102 Yokut

The Yokuts are a language family with as many as 50 separate hunter/gatherer tribes, and numerous dialects. They occupied the entire San Joaquin Valley of central California from the mouth of the San Joaquin River to the foot of the Tehachapi, and the adjacent lower slopes or foothills of the Sierra Nevada, from the Fresno River south. They experienced huge population losses as a result of Mexican genocide, and were almost destroyed by the virtual holocaust of the indiscriminate genocide of the early American gold prospectors and settlers.

Aboriginal Locations

Subdivisions: Tribes (# of villages): Buena Vista Group: Hometwoli, Loasau, Tuhohi, Tulamni (5); Tule-Kaweah Group: Bokninuwad, Kawia, Wuchamni, Yausanchi, Yokod (11); Kings River Group: Aiticha, Choinimni, Chukaimina, Gashowu, Kocheyali, Michahai, Toihicha (14); Northern Group of Foothill Division: Chukchansi, Dalinchi, Dumma, Kechayi, Toltichi (17); Poso Creek Group: Paleuyami (6); Southern Group of the Valley Division: Apiachi, Choinok, Chunut, Koyeti, Nutunutu, Tachi, Telamni, Tsineuhiu, Wechihit, Wimilchi, Wo'lasi, Wowol, Yauelmani (27); Northern Group of the Valley Division: Chauchila, Chulamni, Coconoon, Hannesuk, Heuchi, Hoyima, Kakisamni, Nupchinche, Pitkachi, Tawalimnu, Wakichi (19)

Year	*History*
1802	Pneumonia, diphtheria epidemic
1805	Attacked Fr. Cuevas party, Peralta retaliated killing 11, capturing 30
1806	Measles epidemic
1815	Pico attacked rancheria near Madera, 5 killed, 50 captured, most escaped
1821	Large numbers indentured to Mexican feudal barons
1833	Epidemic, probably malaria
1839	Yokuts raiding party against Martinez lost 8, Castro then attacked 2 rancherias capturing 77
1850	Gold rush, influx of miners, settlers; beginning of several years of Mariposa War genocide, huge losses; virtually no specific accounts
1851	Yokuts signed peace treaty
1852	U. S. Senate rejected treaty; Campbell and 2 dozen miner killed 11; some Yokuts placed at Tejon Pass
1853	Great number died from malaria epidemic
1854	Ft. Tejon established
1856	Williams leading Tulare Mounted Volunteers ambush Ft. Tejon killing 5; 15 Yokuts killed near Visalia; 20+ Yokuts killed in fight at Battle Mountain
1858	200 destitute Yokuts removed from villages to Kings River farm by armed Whites
1900	Huge Tulare Lake virtually disappeared due to White drainage of water
1933	Chunuts Yokuts forced from their Tulare Lake village site

Year	Population	Source
1700	18,000	NAHDB calculation
1770	18,000	Kroeber estimate
1800	18,000	NAHDB calculation
1848	14,000	Cook estimate
1852	13,000	Cook estimate
1880	600	Cook estimate
1900	550	NAHDB calculation
1910	533	Census
1973	595	BIA
1981	640	BIA
1989	1,327	BIA
2000	1,500	NAHDB calculation

*Ethnie:*	YOKUTS (YOKOTCH)
*Language:*	Yokutsan
*Family:*	Yokutsan
*Stock:*	Penutian
*Phylum:*	Macro-Penutian
*Macro-Culture:*	Kuksu