The Mono ( ) are a Native American people who traditionally live in the central

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

, the Eastern Sierra (generally south of

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...

), the Mono Basin, and adjacent areas of the

Great Basin The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic basin, endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja California ...

. The Eastern mono is often grouped under the historical label " Paiute" together with the

Northern Paiute Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a r ...

and

Southern Paiute The Southern Paiute people are a tribe of Native Americans who have lived in the Colorado River basin of southern Nevada, northern Arizona, and southern Utah. Bands of Southern Paiute live in scattered locations throughout this territory and ha ...

- They speak dialects of Mono a Numic .language closely Related to Northern Paiute and Bannock . The Eastern Mono Was renamed to Owens valley Paiute and Are now considered a Northern paiute people that speak the Eastern Mono Language with multiple dialects in the Owens Valley. Today, many of the tribal citizens and descendants of the Mono tribe inhabit the town of North Fork (thus the label "Northfork Mono") in

Madera County Madera County (), officially the County of Madera, is a county at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 156,255. The county seat is Madera. Madera County comprises the Madera, CA Metr ...

. People of the Mono tribe are also spread across California .The Formerly known Eastern mono in the Owens River Valley are known as Owens Valley Paiute due to there close relation with the Northern Paiutes of Nevada .The western mono are in the San Joaquin Valley and foothills areas, especially Fresno County; and in the San Francisco Bay Area.The Eastern mono on the Eastern slope are also known as mono Paiute ie the "mono basin".

Tribal groups

The "Mono" lived on both sides of the Sierra Nevada and are divided into two regional tribal/dialect groups, roughly based on the Sierra crest: * Owens Valley Paiute live on the California-Nevada border on the ''eastern side'' of the Sierra Nevada in the Owens Valley (Eastern

Mono Mono may refer to: Common meanings * Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease" * Monaural, monophonic sound reproduction, often shortened to mono * Mono-, a numerical prefix representing anything single Music Performers * Mono (Japanese b ...

: ''Payahǖǖnadǖ/Payahuunadu'' - "place/land of flowing water") along the Owens River (''Wakopee'') and south to Owens Lake (''Pacheta'').They call themselves the Numa/ sometimes spelt Nuumu, They are the Southern most Northern Paiute and speak the Eastern Mono Dialect of the mono language. sometimes called the mono paiute also known as the "Owens Valley Paiute" * Western Mono on the ''west side'' in the south-central foothills of the Sierra Nevada, including the "Northfork Mono," as labeled by E.W. Gifford, an ethnographer studying people in the vicinity of the San Joaquin River in the 1910s. The "Eastern Mono" referred to themselves as Numa or Nüümü ("People") in Eastern Mono language dialect and to their Shoshone/Paiute kin to the west as ''Panan witü / Pana witü'' ("western place" People); the "Western Mono" called themselves Nyyhmy/Nimi or Nim/Nium ("People"); a full blooded "Western Mono" person was called ''cawu h nyyhmy''. Bishop paiute women 1940

(Owens Valley Paiute)

The Owens Valley Paiute are Descendants of mono/ Paiute Warriors of the Owens Valley. The Original inhabitants of the mono basin , Walker river and Owens Valley ,Fish lake valley and death valley who live on the California-Nevada border, they formerly ranged on the eastern side of the southern

