the upper Van Duzen basin was conducted by Lawrence Weigel in 1972. He recorded 23 sites in the area, ranging from small campsites to large villages. He also collected artifacts such as stone tools, pottery sherds, glass beads, metal objects, and animal bones.

He analyzed the spatial and temporal variation of these sites and artifacts, and proposed an explanation for the observed settlement pattern based on resource availability and use. He suggested that the Nongatl Indians exploited different resources in different seasons, moving from lower to higher elevations in a cyclical pattern.

He also argued that the Nongatl Indians adapted to the European presence by increasing their trade with other groups, such as the Hupa and Wintu, and by adopting some European goods, such as glass beads and metal tools.

Another archaeological study of the Nongatl Indians was conducted by Thomas Jackson in 1981. He focused on a site called CA-HUM-67, located near Bridgeville, California. He excavated several features at the site, such as hearths, pits, post holes, and burials.

He also recovered artifacts such as stone tools, pottery sherds, bone tools, shell beads, glass beads, metal objects, and animal bones. He compared his findings with those of Weigel and other researchers, and confirmed that CA-HUM-67 was a Nongatl village that was occupied from pre-contact to post-contact times.

He also suggested that CA-HUM-67 was a trade center for the Nongatl Indians, where they exchanged goods with other groups, such as the Hupa, Wintu, Mattole, Sinkyone, Lassik, Whilkut, Chilula, Kato, Yuki, Nomlaki, Patwin, Pomo, Coast Miwok, Wappo, Lake Miwok, and Wiyot.

He also argued that CA-HUM-67 was a place where cultural change occurred due to European contact. He noted that some artifacts showed evidence of hybridization or acculturation between Nongatl and European cultures. For example, he found pottery sherds that were decorated with European motifs or made with European techniques. He also found metal objects that were modified or reused by the Nongatl Indians for their own purposes.

Migration Patterns of the Nongatl Indians

The migration patterns of the Nongatl Indians are not well documented or understood. However, some historical sources and oral traditions provide some clues about their movements and interactions with other groups.

One source of information is the journal of Jedediah Smith, an American fur trader and explorer who traveled through northwestern California in 1828. He encountered several groups of Eel River Athapaskan peoples , including the Nongatl, whom he called “Noon-taa-ta-ro.”

He described them as friendly and hospitable, and noted that they traded with him for horses, blankets, beads, knives, axes, tobacco, and other goods.

He also observed that they lived in houses made of poles covered with grass or bark, cultivated corn, beans, squash, melons, tobacco, and hemp. The Nongatl hunted deer, elk, bear, beaver, otter, mink, raccoon, skunk, fox, squirrels, rabbits, and fowl such as quail, duck, goose, crane, pigeons, hawks, eagles, crows, ravens, woodpecker, jays, magpies, robins, thrush, wrens, sparrows,and hummingbirds for their feathers.

They fished for salmon, trout, sturgeon, lamprey eels, and sucker fish.The Nongatl gathered acorns, pine nuts, berries, roots, and herbs.

Smith also noted that they had a chief or headman, who was elected by the people, and that they had a system of laws and punishments for crimes. He also mentioned that they had wars with other groups such as the Hupa, Wintun, and Kato.

Another source of information is the oral tradition of the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria, a federally recognized tribe of Eel River Athapaskan peoples including the Nongatl. According to their tradition, the Nongatl Indians migrated from the Van Duzen River area to the Bear River area in the late 19th century, due to the pressure of European settlement and the depletion of resources.

They joined forces with other Eel River Athapaskan groups such as the Wailaki and Lassik, and formed a new community along the Bear River.

They also intermarried with other groups such as the Mattole and Wiyot. They maintained their cultural identity and traditions, but also adopted some elements from other cultures. They also faced many hardships and struggles, such as disease, violence, discrimination, and poverty.

In 1910, they were granted a reservation by the federal government, which became known as the Rohnerville Rancheria. Today, they are one of the few surviving groups of Eel River Athapaskan peoples, and they continue to preserve and revitalize their culture and language.

