Name
''Cahto (Kato)'' means loosely "People of the Lake" or "Lake People," and may derive from theReservation
The tribe controls the Laytonville Rancheria (), also known as the Cahto Rancheria, a federal Indian reservation of Cahto andCahto Flag
Government
The Cahto Indian Tribe is run by a democratically elected tribal council. The current tribal executive committee is: *Mary Norris, Chairwoman *Tasheena Sloan, Vice-Chair, *Kendra Campbell, Secretary-Treasurer *Karen Wilson, Member at Large. The tribe operates its own housing authority, tribal police, and EPA office. Economic development comes from revenues generated by the tribe's Red Fox Casino, located in Laytonville.Language
The Kato language is one of four Athabaskan languages that were spoken in northwestern California. The others were Eel River Athabaskan (to which Kato is most similar), Mattole-Bear River, and Hupa-Chilula. Most Kato speakers were also bilingual inHistory
The Kato lived farthest south of all the Athapascans in California, occupying Cahto Valley and Long Valley, and in general the country south of Blue Rock and between the headwaters of the two main branches of Eel River. This region comprises rolling hills and oak savannas and is veined with streams. Most of these are nearly dry during the dry summers but are torrential during the rainy winters. In the early 18th century, the Cahto lived in approximately 50 village sites. Several villages were organized into bands (band names, village name + gentilic suffix (tribe, people of place) ''kiiyaahaan(gn)''): *Gaakee-kiiyaahaangn or Gaakee band: village ''Gaashlai'' ("Yew Top village") *Gaashtcʾeengʾaading-kiiyaahaangn or Yew Sticks Out Place band: village ''Gaashtcʾeengʾaading'' ("Yew Sticks Out Place village") *Konteelhtc-kiiyaahaangn or Streeter Creek Valley band: village ''Chilhsaitcding'' ("Little Dry Tree Place"), ''Kaachʾaangʾchowkʾit'' ("Redemeyer's Place rancheria"), ''Konteelhtcbiiʾ1'' ("Streeter Creek Valley"), ''Nooniitcingʾangding'' ("Grizzly Den Place"), ''Nooniitcing-uuʾaangʾchiiʾ '' ("Grizzly's Den Creek Mouth"), ''Saakʾeeninsinchineeʾding / Saakʾeeninsinding'' ("Streeter Creek Ridge village"), ''Saisʾaantcbiiʾ '' ("Lower Pasture"), ''Seeghaaʾlaiʾ '' ("Rock Moss Top village"), ''Seeyeeh-ntcʾeeʾtcding'' ("Bad Rock Shelter Place"), ''Tinishtʾanʾchowbiiʾ '' ("Big Manzanita Valley"), ''Yiishtc-Silhtiinding'' ("Streeter Creek mouth village"), ''Yiishtc-Silhtiinkwot'' ("2nd Streeter Creek village") *Koshbiiʾ-kiiyaahaang or Mill Creek band, also Blackberry Valley band: village ''Binkʾaabiiʾ '' ("Lake Valley village"), ''Gaashkwot'' ("Yew Creek"), ''Koshbiiʾ '' ("Mill Creek Valley village"), ''Koshbiiʾ '' ("2nd Mill Creek Valley village"), ''Naadeelʾnaatʾaaʾding'' ("Sugar Pine Standing village"), ''Neeʾtaangʾailaiʾ '' ("Land Extends Into Water peak"), ''Seekʾaiʾnaangʾaiʾkwot'' ("Deerbrush Extends Across Creek village"), ''Tlʾohkʾiikwot'' ("2nd Prairie Creek village") *Neeʾlhsowchiiʾ-kiiyaahaangn or Mud Springs Creek Mouth band, also Blue Earth Creek Mouth band: village ''Neeʾlhsowchiiʾ '' ("Mud Springs Creek Mouth village") *Neeʾlhtciiktiskwoh-kiiyaahaangn or Above Red Ground Creek band: village ''Neeʾlhtciikchowtis'' ("Above Big Red Earth village") *Seenchaagh-kiiyaahaangn or Big Rock band: village ''Lhtaaghtaahding'' ("Among the Black Oaks Place village"), ''Saaktooʾchowding'' (" Big Spring Place