across the Owens Valley along the Owens Rivers from Long Valley on the north to Owens Lake on the south, and from the crest of the Sierra Nevada on the west to the White and Inyo Mountains including the Fish Lake and Deep Springs Valleys on the east. They were predominantly sedentary and settled in fixed settlements along rivers or springs (or artificial canals). The more intensive arable farming by means of partly artificial irrigation enabled them to build up food reserves and thus, in contrast to the "Western Mono bands", to feed larger groups. The Sedentism is also reflected in their socio-political organization in different "districts" (each with communistic hunting and seed rights, political unity, and a number of villages), whose name mostly ended with ''"patü/witü"'', meaning "place" or "land"; each "district" was under the command of a headman or ''pohenaby''. some Owens valley Paiute Familys had a sweathouse and some were both Shamans and witches and were feared by early settlers who wrote letters to the government asking for protection from 1860 till 1867 when fort independence was Abandoned. In 1868, a Owens Valley Paiute healer Fish Lake Joe, also known as Wodziwob started the 1st wave of Ghost dance religion that spread thru indian country. Some "Owens Valley Paiute" districts: * Panatü (Black Rock Territory, south to Taboose Creek) * Pitama Patü or Pitana Patü ("south place" = Bishop, California, extending from the volcanic tableland and Horton Creek in the Sierra to a line running out into Owens Valley from Waucodayavi, the largest peak south of Rawson Creek. Note that Waucodayavi does not have an English name, but is a peak of approximately 9,280 feet located almost due west of Keough Hot Springs.) * Ütü’ütü witü or Anglicized to Utu Utu Gwaiti ("hot place" = Benton, California, from

Keough Hot Springs Keough Hot Springs is located in the Owens Valley of California, about seven miles south of the city of Bishop on US Highway 395. History The area around this hot springs was originally inhabited by the local native Paiutes, who considered th ...

south to Shannon Creek) * Kwina Patii or Kwina Patü ("north place" = Round Valley, California) * Tovowaha Matii, Tovowahamatü or Tobowahamatü ("natural mound place" =

Big Pine, California Big Pine (formerly, Bigpine) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. Big Pine is located approximately south-southeast of Bishop, at an elevation of . The population was 1,756 at the 2010 census, up from 1,35 ...

, south to Big Pine Creek in the mountains, but with fishing and seed rights along Owens River nearly to Fish Springs) * Tuniga witü, Tunuhu witü or Tinemaha/Tinnemaha ("around the foot of the mountain place" =

Fish Springs, California Fish Springs (formerly, Tinemaha and Tinnemaha) is a set of springs in Inyo County, California. It is located in the Owens Valley Owens Valley ( Numic: ''Payahǖǖnadǖ'', meaning "place of flowing water") is an arid valley of the Owens R ...

) * Ozanwitü ("salt place" from the saline lake = Deep Springs Valley, they called their valley Patosabaya and themselves ''Patosabaya nunemu''.) * Ka’o witü ("very deep valley" = Saline Valley, was Shoshoni with a few intermarried Paiute, but was accessible to Paiute for salt) The tribal areas of the Owens Valley Paiute bands" bordered in the northwest on the areas of the hostile Southern Sierra Miwok who the mono/Paiute were known to Scalp .The Miwok and washoe were Traditional Enemies of the owens Valley Paiute in the northeast several Northern Paiute bands migrated, in the southeast and south the Timbisha Shoshone and Western Shoshone bands, in the southwest the

Tübatulabal The Tübatulabal are an indigenous people of Kern River Valley in the Sierra Nevada range of California. They may have been the first people to make this area their permanent home. Today many of them are enrolled in the Tule River Indian Tribe. ...

(also: ''Kern River Indians'') and in the west the "Western Mono bands". The Owens Valley Paiute were also more aggressive and hostile towards neighboring Indian tribes and most recently they fought the Americans in the " Owens Valley Indian War" (1862 to 1863) with allied Shoshone, Kawaiisu and Tübatulabal to protect their cultivated land . Joaquin jim of the Big pine creek Band was a Noted War Chief of the Big pine and Bishop creek Owens Valley Paiutes who never surrendered to the Americans!. They usually maintained a friendly relationship with the neighboring Shoshone and Northern Paiute which was strengthened by mutual marriage. Their self-designation is ''Numa'', Numu, or ''Nüümü'', meaning "People" or ''Nün‘wa Paya Hup Ca’a‘ Otuu’mu''—"Coyote's children living in the water ditch". *

Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley The Big Pine Band of Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Indians of the Big Pine Reservation are a federally recognized tribe of Mono and Timbisha Indians in California. The Big Pine Reservation is located from Bishop, at the eastern base of the Sierr ...

