Miwok & Lost Lake Effect

Miwok & Lost Lake Effect

R. Taylor

In California it has been a wet year, meaning of course we have had lots of rain and other forms of precipitation, so much so that “ghostly” appearances are occurring (Walters, 2023).

One apparition or “phantom” is the former, yet always ready Tulare Lake (SMM, n.d) which the Tachi Yokut Tribe reveres in name as Pa’ashi (TS, 2023). “Ready” as in “born ready” and ready for opportunity, willing to speak up, “put me in coach”. The Los Angeles Times’ headline describes this recent appearance of the Pa’ashi, in part as returning, “with a vengeance, unearthing an ugly history” (TS, 2023).

As a Miwok or other person of interest you may find it interesting that according to the Tachi Yokut Tribe, “Yokut” means “people” (SRR, 2023) just as Miwok also means “people” (Conrotto, 2016) somehow I think, feel, and opine, these native “people” referred to themselves beyond just one general non-specific way. Perhaps our ancestors were so humble as to refer to themselves in this manner or too clever to reveal our heart and spirit to others so easily. Sorry to digress.

In a sense, the Miwoks are the Lost Lake Effect (which I’ve purposely not defined). It is the case that we “people” are also a natural phenomenon. We were already here without “vengeance”, even now the lake has no malice or intent beyond being. It was created by our God however you might describe that concept or created by a “mother” nature or simply science if you are so inclined. However you think about the source of creation by a divinity or otherwise, nature is not Al Capone, Vin Diesel, Buddha, or Jesus, it doesn’t have the human emotions that are ascribed to it and it’s certainly not a ghost.

Very much like Pa’ashi we were here and then got “drained” (killed) of people, by civilization and then “diverted” meaning enslaved (Brown University, 2017), and  bountied to death (Blakemore, 2020) into a stream of culture that didn’t want us. Later on, still being around, whenever we tried to enter the sweet stream towards self sufficiency and prosperity, we like great Pa’ashi recognized the physical constraints of “levees and (the) dams prevent water from entering the basin” of community sustainability (Dickman, 2023).

Yet the “people”, Yokut, Miwok, and many other Natives will have always been and will always be here despite the levees and diversions. We are here now in a bigger way. Yet the Miwok and other natives must recognize the wisdom inherent in what Pa’ashi has given us in this moment. We have financial lakes that are filling and some more quickly with the casinos and related endeavors. And so at this point it is important to recognize that we, like Pa’ashi might, very soon, and like normal retreat back underground. And so we can leave the metaphor and as Natives recognize what Pa’ashi is telling us. We are not a body of water but a body of people who have the potential to build and lead ourselves and our communities into a healthy resurgence that remains and does not retreat.

The challenge is to find ways to rebuild our Native communities around Native values and I fear instead, our current values are organized primarily around these very competitive financial lakes. This type of lake I fear will completely dry up compared to one that is constituted of a body or community that largely shares human values and interests. 

What is the honest and current “State of the Miwok” in 2023, and how can we strengthen it?

References

Blakemore, E. (2020). California’s Little-Known Genocide. History Channel. https://www.history.com/news/californias-little-known-genocide

Brown University. (2017). Colonial enslavement of Native Americans included those who surrendered, too. https://www.brown.edu/news/2017-02-15/enslavement

Conrotto, E. L. (2016). Miwok Means People: The life and fate of the native inhabitants of the California Gold Rush country. 

Dickman, J. (2023). This phantom lake in California is back with a vengeance. Popular Science. https://www.popsci.com/environment/tulare-lake-flooding 

Santa Rosa Rancheria (SRR). (2023). Welcome To The Tachi-Yokut Tribe. https://www.tachi-yokut-nsn.gov/

Sarah Mooney Museum (SMM, n.d.). Tulare Lake was once considered largest body of water west of Mississippi.https://sarahamooneymuseum.org/a-look-back/tulare-lake-was-once-considered-largest-body-of-water-west-of-mississippi/ 

Times Staff (TS). (2023). California’s ‘phantom lake’ returns with a vengeance, unearthing an ugly history of water. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-28/phantom-tulare-lake-returns-with-a-vengeance

Walters, D. (2023). California’s ghostly Tulare Lake will be revived this year. Cal Matters. https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/03/tulare-lake-water-california/