by Alexis, Chandler, Pavee, Chloe, Kenny, Ashley, and Shreya Desert Indian Tribes by Alexis, Chandler, Pavee, Chloe, Kenny, Ashley, and Shreya

Introduction The desert is an interesting place. There are many tribes in the desert, but we are going to tell about Cahuilla and Mojave.

Cahuilla The Cahuilla Indians lived in lands that stretched from San Bernardino Mountains across the valleys of San Jacinto to the San Rose Mountains and lived in Southern California. The Indians made villages in canyons near streams or springs and their houses were dome shaped houses or rectangular.

Cahuilla They had larger houses for leaders or ceremonies. During ceremonies, they were headdresses with feathers and shook rattles. The young men wore chin tattoos.

Cahuilla The Cahuilla ate acorns, squash, beans, and corn. Acorns were an important part of their diet. Where ever an oak tree was, many tribe members would pick acorns and bring them back to eat. During acorn season, large numbers of Cahuilla Indians left their villages to gather acorns.

Cahuilla The Cahuilla had many different believes. One of them was the Dream Catcher. The Dream Catcher is about a grandmother who is fascinated by a spider weaving a dream catcher. This brings good dreams.

Cahuilla The Cahuilla had a certain religion. They believed in super natural powers. That meant they thought there was a spirit in everything.

Cahuilla The Cahuilla Indians wore animal skins such as skunks, beavers, cactus, but most of the time they were free of clothing. It was just their religion, so don’t think it is gross, it is normal to them.

Cahuilla The Cahuilla Indians were known as hunters and gathers. They gathered wood to make shelter and plants for medicine. For money, they traded shells, beads, animal fur, and baskets.

Mojave The Mojave lived east Colorado river which is now Arizona their culture is like the southwestern groups then it is Californian. The area along the Colorado river gets very little rain. The summer is hot and the winter is mild.

Mojave The Mojave houses in the desert country are usually just shady roofs. Four or six holding a flat roof over the bundles of reeds or grasses. During cold weather houses had side walls from the poles slanting the ground to the roof.

Mojave Unlike most of the Californians, the Mojave were farmers. They depended on growing part of their food, then hunting and gathering wild food.

Mojave For clothing, the Mojave women wore bark skirts from the inner section of the wild trees. The men either wore no clothes, or girdle. The children are like the men and wear no clothes.

Mojave The Mojave traded with the eastern tribes, and the western tribes. From the east, they got blankets, and the western tribes gave them wheat because they did not grove wheat.

Mojave Each year, people from all the settlements would gather with each other and have a fall ceremony. Each family brought food for the feast they would have. There was another ceremony, this one was for the people who died.

Closing This was a fascinating tribe to research. We Hope that you enjoyed this as much as we did. Thank You!