Yokuts Meeting Place - Orestimba - San Joaquin Valley - California
Вставка
- Опубліковано 28 лис 2024
- Finding Lost Civilization Series - An Educational Series - Additional Videos At: storiesbyalex.com
Trek to the area where Spanish mission padres would visit in the San Joaquin Valley in an effort to Christianize Yokuts Indians. The site was first explored by Lt. Gabriel Moraga and Father Viader from the San Jose Mission in 1810.
I take walks and fish by this place near Newman. Every time I’m there I can feel the energy of the people who once lived in the area. It’s amazing
That's awesome!
Thanks for watching the video. Prior to European contact the Yokuts numbered in excess of 18,000 and perhaps as many as 50,000. In 1833 epidemic disease, probably malaria, devastated the Yokuts, claiming as much as 75 percent of the population. Many were also killed subsequent to the California gold rush.Today there are about 2000 enrolled Yokut in a federally recognized tribe, and 600 more Yokut belonging to unrecognized tribes.
The local tribe of this part of central valley area were the Lakisamni yokut. Below them were the chuachilla
Wrong they numbered close to a million and they were hunted down for scalps! They drained lake Tulare after.
@@lizardchosimbastedanko5195not true
@@Lowridersdoggs whatever you say to make yourself feel better karen
Thanks for watching - stayed tuned - I am trekking in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and elsewhere...I hope to produce some interesting video. Regards - Alex
I think some of the mortar holes are not for grinding, but, place a log vertical and create a structure. Especially the ones as they cascade down the levels of the rock. Stairs and or ramps.
A greener, lusher, area with a nice outcrop.
Thank-you for posting this. I use your videos with my third graders. We cannot afford many field trips. You help us leave the classroom. My third graders LOVED the first half of your video on the Miwok Chaw'Se site. (Indian Grinding Rock). I am looking forward to showing them this one.
I have fished the aquadect in the back ground and never gave this a thought
Thank you for watching. I am now in Arizona exploring ancient sites......alex
Just checked them out today, it was really cool to see the signs of ancient life. Some of the mortars were very deep and I did happen to use the shaded wind caves before the afternoon sun came over to take a short break. (It was 100 degrees out)
Thank you very much for your time and manner in which you presented orestimba! I really really enjoyed it. You are awesome. Don't listen to the negative folks.
John, thanks for watching and the kind words.....alex
What a great field trip!Thanks for taking me along!
I live there and boy is there a lot of rattlesnake
Hello, and thanks for watching. Orestimba is on private land. However, I would recommend taking your children to Indian Grinding Stone State Park near Jackson, CA. A great place to learn........alex
Thanks for your comments. Often times the meaning of place is steeped in folklore and I did have a sensing that Orestimba may have had another meaning than what was ascribed to it by the Spanish. In 1916, A. Kroeber from the University of California, wrote about California place names and made the same observation that you have made. Thanks again - Alex
Hi Alex, thanks for the reply. I'm originally from Taft, Ca. and we used to go out by the Aquaduct pumping station and find projectile points by the farm irrigation ditches.
Alex, what you don't directly point out is that this outcrop provides a good view of a large area to watch out for returning hunters or for enemies. It also appears to be close to a water source, the sycamore trees indicate water. I wonder whether there was a long ago obscured ditch or channel from the creek by the sycamores to the outcrop, long ago obscured by ranchers cattle. Observation point, water, protection in several regards- from the elements and from enemies. For 12 years growing up I lived in Yokut tribal lands, through high school.
Fascinating!! I really appreciate your work! You have taken me places and shown me things I would never see otherwise. I can almost see the people at work. This is truly time well spent! Please continue the journey, there
I grew up on this creek and herd stories that it was a meeting place and trading place possibly during the fall salmon run you could find artifacts up and down the Creek my mother has a portable mortar from the gravel plant down the creek
That is a possiblity for some of the sites. My recollection is that many of the mortar sites also contained "cuples" or "anvils" near the mortars which indicates that the site was used for food processing....alex
Lol I literally go running here next to the canal often and its good to know that a little piece of history is right in my backyard.