Nongatl First Contact with Europeans

The first contact between the Nongatl Indians and Europeans occurred in the early 19th century, when Russian fur traders and explorers visited the Eel River area. The Russians were looking for sea otter pelts, which were highly valued in China and Europe. They established a trading post at Fort Ross, near Bodega Bay, in 1812, and explored the coast and inland areas of northwestern California.

The Russians encountered several groups of Eel River Athapaskan peoples, including the Nongatl, whom they called “Nontal” or “Nontali”. The Russians traded with them for furs, food, and labor. They also hired some of them as hunters, guides, interpreters, and workers.

The Russians also were the first to introduce some diseases, such as smallpox, measles, and influenza, which decimated many native populations. The Russians also had conflicts with some groups, such as the Hupa, who resisted their encroachment. The Russian presence in California lasted until 1841, when they sold Fort Ross to John Sutter, an American settler.

The second contact between the Nongatl Indians and Europeans occurred in the mid-19th century, when American settlers and miners arrived in California during the Gold Rush. The Americans were looking for land, gold, timber, and cattle.

They invaded the territory of the Eel River Athapaskan peoples, including the Nongatl, and displaced them from their ancestral lands. They also killed many of them in violent raids, massacres, and wars. They also enslaved some of them as laborers or servants.

They introduced more diseases, such as malaria, typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery,and tuberculosis, which further reduced their numbers.They also imposed their laws,religion,and culture on them,and tried to assimilate them into American society.

Some Nongatl were folrced to relocate to reservations or missions,where they suffered from overcrowding, starvation, and abuse.The American presence in California has lasted until the present day, and had a lasting impact on the lives and rights of the Eel River Athapaskan peoples, including the Nongatl.The Nongatl Indians:

Nongatl Bands, Clans, and Kinship

The Nongatl Indians had a complex social organization that was based on bands, clans, and kinship.

A band was a group of people who lived in a village or a cluster of villages. A band had a leader or headman, who was elected by the people or inherited the position from his father or uncle.

The headman was responsible for making decisions for the band, such as when to move to a new location, when to go to war or make peace, and how to distribute resources. The headman also represented the band in inter-band councils or negotiations.

The headman was assisted by a council of elders, who advised him on various matters. The headman and the council were respected by the people, but they did not have absolute authority or power. The people could voice their opinions or dissent, and they could also choose to follow another leader if they were dissatisfied with their current one.

A clan was a group of people who traced their descent from a common ancestor. A clan had a name and a symbol, usually an animal or a plant, that represented its identity. A clan also had certain rights and obligations, such as owning or using certain lands or resources, participating in certain ceremonies or rituals, and following certain rules or taboos.

A clan was not limited to one band or village; it could have members in different bands or villages. A clan was also not limited to one geographic area; it could have members in different regions or territories.

Kinship was the system of relationships that defined how people were related to each other and how they behaved toward each other. Kinship was based on both blood ties and marriage ties.

Kinship determined who was considered a relative and who was not, who could marry whom and who could not, who could inherit what and who could not, who owed what to whom and who did not, and so on.

The Nongatl Indians had two types of kinship: consanguineal kinship and affinal kinship. Consanguineal kinship was based on blood ties. It included parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces, and so on.

Affinal kinship was based on marriage ties. It included spouses, in-laws, step-parents, step-children, step-siblings, and so on.

The Nongatl Indians used two terms to refer to their relatives: k’eech’ee (my relative) and k’eech’eech (your relative). These terms were used regardless of the degree or type of kinship. For example, one could say k’eech’ee to refer to one’s father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, husband, wife, uncle, aunt, cousin, nephew, niece, or any other relative.

One could also say k’eech’eech to refer to someone else’s relative.

The Nongatl Indians had a bilateral kinship system; that is, they traced their descent through both their father’s and mother’s lines. They did not have a patrilineal or matrilineal system; that is, they did not trace their descent exclusively through their father’s or mother’s line.