(also Northern Paiute) *

Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians The Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians of the Fort Independence Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of Mono and Timbisha in the Owens Valley, in Inyo County, eastern California. As of the 2010 Census the population was ...

, Independence, California *

Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe The Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Lone Pine Community of the Lone Pine Reservation ( Timbisha (Shoshone) language: ''Noompai'' ) is a federally recognized tribe of Mono and Timbisha Native American Indians near Lone Pine in Inyo County, Californ ...

Lone Pine, California Lone Pine is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. Lone Pine is located south-southeast of Independence, at an elevation of . The population was 2,035 at the 2010 census, up from 1,655 at the 2000 census. T ...

* Bishop Paiute Tribe, Bishop, California (also Northern Paiute) *

Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation The Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation, also known as the Benton Paiute Tribe, is a federally recognized Great Basin tribe in Mono County, California.Benton, California

Western Mono

The "Western Mono bands" in the western southern Sierra Nevada foothills in the San Joaquin Valley ( San Joaquin River was called ''typici h huu' '' – "important, great river"), Kings River and Kaweah River (in today's counties of Madera, Fresno and Tulare) lived mostly as typical semi-nomadic hunters and gatherers of fishing, hunting and gathering as well as agriculture. In the winter, several families descended into the river valleys and built together fixed settlements, most of which were used for several years. In summer the winter settlements were abandoned and the family groups migrated as hunters and gatherers to the more sheltered and cooler altitudes of the mountains. Therefore, these smaller groups are sometimes considered socio-politically not as bands but as local groups. The tribal areas of the "Western Mono" bordered the (mostly) hostile

Southern Sierra Miwok Southern Sierra Miwok (also known as Meewoc, Mewoc, Me-Wuk, Miwoc, Miwokan, Mokélumne, Moquelumnan, San Raphael, Talatui, Talutui, and Yosemite) is a Utian language spoken by the Native American people called the Southern Sierra Miwok of Nort ...

in the north, the "Eastern Mono" settled in the east, the Tübatulabal in the southeast and the Foothill Yokuts in the west. Some "Western Mono bands" formed bilingual bands or units with "Foothill Yokuts" and partly took over their culture, so that today - except for one - each "Western Mono band" are only known under its "Yokuts" name. Even in the ethnological literature the original ethnic classification of the bands listed below is controversial; partly they are listed as "Foothill Yokuts bands" (who adopted the "Mono language" and culture through the immigration of the "Western Mono" and soon became bilingual) or as "Western Mono bands" (who would have adopted the language of the dominant "Foothill Yokuts"). In particular, the classification of the two Kings River bands - the Michahai / Michahay and Entimbich - is difficult. The Western Mono self-designation is ''Nyyhmy, Nimi, Nim'' or ''Nium'', meaning "People" or ''cawu h nyyhmy''. By contact with the Europeans, the following bands (or local groups) could be distinguished (from north to south): * Northfork Mono or Nim / Nium: most isolated band of the "Western Mono", therefore not known under a "Yokuts" name. They lived generally along the northern shore of the San Joaquin River westward on both sides of its North Fork (and its tributaries) to Fine Gold Creek (shared territory with the Yokuts there); they established smaller settlements than the more southerly "Western Mono Bands". * Wobonuch, Wobunuch, Woponunch or Wobonoch (plural: Wobenchasi): Lived in the foothills west of

General Grant Grove General Grant Grove, a section of the greater Kings Canyon National Park, was established by the U.S. Congress in 1890 and is located in Fresno County, California. The primary attraction of General Grant Grove is the giant sequoia trees that popu ...