He's the Mr. Rogers of lost civilizations.
I can't be the only one who cries watching these.😞
Thanks for watching and the kind words......alex
Nice Video. Thanks.
The mortars are scattered throughout the state. On a hilltop, overlooking the San Luis Obispo Bay to the west, one of my fondest recollections was plundering through the cattle ranches in the foothills just east of the coastal route US101 NORTH, just after you pass Pismo Beach, but just before the US101 heads back inland by the Port San Luis turnoff. Those hills offered not only a spectacular view, but we found caves, mortars - tho not as deep, maybe a foot deep max. - and we were convinced we were camping in someone else's leftover apartment. Dirt camping, yes. Just like in days before us. Ahhh, those were the days.
Party on, Alex.
We call them pounding rocks or pounding holes. The deeper ones are the first stage in reducing dried acorns to flour. The deep holes helped hold the acorns in while being pounded. After they were broken up well, they were removed to a shallower hole for completing the task, without friction burning the meal. The cuplets were used to pound other seeds into flour. The varying depths of the pounding holes are just different stages of their evolution. Some of them were used so long that the hole went thru the rock into the dirt
Thanks again. Good information............alex
The creek has obviously been expanded by modern man. Most creeks in the area run dry in the warmest/harvest months. The “mortar” placement, depth and both natural and seeming manmade topography between them, might lend the hypothesis that water was collected there. The crevices between the steps taken to the top showed signed of condensation. Holes can be drilled in rock quickly using sand. And, being filled with sand and water from rain, could reduce the temperature of the surface and generate condensation. This could flow down through cracks and topography to the “reservoir” and deep “catch holes”. The “mortar” drilled through the surface may be important. Excavation beneath that may reveal topography and/or catch holes to support this.
Omg Thank you for making this awesome movie.it helps me a lot understanding the Yokut tribe for school. oretimba looks like a nice destination for a day trip. Thank you!
another good one buddy...keep it up..peace
Thank you for posting this information, I had my kids sit with me and they all say Thank you.
I may have missed it in your video but these Yokuts weren't wiped out by diseases, they were massacred in 1807 by the Spaniards when they refused to come to the Mission San Juan with the padres. A monstrous crime, one of many perpetrated by the colonizers against the natives.
Cool ! 🤠🖖♨️ Thank you for putting soft Indian singers (+) Beautiful music into your show too .
Being a 4 year San Joaquin Valley resident, I became interested in who the local native tribes were. In Stockton, where I live, the name, Yokuts keeps appearing on street signs, places, and even a business or two. I am now, very curious to go and visit these sites, to have an opportunity to take photos, and learn from this historical valley of many sub group tribes. Also, being from the bay area, I have tsken interest in discovering historic points of interest, in the east bay, the peninsula, and as far south as the Monterrey peninsula and the California mission route, El Camino Real, of the early Spanish Padres, and the tribes of native groups, you have pointed out for us to learn from...thank you, Alex for taking us on that journey...
Thanks for watching and your comments. There is much to learn and discover if we choose a path of exploration...................alex
Trip out on the Kuksu cult 👍🏻
It was so much lusher & livable, & no doubt cooler before the rivers were dammed, & the lakes drained (particularly Tulare Lake), all for corporate agriculture. I realize your comment is a few years old, but if you haven't yet, read "The King of California," by Mark Arax. It's enlightening!
I have found a few portable mortals on farm land but they are a little damaged from farm equipment.They do take a long time to get that deep they got that way from smash and grinding seeds and acorns.
Methinks the shallow "cuppuils" are bowl or pot holding spots- maybe catch some rain, or let a surrounding-fire cook the pot's contents while warming the huddlers too?
The shallower "cupules" are probably just new mortars being made, since the older ones had gotten so deep, they were getting difficult to dig grinds out of and would eventually need to be abandoned for the newer ones.
Up above the town of Dunlop, east of Fresno, up hwy 180 east, theres a bunch of cool day use areas.. 1 particularly cool spot is the "Meadowbrook day use area".. a short walk down the streams leads to huge gatherings of flat rocks with hundreds of grinding stones. Some are shallow. Some are deep enough to put a pit bull puppy in completely.
