Pomo

Pomo refers to a group of Indigenous peoples of Northern California who traditionally spoke languages in the Pomoan language family. The term covers several distinct but related groups, commonly classified as Northern Pomo, Central Pomo, Eastern Pomo, and Southern Pomo, with numerous subgroups such as the Coast Pomo, Lake Pomo, and Kashaya. The Pomo languages vary by subgroup, and today most speakers speak English, with efforts to revive and maintain Pomo languages.

Historically, Pomo communities occupied village territories in the Russian River, Clear Lake, and surrounding valleys of present-day Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Colusa, and Glenn counties. They practiced a hunter-gatherer and gathering economy with acorn processing as a staple food, and are renowned for their elaborate basketry, using marsh, spruce root, and other plant fibers.

Beginning in the 18th century, Pomo people faced devastating impacts from European contact, including disease, displacement, and missionization. In the 19th century, many were forced onto reservations and experienced loss of land and autonomy. The legacy includes population declines and disruption of traditional lifeways, though communities persisted and reorganized through tribal governments and cultural programs.

In contemporary times, Pomo communities participate in federally recognized tribes or operate under tribal councils and intertribal groups. Language and cultural revitalization programs seek to transmit traditions, stories, and crafts to younger generations, including language classes and basket-weaving workshops. The term Pomo primarily refers to these Indigenous peoples and their languages, though it has other uses in different contexts.