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Information about the Haida Indians for students and teachers. Covers food, homes, arts and crafts, weapons, culture, and daily life of the Haidas.

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Native American language Native American people Native American arts
Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Pomo tribe for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage students and teachers to visit our mainPomo website for in-depth information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are most often asked by children, with Pomo pictures and links we believe are suitable for all ages.

What kinds of stories do the Pomos tell?
There are lots of traditional Pomo legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Pomo Indian culture. Here is a story aboutSponsored Links

What about Pomo religion?
Spirituality and religion were important parts of Pomo life, and some people continue to practice traditional beliefs today. It is respectful to avoid imitating religious rituals for school projects since some Pomo people care about them deeply. You can read and learn about them, however. You can visit this site to learn more about

Pomo Tribe

Pomo is pronounced just the way it looks, "poh-moh." This probably came from a place name meaning "red earth," although it also sounds similar to the word for "dweller" in their language.

The Pomos are original people of NorthernCalifornia. Most Pomo people still live there today.

In the past, each Pomo band had its own chief. There was no centralized Pomo government, only a loose coalition among village chiefs. Today, the Pomos live on more than twenty differentrancherias, which are like tribal villages or small reservations under partial control of a tribe. Just as in the old days, each rancheria has its own government independent from the others. Not all Pomo people live on the rancherias, however. Some live in intertribal communities with members of other tribes, and others live in neighboring Northern California towns.

The Pomos speak English today. In the past, they spoke their nativePomo language. Some Pomo elders still remember words from this language, and there are younger people who are interested in learning to speak their traditional language again. If you'd like to learn an easy Pomo word, Chamay (pronounced chah-my) is a friendly greeting. Here is aPomo picture glossary you can look at.

Here's a link to theDry Creek Pomo Tribe's homepage. On their site you can find information about the Pomo people in the past and today.

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They do the same things any children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Pomo children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian kids had more chores and less time to play, just like colonial children. But they did have toys and games. One Pomo game was thehand game. Players held marked sticks behind their backs and gambled as they guessed the location of each stick. Another Pomo game istossle or shinny, which is an athletic sport similar to lacrosse and rugby. Traditionally, only men and boys played tossle or the stick game. Pomo girls often played withdolls. Like many California Indians, Pomo mothers traditionally carried their babies inbaby baskets. Here is a website of baby basket pictures.

The Pomos lived in reed houses. These houses were made from a cone-shaped frame of wooden poles, sometimes placed over a basement-like hole dug into the ground. Then the frame would be covered with long rushes or with mats woven from tule reeds. Because they were partially underground, Pomo houses often appeared smaller than they really were. Here are some pictures of different types ofIndian homes. Today, most Pomos live in modern houses and apartments, just like you.

Pomo people didn't wear much clothing. Pomo men generally went naked, and Pomo women wore only grass and deerskin skirts. In colder weather, men would wearleggings and women would wear shawls made of plant fiber. The Pomos woredeerskin moccasins on their feet while they were hunting or traveling, but usually went barefoot in their own villages. Here is a website with some aboutNative American clothing pictures.

The Pomos didn't wear long headdresses like the Sioux. For dances and ceremonies, Pomo men would wear special headbands made of flicker feathers, likethis. The Pomos painted their faces for dances and other special occasions, but not for everyday life. Women also woretribal tattoos on their faces. Both genders wore beaded necklaces, and Pomo men wore shell jewelry in their pierced noses as well.

Today, some Pomo people still wear moccasins or beaded jewelry, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of grass skirts.

No, the Pomo people did not often travel by boat, and when they did, they normally used rafts. A few Pomo bands did make an impressive type ofreed boat from tule rushes. Today, of course, Pomo people also use cars... and non-native people also use canoes.

What was Pomo food like in the days before supermarkets?
The Pomos werehunter-gatherers. Pomo men hunted deer and small game, and depending on the band, sometimes caught fish. Pomo women gathered acorns and ground them into meal, as well as collecting berries, nuts, and other plants. Here is a website with more information aboutNative American foods.

Pomo hunters used bows and arrows. Pomo fishermen used spears, nets, and wooden fish traps. Pomo warriors usually fired arrows at their enemies, although sometimes they would duel each other hand-to-hand with war clubs. Here are pictures and information about theNative American bow and arrow and other traditional weapons.

Pomo artists are known for their finebaskets. Here is a picture of some beautifulbaskets by the Pomos and their neighbors.

What other Native Americans did the Pomo tribe interact with?

The most important Pomo allies, trading partners, and occasional enemies were other Pomo bands. Since there were many of them and they all had independent leadership, they interacted with one another often. The Pomos also traded frequently with the other tribes of California, even as far north as Oregon, and sometimes fought wars over territory with the Wintu and other neighbors.
Can you recommend a good book for me to read?
If you want to know more about Pomo culture and history, two interesting sources are
a girl who became a rattlesnake. Here's a website where you can read more aboutPomo legends.

