Hetch Hetchy was once the home of the Paiute people. The Paiutes fought the Big Creek Indians and retained Hetch Hetchy Valley until they were pushed out.
Hetch Hetchy Valley - first accounts by C. F. HoffmannThe valley was first visited, in 1850, by Mr. Joseph Screech, a mountaineer of this region, who found it occupied by Indians. This gentleman informed me that, up to a very recent date, this valley was disputed ground between the Pah Utah Indians from the eastern slope and the Big Creek Indians from the western slope of the Sierras; they had several fights, in which the Pah Utahs proved victorious. The latter still visit the valley every fall to gather acorns, which abound in this locality. Here I may also mention that the Indians speak of a lake of very salt water [Editor’s note: Mono Lake—dea]Of course that was deleted from Yosemite National Park history, and people wonder why Paiutes are bothered by the "official" Yosemite National Park history.
It is not correct, that is what we Paiutes are talking about. Big Creek Indians is another name for Miwoks.
Hetch Hetchy Valley was once part of the Paiute homeland, and that was documented.
Also about that supposed "friendly trade" and "inter-marriages" before white settlers entered. This only shows that what we Paiutes were saying was true. There was no trade and no "friendly" interaction, like marriages and trading obsidian. All the obsidian that has been found in the Yosemite area came from Mono Lake and it was NOT traded, but was brought in by Paiutes living in Yosemite and in the area. Paiutes and Miwoks were once enemies. What the Park tells you is false.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2009 10:45PM by Yosemite_Indian.