The Madesi tribe (pronounced as ''Mah-day-see'') are an indigenous group of Native Americans who once thrived in the Big Bend region of the Pit River in northeastern
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, the most down-stream section (AKA the Madesi Valley) of the Pit River (Ajumma) in the Pit River Tribal territory.Merriam, C. Hart, The Classification and Distribution of The Pit River Indian Tribes of California. Smithsonian Institution (Publication 2874), Volume 78, Number 3, 1926 They are one of nine autonomous bands (also called "tribelets") of the
Pit River Tribe
The Pit River Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of eleven bands of indigenous peoples of California. They primarily live along the Pit River in the northeast corner of California.Achumawi language or more commonly "Pit River Talk". The other two bands of the Pit River Tribe speak dialects of a second, distinct but related language, called by anthropologists
Atsugewi
The Atsugewi are Native Americans residing in northeastern California, United States. Their traditional lands are near Mount Shasta, specifically the Pit River drainage on Burney, Hat, and Dixie Valley or Horse Creeks. They are closely related ...
.
The historic homeland of the other eight bands that share the Achumawi language extended to Goose Lake. On the south side of the Pit River the Atsugewi language group consisted of two distinct bands (now part of the Pit River Tribe) living in the Hat Creek Valley and Dixie Valley.