Pomo religious traditions or this site aboutNative American traditions in general.How do I cite your website in my bibliography?
You will need to ask your teacher for the format he or she wants you to use. The authors' names are Laura Redish and Orrin Lewis and the title of our site is Native Languages of the Americas. We are a nonprofit educational organization working to preserve and protect Native American languages and culture. You can learn more about our organization

Pomo Indians of California and Their Neighbors andThe Pomo Indians. Two good books for kids on California Indians in general areCalifornia Native Peoples andNative Ways ; a more in-depth book for older readers isTribes of California. You can also browse through our recommendations ofAmerican Indian history books in general. Disclaimer: we are an Amazon affiliate and our website earns a commission if you buy a book through one of these links. Most of them can also be found in a public library, though!

here. Our website was first created in 1998 and last updated in 2020.

Thanks for your interest in the Pomo Indian people and their language!

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Pomo Indian Tribe
An overview of the Pomo tribe, their language and history.

Pomo Language Resources
Pomo Indian language samples, articles, and indexed links.

Pomo Culture and History Directory
Related links about the Pomo Native Americans past and present.

Pomo Words
Pomo Indian vocabulary lists.

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Information about the Pomo Indians for students and teachers. Covers Pomo houses, food, weapons, tools, canoes, and customs.

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Kids learn about Native American Indian tribe the Navajo from the Southwest of the United States.

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Learn about where the different Native American Tribes lived in America!

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All about Native Americans and different tribes

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Native American History Native Americans lived in the United States for a very long time before Christopher Columbus discovered America. You can read about their amazing culture and learn about the things they love like music, Art and different types of homes. They have many different tribes and we give you a quick overview of ...

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History >>Native Americans for Kids

Who were the Iroquois?

The Iroquois were a League or Confederacy of tribes in the Northeastern part of America. Originally they were formed by five tribes: the Cayuga, Onondaga, Mohawk, Seneca, and Oneida. Later, in the 1700s, the Tuscarora tribe joined.

Iroquois 6 Nations Map by R. A. Nonenmacher

The French named them the Iroquois, but they called themselves the Haudenosaunee which means People of the Longhouse. The British called them the Five Nations.

How was the Iroquois League governed?

The Iroquois had a type of representative government. Each tribe in the Iroquois League had its own elected officials called chiefs. These chiefs would attend the Iroquois council where major decisions were made regarding the Five Nations. Each tribe also had its own leaders to make local decisions.

What type of homes did they live in?

The Iroquois lived in longhouses. These were long rectangular buildings made with wood frames and covered with bark. They were sometimes over 100 feet long. They didn't have any windows, just a door at each end and holes in the roof to let smoke from cooking fires out. Many families would live in a single long house. Each family would have its own compartment that could be separated from the others for privacy using a partition made of bark or animal skin.

Iroquois Longhouse by Wilbur F. Gordy

Longhouses were part of a larger village. A village would have several longhouses which would often be surrounded by a fence called a palisade. Outside of the palisade would be the fields where the Iroquois would farm crops.

What did the Iroquois eat?

The Iroquois ate a variety of foods. They grew crops such as corn, beans, and squash. These three main crops were called the "Three Sisters" and were usually grown together. Women generally farmed the fields and cooked the meals. They had a number of ways to prepare corn and the other vegetables they grew.

The men hunted wild game including deer, rabbit, turkey, bear, and beaver. Some meat was eaten fresh and some was dried and stored for later. Hunting animals was not only important for meat, but for other parts of the animal as well. The Iroquois used the skin for making clothing and blankets, the bones for tools, and the tendons for sewing.

What did they wear?

Iroquois clothing was made from tanned deerskin. The men wore leggings and long breechcloths while the women wore long skirts. Both men and women wore deerskin shirts or blouses and soft shoes made of leather called moccasins.

Did they have Mohawk hair styles?

The men of the Iroquois Nation shaved their heads except for a strip down the middle. Even though this is called a Mohawk haircut today, many of the Iroquois tribesmen (not just the Mohawk) cut their hair like this. Girls would wear two braids in their hair until they got married, then they would have a single braid.

Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy by Himasaram

Fun Facts about the Iroquois

Even though longhouses were more permanent structures, the village would move every 10 years or so to find fresh land and hunting grounds.

Up to 60 people would live in a single longhouse.

As long as there was food, no one ever went hungry in a village as food was freely shared.

There was a trail that connected the Five Nations called the Iroquois Trail.

The Iroquois Great Council still meets today.

The women had a large role in social government and even chose the representatives that went to meet at the Great Council.

Lacrosse was first played and invented by the Iroquois Indians. They have several different names for the game including Teh hon tsi kwaks eks, Guh jee gwah ai, and Ga lahs.

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Native American History for Kids: Iroquois Tribe

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History >>Native Americans for Kids Who were the Iroquois? The Iroquois were a League or Confederacy of tribes in the Northeastern part of America. Originally they were formed by five tribes: the Cayuga, Onondaga, Mohawk, Seneca, and Oneida. Later, in the 1700s, the Tuscarora tribe joined. Iroquois 6 Nations Map by R.

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Nicknames: When a baby was born, it was a very big deal. The birth celebration might last for four days. Sioux children were not given names when they were born. They were given nicknames. Additional nicknames would be added all their lives. As they grew older, some children won names by doing a brave act.