If you're ever in the sequoia national Forrest, take a ride out towards kings canyon. You'll find giant sequoia trees like "general sherman" an Forrest like "grant grove"
Super gorgeous area.
*N O T E* fill up your gas tanks, pack extra food/water, toiletry, dry pack extra clothes, blanket...
This area is very remote. It is heavily traveled route by tourists. But after 5pm you're on your kind of. It's best to prepare for trips like this. Plan as if you're Goin to get wet and it's freezing out. 6/10 times you end up really needing the gear lol.
Fun video, thanks for sharing. It's important to remember that not only disease killed Native Americans. The state and federal government encouraged the direct murder and dispossession of natives in all tribes. "Between 1849 and 1870-following the U.S. occupation of California in 1846-it is conservatively estimated that American colonists murdered some 9,500 California Natives,[1] and acts of enslavement, kidnapping, rape, child separation and displacement were widespread, encouraged, carried out by and tolerated by state authorities and militias." Wikipedia article on California Genocide.
"Between 1852 and 1857, the Legislature paid about $1.5 million to militias to hunt down and kill Indians. In 1856 a 25-cent bounty was paid for each Indian scalp, which was increased in 1860 to $5." Sac Bee article.
"The state of California also got involved. The government paid about $1.1 Million in 1852 to militias to hunt down and kill indians. In 1857 the California legislature allocated another $410,000 for the same purposes. In 1856 the state of California paid 25 cents for each indian scalp. In 1860 the bounty was increased to $5."
Daily Kos article
It's the saddest thing.
That is true if you single purpose is simply to construct a mortar. However, when considering the contextual association of that site and the knowledge as to how mortars were used by natives, along with the historical information that is available indicates that those mortars probably existed at least during the time frame that the Spanish arrived. Now, having said all that you might be correct. Thanks for watching the video......alex
I wonder if the deep mortars were used to boil water by placing heated stones in them .Maybe, that caused rapid wear?
I Like your videos vary much just being out there excites me vary much to want to explore what we have in San Joaquin Valley I'm in Lemoore Ca and river flows by us I sometimes go out and search for the past thank you again for sharing:)
There is a cowboy hat stuck in the rocks at 17:56
One thing I never thought of till pointed out by a professor I had, was that all that rock worn from the motars ended up in their food. That must have been bad for their teeth.
I know this video is 11 years old but I was wondering do you know if this was on private property or if it still is? Are you able to give a more precise location of where this is?
Wow. awesome video sir . rocks like this are amazing i sat on a kitchen rock in north idaho panhandle when i was hunting as a child and what i experienced was mind boggling it let me see what it saw and i will never forget it .
Wild guess: Did your journey start in Mendocino County?
I love your videos! I have a question though.(It may seem silly). Did they make the holes for grinding,or did they get created by grinding?
I believe it is a combination of the two because there are many variations, styles and depths of mortars. Also, they had different utilities depending on what was being ground or being prepared...........alex
Thanks. I'm looking forward to watching the rest of your videos.
The holes were created intentionally for grinding. A large concentration of mortars doesn't necessarily mean there was an encampment......the women would sometimes walk 4-5 miles to an area where there was good amount af acorns and spend the day grinding them and then carry the flour back to the camp.....some would carry huge baskets collecting acorns and carry them back and grind them in a portable mortar that was carried with them from camp to camp, they moved often.
Alex, you make videos for a very narrow niche audience . . . the one I'm in, so please keep making these.
Thanks for letting me know.......alex
How would they produce those mortars? thanks. Thanks for the great video.
Very good presentation.
The small holes could well be a holder for a water gourde, hundreds of years before a cup holder.
Hi Alex I live in the Central Valley in california and have been researching the native people's in this area in hopes of taking my children to see the grinding stones and such to give them a appreciation of say cultures is the mortar holes accessible to the public or is it on private land?
Have you checked Butte county
A . On Butte creek. Off of hwy. 70.
The waters are controlled , one way they took their land away .
