Ahwahneechee People

Hello. We are the Ahwahneechee people. For thousands of years, our home has been a beautiful, deep valley that we call Ahwahnee. In our language, this special name means “place of a gaping mouth.” We gave it this name because when we looked up at the towering cliffs surrounding our home, we thought they looked like the giant open mouth of a bear. It was a wonderful place to live, full of tall trees and fresh water. Today, many people visit this valley, and it is known around the world as Yosemite Valley.

Living in Ahwahnee, we learned how to use all the gifts of the land. The world around us provided everything we needed. We gathered acorns from the strong oak trees, and these were an important food for our families. We also used plants that grew in the valley to weave strong baskets. Our hands knew how to turn grasses and branches into useful things for carrying food and other items. Our lives were connected to the seasons and the land that cared for us.

A great change came to our home. For a very long time, we lived peacefully, but around the year 1851, newcomers came to our land. After they arrived, soldiers came into our valley. They forced many of our people to leave Ahwahnee, the home our families had known for thousands of years. It was a very difficult time for us, but our story did not end there.

Even after being forced to leave our homes, we are still here today. Our people are the Southern Sierra Miwok. We carry the memory of our ancestors and our life in Ahwahnee. We are working hard to keep our culture and our stories alive for our children and for everyone. By sharing our history, we help people understand our connection to our beautiful home in Yosemite Valley.