Because of the cloudy and windy weather Saturday 8 May I had the entire Indian Grinding Rock State Historical RV Park off of SR88 to myself. Of the 23 tent/RV sites I chose #13, not only the flatest but also right next to the path to the Chaw'se Reional Indian Museum, which includes artifacts from the Northern, Central, and Southern Miwok, Maidu, Konkow, Monache, Nisenan, Tubatulabal, Washo and Foothill Yukuts.
To the right: a DPR [CA Dept of Parks & Recreation] sign saying, in essence, "Keep of of the grass [in the meadow]." Incidentally, as one of the plaques says, Chaw'se is pronounced as though the final "e" were an "a." A docent who had just gotten off work walked over to look at a new sign [which is identical to one of the plaques below] talked with me for 20 minutes or so until one of her co-workers showed up claiming she was afraid that a mountain lion had gotten. [After the co-worker left I told her that I often stood to look around while cleaning fish since a big "kitty" might be attracted by the smell and become more interest in my crouched (actually seated) body as a source of a meal or two.
This plaque essentially duplicates the sign which the docent had walked over to see. While I didn't have any beer or wine with dinner, it wasn't because of the "no booze" admonition, but rather because it was a V8 night, which follows a beer night and a wine night in rotation.
Since the Miwoks and other indians relied on an oral tradition you can be certain that young'uns listened to their elders -- or found out that eating certain plants, berries, etc. would make them very sick or even end their lives.
Here's a bush I noticed for the first time east of Porterville on or near the Tule River. While it's called Red Bud, the blossoms are really purple. I initially thought they had been planted by workers at the Wishon Power House on the Tule and spread from there, but it became clear that there were too many of them to have spread from that one spot. And they're in places I've driven by in years past to fish in the Sierras; however, since they bloom in the spring and are gone by summer, I had never seen them prior to this year. I believe they are somewhat toxic to the skin. [Wrong! See links below.]
Apparently groups can actually use these bark houses or those further north in the meadow. "Environmental Living/Group Camping. Camping in the bark houses to the north (U'macha'tam'ma) is a unique opportunity to get back in touch with the natural world while learning something about Miwok life."
I think if I declared, "that rock reached up and grabbed the toe of my boot, making me fall and dislocate my shoulder," a Miwok might reply that I'd step more carefully if I were wearing moccasins instead of Vibram-soled jump boots.
If grizzly bears like to dance, do they also like to sing? If so, clear out fast if you hear one singing "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal, You" -- especially if he's packing a .44.
I had hoped to see some petroglyphs near Fallon in northern Nevada, but the weather didn't cooperate. And I couldn't make out any "rock carvings" near the motar holes.
Now that I look at this photo more carefully, the grinding hole with the most debris and a white ring in the center of the photo does have a faint petroglyph to its left.
If memory serves, both the docent and one of the plaques states that there are 1185 grinding holes in the rocks in this meadow.
Apparently during "Big Times" (September when the acorns fall and are harvested) Indian Football is still played.
Think of a Hun'ge as the Miwok Church and Community Center -- except that when the tribe's leader dies, it is abandoned or destroyed.
Wonder if you had to say the secret password to gain admittance to the Roundhouse?
Valley Oaks tend to be larger than their Black Oak cousins in the Sierra foothills.
And it appears as if this oak was struck by lightning sometime in the last 50-100 years.
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Links:
- California State Parks web site for Indian Grinding Rock State Historical Park
- Wikipedia article on the Eastern Red Bud
T 10 May Actual Route: Sutter Creek - Plymouth - El Dorado Fairgrounds (Placerville)
W 11 May Actual Route: Placerville - Camp Lotus (near Colma)
Th 12 May Actual Route: Camp Lotus - Marshall Gold Discovery SHP - Colfax - Bear River Campground
F 13 May Actual Route: Bear River CG - Colfax - Grass Valley - Oroville
Sa 14 May Route: Oroville
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