village"), ''Saaktooʾding'' ("Spring Place"), ''Seenchaagh'' ("Big Rock"), ''Seenchaahding'' ("Big Rock Rancheria"), ''Seenchaahkwot'' ("Big Rock Creek village"), ''Tcʾibeetctaahding'' ("Little Douglas Firs Village"), ''Tinishtʾangʾkooghingʾaading'' ("Manzanita Runs Down village"), ''Tnaaʾsʾaanding'' ("Milkweed Lies Place village"), ''Tnaaʾsʾaankwot'' ("Upper Mud Springs Creek") *Seetaahding-kiiyaahaangn or Little Rock Creek band, also Rocks Place band, Among the Rocks Place band: village ''Seetaahding'' ("Little Rock Creek village") *Seeyeehkoh-kiiyaahaangn or Tuttle Creek band, also Rock Shelter Creek band: village ''Seelshooltcʾeengʾaading'' ("Grinding Stone Sticks Out village"), ''Seeyeehkwot'' ("Tuttle Creek") *Siinkook-kiiyaahaangn or Siintkwot-kiiyaahaangn ("Jackson Valley band"), also Branscomb band, syn: Siintkwot-kiiyaahaang ("South Fork Eel River band"): village ''Beehshoochinmiiʾ '' ("Horseshoe Bend"), ''Kʾashtaakashbiiʾ '' ("Alder Falls in Water Valley"), ''Lheetcghaaʾtoochiiʾ '' ("Jack of Hearts Creek Mouth village"), ''Seenaansaankwot'' ("2nd Rock Creek camp"), ''Siinteekwot'' ("South Fork Eel River"), ''Tcʾibeetooʾlaiʾ '' ("Douglas Fir Water Top"), ''Tcʾiitinchowding / Tciitinchowding / Tlʾohlhgaichiiʾ '' ("Redwood Creek Mouth village"), ''Tlʾohlhgaikwot'' ("Redwood Creek"), ''Tlʾohtooʾtcchiiʾ '' ("2nd Little Charlie Creek Mouth"), ''Tlʾohtooʾtckwot'' ("Little Charlie Creek") *Tcʾeetinding-kiiyaahaangn or Trail Comes Out band: village ''Saaktooʾneesding'' ("Long Spring village"), ''Tcʾeetinding'' ("Trail Comes Out village"), ''Tlʾohtooʾtcchiiʾ '' ("Little Prairie Water Creek Mouth village") *Tcʾibeetaahding-kiiyaahaangn or Tcʾibeetaahkwot-kiiyaahaangn ("Cahto Creek band"), also Among the Douglas Firs Place band, Among the Douglas Firs Creek band: village ''Chinsʾaanding'' ("Tree Lies Place (at Laytonville cemetery)"), ''Seekʾaiʾbinghaading'' ("Deerbrush Edge village"), ''Tcʾibeetaahding'' ("Cahto Creek village"), ''Tcʾibeetaahkwot / Tcʾbeetckwot'' ("Cahto Creek village"), ''Neeʾlhtciiklhgishding'' ("Red Earth Gap place"), ''Neeʾlhtciitcchineeʾding'' ("Red Earth Base village"), ''Seelhsowkaanaatinding'' ("Blue Rock Crossroad village"), ''Tlʾohsaks-uuningʾ '' ("Horsetail Hillside") *Tcʾindinteelhaatc-kiiyaahaangn or Sick Man Jump band: village ''Tcʾindinteelhagh-uuyeeh'' ("Sick Man Jump Under village") *Tlʾoh-kiiyaahaangn or Long Valley band, also Laytonville band, Grass band: village ''Banʾtcnaandeehding'' ("Laytonville Bridge area camp"), ''Banʾtcnoondilyeegh'' ("Flies Settle Under"), ''Chinsʾaanding'' ("Tree Lies Place (at Laytonville cemetery)"), ''Diltciikninsingkwot'' ("Wilson Creek"), ''Distʾeegits'-iiyiw'' ("Under Crooked Madrone village"), ''Konteelhbiiʾ '' ("Long Valley"), ''Neeʾboosheeʾkwʾit'' ("Bumpy Ground Hilltop"), ''Seelhgaichineeʾding'' ("2nd White Rock Base camp"), ''NSeelhgaitcʾeeliinding'' ("White Rock Outflow Place village"), ''Shaahnaaʾ '' ("Ten Mile Creek"), ''Tlʾohkʾiikwot'' ("Prairie Creek"), ''Uusiiʾding'' ("Head Place Rancheria") *Toodjilhbiiʾ-kiiyaahaangn or Cahto Valley band, also Wet Water band, Lake band, Kato-Pomo, syn: ''Naahneesh Toodjilhbii'' ("People of Cahto"): village ''Chʾingchiinooldeel'' ("Noise Went Down spring"), ''Chʾingkiiʾnooldeelʾlai'' ("Noise Went Down Top village"), ''Chinlhgaichowding'' ("White Log village"), ''Chʾnankaabiiʾ '' ("Deer Lick In It village"), ''Gaashtckwot'' ("Rancheria