Miwok Medicine W.R.

Do oak trees, mountains, and rivers have rights? By Robert H. Taylor,  January 3, 20223 While attending the 8th Annual All Me-Wuk Language Symposium a gentleman presenter explained how the concept of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) was used by the Nisena'n people in the ongoing attempt to defeat the Centennial Water Supply Project (NID, n.d.) over the Bear River.  Figure 1. 8th Annual MeWuk Symposium For understanding and opposition against the NID link above and links below. It remains an important matter as according to YubNet (2022) the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) may still support the project. Fighting to be Heard on California’s Bear River , (Covert, 2017). Stop Centennial Dam and Save the Bear River , (SYRCL, 2018). We are here: Bear River People vs. Centennial Dam , (UGENAdotORG, 2020). Personally, I found it was very difficult to understand the TEK concept. After the presentation I asked a few clueless but respectful questions of the presenter. Sensing my puzz

Are the Miwok (also spelled Miwuk, Mi-Wuk, or Me-Wuk) a native tribe? The word itself Míwûk which is the plural of míwû simply meaning “person”. This was just a convenient word selected long ago by the Europeans and perhaps those natives themselves to identify with as a group.  A certain Mr. Edward S. Curtis (1924) wrote that, “the Miwok were neither a tribe nor a group of tribes. They were an aggregation of villages, speaking a common language, contracting intermarriages, and, where too much difficult country did not intervene, joining in the celebration of ceremonies; but in other respects having practically no relations with one another.” In describing the Miwok Curtis also wrote that, “[it] seems warranted that the Miwok were not industrious and skilful hunters”. Imagine a historian visiting Egypt years prior to Napoleon's visit to Egypt (Molinero). The historian could have concluded, “nothing to see here” and went on his way. Curtis missed our long history prior to European ar