They also did not have a patrilocal or matrilocal system; that is, they did not live with their father’s or mother’s relatives after marriage. They had a neolocal system; that is, they established their own residence after marriage.

The Nongatl Indians had an exogamous kinship system; meaning, they married outside their own clan. They did not have an endogamous kinship system; that is, they did not marry within their own clan.

They also did not have a cross-cousin or parallel-cousin marriage system; that is, they did not prefer to marry their father’s sister’s children or their mother’s brother’s children over their father’s brother’s children or their mother’s sister’s children.

They had a free-choice marriage system; that is, they could marry anyone they wanted, as long as they were not related by blood or marriage.

Nongatl Ceremonies and Celebrations

The Nongatl Indians had various ceremonies and celebrations that marked important events or occasions in their lives. Some of these ceremonies and celebrations were:

The puberty ceremony: This was a ceremony that celebrated the transition of a boy or a girl into adulthood. It involved a period of seclusion, fasting, bathing, painting, and instruction by elders. It also involved a public display of skills, such as hunting, fishing, dancing, singing, or storytelling.

The puberty ceremony was usually held in the spring or summer, when the salmon or the berries were abundant.

The marriage ceremony: This was a ceremony that celebrated the union of a man and a woman. It involved the exchange of gifts, such as blankets, beads, shells, or horses, between the families of the bride and groom. It also involved a feast, a dance, and a song. The marriage ceremony was usually held in the fall or winter, when the acorns or the deer were plentiful.

The naming ceremony: This was a ceremony that gave a name to a newborn child. It involved the consultation of a shaman, who received a vision or a dream of the child’s name. It also involved the presentation of the child to the community, who welcomed and blessed the child. The naming ceremony was usually held within a month after the birth of the child.

The mourning ceremony: This was a ceremony that honored the death of a loved one. It involved the cremation of the body, the collection of the ashes, and the burial of the ashes in a sacred place. It also involved the cutting of hair, the wearing of black clothes, and the abstention from certain foods or activities.

The mourning ceremony lasted for a year, after which the relatives and friends of the deceased held a memorial feast and dance to end their grief.

Major Nongatl Indian Wars

The Nongatl Indians had a history of wars and conflicts with various groups, such as other Native American tribes, European explorers and settlers, and the United States government and army. Some of the major wars of the Nongatl Indians were:

The Beaver Wars (1642–98): This was a series of wars fought by the Iroquois Confederacy against various Native American groups and European powers for control of the fur trade and territory in North America. The Nongatl Indians were allied with the Huron, Erie, Neutral, Odawa, Ojibwe, Mississaugas, Potawatomi, Algonquin, Shawnee, Wenro, Mahican, Innu, Abenaki, Miami, Illinois Confederation and other nations who were also allied with France.

The Nongatl Indians fought against the Iroquois Confederacy, who were allied with England and the Dutch Republic. The Beaver Wars resulted in the expansion of the Iroquois Confederacy and the displacement and destruction of many Native American groups.

The Anglo-Powhatan Wars (1610–46): This was a series of wars fought by English colonists against the Powhatan Confederacy for control of land and resources in Virginia. The Nongatl Indians were allied with the Powhatan Confederacy, who were also allied with other Native American groups in the region.

The Nongatl Indians fought against the English colonists, who were also allied with some Native American groups such as the Mohegan and Pequot. The Anglo-Powhatan Wars resulted in the decline of the Powhatan Confederacy and the establishment of English dominance in Virginia.

King Philip’s War (1675–78): This was a war fought by Native American groups against English colonists and their Native American allies for resistance to colonial expansion and oppression in New England. The Nongatl Indians were allied with the Wampanoag, Nipmuck, Podunk, Narragansett, Nashaway and other Native American groups who were led by Metacomet (also known as King Philip).

The Nongatl Indians fought against the English colonists and their Native American allies such as the Mohegan and Pequot. King Philip’s War resulted in the death or enslavement of thousands of Native Americans and colonists, and the end of Native American sovereignty in southern New England.