Creek"), ''Kai-kwontaah''("Cahto Rancheria"), ''Seelhgaichineeʾding'' ("White Rock Base village"), ''Toodjilhbiiʾ '' ("Cahto Valley/Winchester Flat"), ''Toodjilhbiiʾ '' ("2nd Cahto Valley village"), ''Toodjilhkwʾit'' ("Cahto Hilltop"), ''Tsʾisnoiʾchineeʾding'' ("Mountain Base village") *Tootagit-kiiyaahaangn or Between Water band: village ''Tootagit'' ("Redemeyer Rancheria Flat village") *Yeehliinding-kiiyaahaangn or Flows In Place band, also Slide band: village ''Dindai-ntceeʾtcding'' ("Bad Flint Place village"), ''Kʾaiʾkwot'' ("Peterson Creek"), ''K'ai'kwotKʾaiʾtc-chiiʾ '' ("Peterson Creek mouth village"), ''Kʾashtaahchiiʾ '' ("Grub Creek Mouth village"), ''Kʾashtaahkwot'' ("Grub Creek"), ''Lheetcghaaʾchineeʾding'' ("Moss Base Village"), ''Neeʾlhitchowbiiʾ '' ("Big Smoky Ground valley"), ''Seenaatʾai-uuyeeh'' ("Under the Upright Stone village"), ''Seeninding'' ("2nd Rock Hillside place"), ''See-Uuyeeh'' ("Rock Shelter village"), ''Tagittlʾohding'' ("Peterson Creek Fork village"), ''Tlʾohchowsʾaankwot'' ("Bunchgrass Lies Creek"), ''Yaachʾilhsaikwʾit'' ("Dry Up Into the Air hilltop"), ''Yeehliinding'' ("Flows In Place village")Culture
Traditionally, the Cahto made such articles of stone, bone, horn, wood and skin, as were commonly made in northern California. The primitive costume for both men and women was a tanned deer-skin, wrapped about the waist, and a close-fitting knitted cap, which kept in place the knot of hair at the back of the head. At a later period, the Cahto garment included a shirt made of two deer-skins, laced down the front and reaching to the knees. Both men and women generally hadSocial organization
Each village had its chief, dog sled, and some villages, a second chief. Generally, the chief’s son succeeded to the office, but if a headman died without sons, the people, by common consent and without formal voting, selected from among themselves the man whom they regarded as best fitted for the place. The duty of a chief was to be the adviser of his people. When anything of great importance was to be decided, the village chief summoned the council, which comprised all the elder men. Each expressed his opinion, and the chief would go along with the consensus.Social practices
Many of the social practices of the Cahto tribe show how strongly they were influenced by the culture of northern-central California. Children of both sexes were required to observe certain rites at the age ofFunerals
In preparation for burial, a corpse was washed, clothed in good garments, and wrapped in deer skins. A pit was excavated on a dry hillside. The bottom was laid with a floor of poles, covered with bark and several deer skins. On this was deposited the corpse, which was covered with bark before the attendees covered it with earth. The entire population accompanied the bearers to the grave and wailed loudly. Women, and occasionally men, cut their hair short as a symbol of grief. For persons of prominence, a mourning ceremony would be held in the year following their death. This ceremony marked the end of the mourning period, and those who had hitherto wept became immediately cheerful and smiling.Religion