Great job alex. The spanish soldier. In lattas book was incorrect. Orestim is actually the bears. Bah is locative for rhe kahwatchwa peoples as is like mutsun word ores
You should come to Maine and do some research on the red paint people. Western Maine has Clovis sites, the red paint people were in old town next to the penobscot river. I love your videos!
James, thanks for watching and your invite. If, one day, I make it out to your location I'll contact you. My regards..............alex
Thank you for the journey.
Didn't cliff dwellers have very deep holes in living areas?
Maybe similar, not sure how short limbs would get ground foods out of deep holes.
I don't know? That's a ridiculous amount of mortar holes for grinding grains herbs and such. Especially as long as it takes to make one that deep from grinding food. Sure is a good size and depth to put a post into though. Just a thought.
Thanks for watching and your comment. At Indian Grinding Rock State Park, in Pine Canyon, there is one large flat granite stone that has 1,185 mortars..............alex
The rocks are littered with rattlesnakes. Be careful.
Thank you. Very informative.
Aho, menoche.
Thanks a lot Alex.
thank you for your awesome videos! love them!
Did you find any pestles? There were none evident near the mortars in your video.
Hello Tank, thanks for watching the video. I did not observe any pestles while trekking through the area....................alex
Is it possible that some of the mortars were used to secure wooden fence posts?
No.
This land borders Mutsun and Yokut territory. Ores actually means, "bear" in the Mutsun language.
You are correct. One viewer wrote ". Orestim is actually the bears. Bah is locative for the kahwatchwa peoples as is like mutsun word ores. Thanks....alex
With so many mortars, it must have been a place where thousands of people met. The massive gatherings of the clans at that place no longer happen, yet echoes of their previous existence remain, even if they are cooking fire carbon deposits and a most assuredly impressive number of mortars. Were these meetings annual? Was the place inhabited year-round, and were those inhabitants special, like shaman or an especially regarded clan? So many questions.
I grew up on the creek and have Hurd stories that it was an annual meeting place during fall
No disrespect bro I love what you're finding no disrespect. All you're doing is opening my eyes now they're like paper plates
Have you been to
Base lake bunch of motor on a rock
at 11:36 you can see a human figurer that looks to be holding a staff or a hunting tool. The sun is above him and to the right is a large animal.
Excellent video. Very educational, very well produced.
Some lessons we can take away:
1- there are always people from our tribe who will give away their freedoms and betray thier tribe for the promise of an easier life under the restrictions of a stranger trying to gain power through them, ie the missions
2- unrestricted immigration can and will decimate the “host” population through both disease and culture
You should go check out the movie theater in Visalia over there by oval park. I think it's an olive I live in Vegas so my childhood is blur. It was amazed Mexicans movie theater because that that whole valley was Mexico. All the railroads used to connect with Mexico. All the way down Cabos all the way down the whole world was buying typewriter parts sewing machines, xcetera!! There was trading with Hawaiian Islanders actually the cattle come from Hawaii and so do the turkeys and the horses. If you didn't know. Check out the world's Fair your going to see how intelligent the natives sorry the naturals... were they even had moving sidewalks. Then you're going to put two and two together my brother to me you're like Indiana Jones man I love your shows everything but man I'm just kicking knowledge
Great videos 👍😊
2:58
i say this ..thank you for your intent and information.see all those people who have left negative comments have no right to correct you .imagine if they're negative comments were the history left .....wow a whole lot of nothing would be left ...i challenge any one who left a negative comment ...go to the place alex has and make a video your self ...its easy to comment from your cell phone or computer ...thank you again alex .i cannot say if your information is historically correct but it is interesting...attn specsworld you should be thankful someone is into what you were into lighten up people ...
Hey Bishop, thanks for watching. Its all good.....alex
What a wonderful video...loved to see how our elders and ancients lived in California. I could actually feel their spirit as you showed their area. Such a richness and depth they have left upon this Earth. Subscribed and hope to watch all of your videos.
Thanks for watching and the kind words........alex
Tempérance de Lisieux I also felt a sacredness to this site.
Can you still go out there?
