- Awaswas
Infobox Language
name=Awaswas (Santa Cruz)
familycolor=Penutian
states=United States (California )
speakers=extinct
fam1=Penutian
fam2=Yok-Utian
fam3=Utian
fam4=Costanoan
fam5=Northern Ohlone
script=Latin alphabet
iso1=-|iso2=nai|iso3=cst|The Awaswas people (also known as "Santa Cruz") are one of eight divisions of the Ohlone (Coastanoan) Native Americans of
Northern California . The Awaswas lived in theSanta Cruz Mountains and along the coast of present-daySanta Cruz County from present-day Davenport to Aptos."Awaswas" ("Santa Cruz") is also the name of their spoken dialect, listed as one of the Costanoan language dialects in the Utian family, becoming the main language spoken at the
Mission Santa Cruz . However, there is evidence that this grouping was more geographic than linguistic, and that the records of the 'Santa Cruz Costanoan' language in fact represent several diverse dialects.The Awaswas territory was bordered by the
Pacific Ocean to the west, and other Ohlone people on all other sides: theRamaytush to the north,Tamyen to the east, and theMutsun andRumsien to the south.During the era of
Spanish missions in California , the Awaswas people's lives changed with theMission Santa Cruz (founded in 1791) built in their territory. Most moved into this mission and were baptized, lived and educated to be Catholic "neophytes", also known asMission Indians , until the missions were discontinued by the Mexican Government in 1834.Awaswas tribes and villages
The villages included the Sokel, who lived at Aptos, and the Chatu-mu, who lived near the current location of Santa Cruz.Kroeber, 1925, Map p. 465 ]
* Ohlone tribes and villages in Santa Cruz Mountains
References
* Kroeber, Alfred L. 1925. "Handbook of the Indians of California". Washington, D.C: "Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin" No. 78. (map of villages, page 465)
* Milliken, Randall. "A Time of Little Choice: The Disintegration of Tribal Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area 1769-1910" Menlo Park, CA: Ballena Press Publication, 1995. ISBN 0-87919-132-5 (alk. paper)
* Teixeira, Lauren. "The Costanoan/Ohlone Indians of the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Area, A Research Guide". Menlo Park, CA: Ballena Press Publication, 1997. ISBN 0-87919-141-4.Notes
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