Table of Contents
What is the region of Pomo?
Pomo, Hokan-speaking North American Indians of the west coast of the United States. Their territory was centred in the Russian River valley some 50 to 100 miles (80 to 160 km) north of what is now San Francisco. Pomo territory also included the adjacent coastlands and the interior highlands near Clear Lake.
What is the climate of Pomo?
With its rainy winter and dry summer the area is quite typically Mediter- ranean and similar to that of most of northern California. The significant things about the climate are the hot, dry summers, and the cool, rainy winters with occasional frosty nights.
What did the Pomo houses look like?
The Pomos lived in reed houses. These houses were made from a cone-shaped frame of wooden poles, sometimes placed over a basement-like hole dug into the ground. Then the frame would be covered with long rushes or with mats woven from tule reeds. Today, most Pomos live in modern houses and apartments, just like you.
How to learn more about the Pomo Indians?
If you want to know more about Pomo culture and history, two interesting sources are Pomo Indians of California and Their Neighbors and The Pomo Indians . Two good books for kids on California Indians in general are California Native Peoples and Native Ways; a more in-depth book for older readers is Tribes of California .
Where did the Pomo people live in California?
Their territory was centred in the Russian River valley some 50 to 100 miles (80 to 160 km) north of what is now San Francisco. Pomo territory also included the adjacentcoastlands and the interior highlands near Clear Lake. A small detached group lived in the Sacramento River valley surrounded by Wintunpeople.
What kind of language do the Pomos speak?
The Pomos speak English today. In the past, they spoke their native Pomo language. Some Pomo elders still remember words from this language, and there are younger people who are interested in learning to speak their traditional language again. If you’d like to learn an easy Pomo word, Chamay (pronounced chah-my) is a friendly greeting.
How did the Pomo tribe resist the Russians?
Like the Tlingit tribe (see entry) to the north, the Pomo resisted the Russian invaders, but the resistance mostly consisted of a few escapes and small-scale attacks on individuals. By the time the Russians left in 1842, many of the Kashaya Pomo had died from murder, overwork, or diseases brought by Europeans.