Maidu 1. The Maidu tribe lived in the Valley of Northern California. 2. The word Maidu means “Digger Indian.”

Religion 1. Believed in kind gods. 2. Followers of the Kuksu Ceremony. 3. Dressed up to impersonate gods. 4. Performed ceremonial dances. 5. Believed when they died their spirits entered coyotes, lizards, or eagles. 6. Believed Spirits lived in rocks, mountain peaks, caves, and lakes. 7. The bear was an important symbol to the tribe.

Shelter 1. Villages were set up next to the river. 2. Lived in cone shaped homes made from redwood, and cedar trees. 3. Homes were partially underground and covered with mud, bark, and brush. 4. Lived outside in the summer months.

Food 1. Acorns were the main source of food. 2. They would store food for use during the winter months. 3. Acorns were shelled and mashed to remove bitterness. 4. They hunted deer, elk, squirrel, rabbit, duck, geese, and quail. 5. Seed beaters were used to gather nuts, berries, and insects.

Clothing 1. Women wore aprons made of buckskin. 2. They wore robes made from rabbit fur. 3. Men wore breechcloth made from buckskin. 4. They wore moccasins on their feet. 5. They wore headdresses on their heads.

Government 1. Organized in tribes which included 2-20 villages with one main village. 2. They had ceremonial religious buildings. 3. The leaders of the tribe were the village advisors.

Tribal Roles 1. The men taught the boys to hunt. 2. Boys were initiated into the Kuksu at the age of 15. 3. Women made baskets to carry food and water.

Economy 1. They were hunters and gatherers. 2. They traded with other tribes from coastal areas.

Encounters with Europeans 1. Fur trappers arrived between 1820-1830. 2. In 1833 malaria was brought to the Maidu lands killing 75% of the Maidu people. 3. In 1848 men came seeking gold (CA. gold rush). 4. Farmers and ranchers came and dug up the land. 5. Population decreased from 310,000 to 20,000 between 1700-1900 due to illness.