(with the General Grant Tree) from the mouth of the North Fork Kings River into the Kings River upstream along several tributaries and including the Kings Canyon, along the Mill Flat Creek alone were two major settlements, their area includes today's Kings Canyon National Park. * Entimbich, Endimbich, Endembich or Indimbich (Plural: Enatbicha): bilingual, probably originally a "Kings River Yokuts Band". Lived along the Kings River south and west of the Wobonuch, their main settlement was located in the area of today's Dunlap, California, further settlements were along Mill Creek, Rancheria Creek and White Deer Creek. * Michahai or Michahay: bilingual, many mixed marriages with neighboring Waksachi, often regarded as a "Kings River Yokuts band". Lived along the Cottonwood Creek, a stream of the

St. John's River The St. Johns River ( es, Río San Juan) is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in eleva ...

, a tributary of the Kaweah River north of the municipality of

Auckland, California Auckland is an unincorporated community in Tulare County, California, United States. Auckland is located on California State Route 245 State Route 245 (SR 245) is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that runs from ...

. * Waksachi (plural: Wakesdachi): bilingual, but basically "Mono (Nim)"-speaking, partly adopted the culture of the neighboring Yokuts. Their tribal area was in the Long Valley south of Mill Creek and along Eshom Creek, a tributary of the

North Fork Kaweah River The North Fork Kaweah River is a -long tributary of the Kaweah River in Tulare County, California. The river starts at the confluence of Dorst Creek and Stony Creek, near Dorst Creek Campground in Sequoia National Park. It flows west and is joined ...

, other settlements were along

Lime Kiln Creek Lime Kiln Creek is a stream within Tulare County in central California. An alternative name for this creek is Dry Creek. Course The Lime Kiln Creek headwaters are in the Sierra Nevada and flow into the San Joaquin Valley. The creek discharges ...

(also known as ''Dry Creek''), such as "Ash Springs" and "Badger Camp". * Balwisha, Badwisha, Patwisha, Potwisha or Baluusha: bilingual, but basically "Mono (Nim)"-speaking, partly adopted the culture of the neighboring Yokuts. Lived along the Kaweah River tributaries (Marble, Middle, East and South Forks) westwards to

Lake Kaweah Lake Kaweah is a reservoir near Lemon Cove in Tulare County, California. The lake is formed by Terminus Dam on the Kaweah River. The river originates in the Sierra Nevada and drains about into Lake Kaweah before flowing towards the San Joaquin ...

. One of their westernmost villages was located on the left bank of the Kaweah River below the confluence of its North Forks and Middle Forks near the community of Three Rivers, California (near the confluence of the Middle, East and South Forks), eastwards they had settlements upstream along the Middle and East Forks as well as Salt Creeks. The Sequoia National Park is located in their territory today, their trading partners were the Wukchumni Yokuts. If the ''Entimbich'' and ''Michahai'' are counted as "Kings River Yokuts" then beside the above-mentioned bands sometimes the following bands are listed: *Posgisa, Poshgisha or Boshgesha: Lived on the southern shore of the San Joaquin River and south of the Northfork Mono along Big Sandy Creek to the headwaters of Little and Big Dry Creek; according to reports from neighboring Yokuts, there were two settlements near

Auberry, California Auberry () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 2,369 at the 2010 census, up from 2,053 at the 2000 census. Auberry is located on Little Sandy Creek west of Shaver Lake Heights, at an ...

. Presumably identical with the group later called "Auberry Band of Western Mono", whose Mono/Nim-language name was ?unaħpaahtyħ ("that which is on the other side

f the San Joaquin River F, or f, is the sixth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabet#Let ...

