Ohlone

The Ohlone are a group of Indigenous peoples of the central and northern California coast, traditionally speaking Coastanoan languages and occupying coastal and near-coastal regions from present-day Marin and Sonoma counties south to Monterey and parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Today the term Ohlone is a broad, umbrella designation used by scholars and some descendants; many communities prefer to identify by their specific tribal or place-based names, such as Chochenyo, Rumsen, Karkin, or Muwekma Ohlone.

Language and culture

Historically, Ohlone-speaking groups lived in village communities with distinct territories. They practiced a hunter-gatherer and tempered agricultural economy, relying on acorns as a staple, supplemented by fish, game, seeds, and shellfish. The people built tule reed houses, created intricate baskets and beadwork, and engaged in long-distance trade networks. Their social and ceremonial life varied among groups but commonly featured organized village councils and spiritual traditions connected to the landscape.

European contact and aftermath

Contact with Spanish missions in the late 18th century brought dramatic changes: missionization, disease, disruption of traditional land use, and coerced labor. Population declines, forced relocation, and loss of language and customary practices followed in many areas. In the modern era, descendants have reclaimed identity, renewed cultural practices, and pursued language revitalization and repatriation of cultural items.

Contemporary status

Today, Ohlone descendants are active in cultural preservation, language revival programs, and community-based initiatives across the Bay Area and central California. They advocate for recognition, education about Indigenous history, and the stewardship of ancestral lands and resources.