The religious conceptions of the Kato tribe are grouped around two deities: Chénĕśh or T'cenes, the creator, who is identified with thunder and lightning, and his companion, Nághai-cho or Nagaicho, the Great Traveler.Pritzker 117 The latter is a somewhat mischievous personage, who in the myth, constantly urges Chénĕśh to acts of creation, while pretending that he has the knowledge and power to perform them, if only he has the desire to do so. In mythology, as in other phases of their culture, the Kato tribe showed their susceptibility to the double influence to which they had been exposed. With a creation story of the type prevailing in central California, they preceded it with an account of a race of animal-people who were swept from the earth by the deluge — a theme characteristic of North Pacific Coast mythology. The creator, Chénĕśh, who is identified with lightning, dwelt in the sky. Below was an expanse of water, with a rim of land in the north. With his companion, Nághai-cho, he descended and turned a monstrous deer into land. Chénĕśh created the people, but Nághai-cho made the mountains and the streams. In everything, the latter tried to outdo Chénĕśh, playing the role (usually assigned to coyote) of the buffoon and trickster. Cahto people also belonged to theShamans
The shamans of the Kato tribe were of three classes: * 'ŭtiyíņ', who removed, by sucking, the foreign object that caused disease; * 'náchǔlna', who cured illness caused by woodland creatures; and * 'chģhályiśh', who were not healers at all but the restored victims of the diminutive "outside people", possessing the faculty of foreseeing the future in dreams. The ŭtiyíņ became medicine men by instruction, not by supernatural agencies. The two other classes acquired their power solely through dreams. When the old men of a village deemed it advisable to have a new ŭtiyíņ or "sucking doctor", either because of the death of some of the shamans or because of their waning power, the active and the retired shamans selected a promising young man. With his consent, they took him away from the village to a solitary place in the hills. The one who had been selected to be his instructor and "father" would pray and instruct the young man in the secrets of the medicine men. When a medicine man was summoned, any others of that profession who happened to be nearby could come and observe. If the medicine man first called upon could not effect a cure, he would ask the assistance of another. While engaged in his work, a shaman would beseech the unnamed powers for help, naming the various mountains of the region and asking the spirits resident there to assist him. He would also call on Nághai-cho, and occasionally on Chénĕśh.Education
The Laytonville Ranchería is served by thePopulation
Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially.See also
* Cahto traditional narrativesReferences
Sources
* Cook, Sherburne F. 1956. "The Aboriginal Population of the North Coast of California". ''Anthropological Records'' 16:81-130. University of California, Berkeley. * Golla, Victor, 2011. ''California Indian Languages''. Berkeley: University of California Press. . * Kroeber, A. L. 1925. ''Handbook of the Indians of California''. Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin No. 78. Washington, D.C. * Myers, James E. 1978. "Cahto". In ''California'', edited by Robert F. Heizer, pp. 244–248. ''Handbook of North American Indians,'' William C. Sturtevant, general editor, vol. 8. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. * Pritzker, Barry M. ''A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. .External links