) or Unapatɨ Nɨm ("About (the San Joaquin River) People"). * Holkoma: sometimes synonymously called "Towincheba" or "Kokoheba", but both seems only names for single Holkoma villages. Were living in settlements along a series of confluent streams - especially the Big Creek, Burr Creek and Sycamore Creek above the mouth of the Mill Creek into the Kings River. * Big Sandy Rancheria of Mono Indians of California * Cold Springs Rancheria of Mono Indians of California * Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California * Table Mountain Rancheria of California * Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation The two clans of the North Fork Mono Tribe are represented by the golden eagle and the coyote. Mono traditions still in practice today include fishing, hunting, acorn gathering, cooking, healing, basket making, and games. The Honorable Ron Goode is the Tribal Chairman for the North Fork Mono Tribe, which is not a federally recognized tribe. The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians is the federally recognized tribe in North Fork and their Chairperson is Elaine Fink. Ceremonies are performed at the Sierra Mono Museum in North Fork, California, and an annual Indian Fair Days festival takes place on the first weekend of August every year to revive many traditions and rituals for tribal kin and tourists alike to enjoy.

Language

The Mono speak the Mono language, which together with the Northern Paiute language (a dialect continuum) forms the

Western Numic Numic is a branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. It includes seven languages spoken by Native American peoples traditionally living in the Great Basin, Colorado River basin, Snake River basin, and southern Great Plains. The word Numic com ...

branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Due to the geographical separation as well as the interaction with neighboring tribes and peoples (incorporation of loanwords and/or frequent

Bilingualism Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...

) two very different dialects developed in the course of time which are difficult to

understand Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to use concepts to model that object. Understanding is a relation between the knower and an object of ...

for each other. The native language of the Mono people is referred to as "Nim." ''Mun a hoo e boso. Mun a hoo e num. Mun a hoo to e hun noh pa teh'' can be translated as "Hello to my friends. Hello to the Mono people. Hello to the people from all over." Today, the "Mono language (Nim)" (including its two dialects) is critically endangered. Among about 1,300 "Western Mono (Mono or Monache) people", only about 20 active speakers and 100 half speakers speak "Western Mono" or the "Monachi/Monache" dialect (better known as: "Mono/Monache" or "Mono Lake Paiute"). Of the 1,000 "Owens Valley Paiute (Eastern Mono) people" there are only 30 active speakers of the "Eastern Mono" or "Owens Valley Paiute" dialect left.

Population

Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially. ''(See Population of Native California.)'' Alfred L. Kroeber (1925:883) suggested that the 1770 population of the Mono was 4,000.

Sherburne F. Cook Sherburne Friend Cook (1896-1974) was an American physiologist, who served as professor and chairman of the department of physiology at the University of California, Berkeley. He was notable as a pioneer in population studies of the native peopl ...

(1976:192) set the population of the Western Mono alone at about 1,800. Kroeber reported the population of the Mono in 1910 as 1,500. Today, there are approximately 2,300 enrolled Mono people. The Cold Springs Mono have 275 tribal members.California Indians and Their Reservations.
''SDSU Library and Information Access.'' (retrieved 25 July 2009) The Northfork Mono's enrollment is 1,800, making them one of California's largest native tribes. The Big Sandy Mono have about 495 members. The Big Pine Band has 462 tribal members, but it is difficult to determine how many of these are Mono.History and Timeline.
''North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians''. (retrieved 25 July 2009)

Notes

References

* Cook, Sherburne F. 1976. ''The Conflict between the California Indian and White Civilization''. University of California Press, Berkeley. * Kroeber, A. L. 1925. ''Handbook of the Indians of California''.

Bureau of American Ethnology The Bureau of American Ethnology (or BAE, originally, Bureau of Ethnology) was established in 1879 by an act of Congress for the purpose of transferring archives, records and materials relating to the Indians of North America from the Interior D ...

, Bulletin No. 78. Washington, DC. * Pritzker, Barry M. ''A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.

External links

Official Sierra Mono Museum website

Northfork Rancheria

Timeline of Mono Historic Events
{{authority control 01 Native American tribes in California Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin Native American history of California History of the Sierra Nevada (United States) History of the Great Basin History of Madera County, California Fresno County, California Inyo County, California Madera County, California History of Mono County, California Tulare County, California Native American tribes in Nevada