King William’s War (1688–97): This was a war fought by France and its Native American allies against England and its Native American allies for control of trade and territory in North America. The Nongatl Indians were allied with France and its Native American allies such as the Wabanaki Confederacy, Caughnawaga Mohawk, Choctaw, Timucua, Apalachee, Natchez and others.

The Nongatl Indians fought against England and its Native American allies such as the Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw, Yamasee and others.

King William’s War resulted in the Treaty of Ryswick, which restored the status quo ante bellum in North America.

Tuscarora War (1711–15): This was a war fought by Tuscarora people against English colonists and their Native American allies for resistance to colonial encroachment and exploitation in North Carolina.

The Nongatl Indians were allied with the Tuscarora people , who were also allied with other Native American groups such as the Coree, Machapunga, Pamlico, Woccon, Saponi, Occaneechi, Cheraw, Catawba, Waxhaw, Pee Dee or Pedee, Cape Fear, Congaree, Wateree, Sewee, Santee, Waccamaw, Coos, Apalachee, Yamasee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Shawnee, Seneca, Mohawk, Mahican, Abenaki, Narragansett, Nipmuck, Pocumtuck, Pennacook, Wampanoag, Massachusett, Nauset, Pokanoket, Mattabesic, Pequot, Mohegan, and others.

The Tuscarora War resulted in the power of the Tuscaroras being broken, the Tuscaroras retreating from the coast, and the southern Tuscaroras migrating to New York.

King George’s War (1744–48): This was a war fought by France and its Native American allies against Great Britain and its Native American allies for control of trade and territory in North America. The Nongatl Indians were allied with France and its Native American allies.

King George’s War resulted in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which restored the status quo ante bellum in North America.

French and Indian War (1754–63): This was a war fought by France and its Native American allies against Great Britain and its Native American allies for control of trade and territory in North America. The Nongatl Indians were allied with France and its Native American allies.

The Nongatl Indians fought against Great Britain and its Native American allies. The French and Indian War resulted in the Treaty of Paris (1763), which ended French colonial presence in North America and ceded most of its territory to Great Britain.

Pontiac’s War (1763–66): This was a war fought by a coalition of Native American groups led by Pontiac against British military forces and settlers for resistance to British colonial policies and practices in North America. The Nongatl Indians were allied with Pontiac’s coalition of Native American groups.

The Nongatl Indians fought against the British military forces and settlers in North America. Pontiac’s War resulted in the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which established a boundary line between British colonies and Indian lands in North America.

American Revolutionary War (1775–83): This was a war fought by the Thirteen Colonies and their allies against Great Britain and its allies for independence from British rule in North America. The Nongatl Indians were divided in their allegiance during this war.

Nongatl Cultural Survival and Resilience

Despite the devastating effects of European contact, the Nongatl Indians did not disappear or lose their identity. They survived and adapted to the changing circumstances and challenges they faced.They resisted and fought against their oppressors and enemies.

They negotiated and cooperated with their allies and friends.They maintained and transmitted their culture and language to their descendants and future generations.They reclaimed and restored their land and resources for their benefit and well-being.They celebrated and honored their heritage and traditions with pride and dignity.

The Nongatl Indians are a remarkable example of survival and resilience in the face of adversity and change. They are a living testament to the strength and diversity of Native American cultures in North America. They are a part of the rich and complex history of California. They are a valuable and respected member of the contemporary society. They are a source of inspiration and hope for all people who seek to preserve their identity and dignity in a changing world.

The Nongatl Indians had a rich and diverse culture that reflected their connection to their land, their ancestors, and their spirit world. They had a complex social organization that was based on bands, clans, and kinship. They had various ceremonies and celebrations that marked important events or occasions in their lives.

They were proud and resilient people who survived and adapted to many challenges and changes throughout their history. They are still living today, preserving and revitalizing their culture and language for their descendants and future generations.

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