Brendan, thanks for watching. Regarding the site - I am not sure of its status as I have not been there in several years........alex
Ive been to ORESTIMBA. ROCKS AREA. I USED TO GO FISHING. NEAR THERE I HAVE. CLIMBED THAT AREA ITS. A BEAUTIFULL SPOT NEAR THE INTERSTATE. 5. JUST. WEST OF NEWMAN. I HIKE IN THAT AREA. NEAR STREAM BEDS I FOUND MORTAR HOLES ON ROCKS.
I have a rock, I was just holding that I think may be an ancient tool, I wish I could send pictures or email a video or something, Its pretty neat, found it on the shores of lake superior, I never realized that it could be a tool, doesn't seem like natural bubbles the holes in it, and its so ergonomic to hold and on the bottom looks lighter but its the 2 holes that confuse me. Regardless if its an artifact, its a pretty neat rock. Good vid
Tom, thanks for watching and your comments. Its always fun and exciting to find a stone tool. I remember when I found my first mano/grinding stone. I could still see the stain of oils from the hand on the stone. I was amazed that some ancient person held and used that tool hundreds if not thousands of years ago.................alex
You bet. It sure is a thrill, I am going to start looking more.
I just subscribed to your channel and give you thumbs up
I met one Yukon, he is a physician and was raised by his grandfather in the mountains away from civilization, he has no birth certificate and proud of hus heritage!! Yes, they are here!!
No drawings?
Troy, thanks for watching. I did not notice any petroglyphs or pictographs.........................alex
storiesbyalex pause it at 11:22 and 11:36. You can see ... a man with bow? an animal? the sun? Thanks for recording your journeys for us!
awesome
Thanks to this video I put this location on Google maps officially last year
12:11 I see the design around the cupule and past it as a turtle, maybe.
And they were killed through genocide. The Indian removal act. Disease was partly a small blame, but the resources needed by settlers lead to the dimes of these people just like all other tribes, which we all share the killing of our people.
Wow!
16:14 I hope they got their money back for the faulty moter.
17:58 there’s a hat in the crack.
It's a rock
It's after 17:54 it transitions quickly, where you have about 2 seconds to see the hat.
Some of the holes "I believe" is not "mortar" holes but instead pole holes for there houses!
Great 🇾🇪
David Laughing Horse Robinson!
I/ We shall return!
MWM@
PRIMITIVE! Modern or ancient living this way is PRIMITIVE!
1:45 😅
Oh and let's not forget the Pacheco family!!! Them founders were part of the murder
I've been studying our Constitution and come to find out it was the natives who wrote the Constitution after the peace treaty sorry the naturals!!!
The naturals already had tractors bro they already had movie theaters like I said everything was here bro!! They did not live over there then caveman they did not. They live downtown Fresno downtown Visalia oval Park baby. Same thing happened in Utah. Actually Utah's a perfect example you think those people in carriages wagons and Knox has built those cathedrals and Federal buildings know they didn't they did the same thing over there. Why do you think all the mining companies stopped working in the 1920s ??? Because when they figured out they have the compressor the pulley system down they murdered everybody. That's right the naturals had compressors. Generators everything. Mooney's boulevard was already there
"Not only the ancients..." *le sigh*
I can envisage the women pounding grains and singing as a group. Of course it is the womans nature to talk. So I am sure they did as well. Waiting for the men to come home with more food.
👍😑✌️
Please don’t give out the coordinates. Thank you
easy to find.
2134400334
First of all I must say that I really like your videos :)
I dont think it has taken 100/1000 years to make those mortar holes - studies has shown that a person can make those holes in no more than three weeks!
Jesper
Your Indian song is not appropriate. It is a peyote song from southern plains tribe, like Kiowa or Comanche. We didn't use drums back in the day. We used clapsticks for our drums. My people are from the other side of the San Joaquin valley, in the foothills of the Sierras, closer to the head waters of the San Joaquin. Yokuts, in our language means Indian people. The "kuts" second syllable is pronounced to rhyme with hutch.
Thanks for watching the series and your comments. I appreciate the information........................alex
Check out the California genocide 1846 to 1873-70+ tribes,people &. De qué es name of the sight is the jaguar bird!!!. Grab a barf bag my brother