Achomawi

Achomawi

Achomawi woman (circa 1920)
Regions with significant populations
United States	1,500 - Pit River Indians
Languages
English, Achumawi
San Diego State Univ.

In anthropology, Achomawi (also Achumawi, Ajumawi and Ahjumawi) are the northerly nine (out of eleven) bands of the Pit River tribe of Native Americans who lived in what is now northeastern California in the United States. These nine autonomous bands (also called "tribelets") of the Pit River Indians spoke various dialects of one common language, and the other two bands spoke dialects of a related language, called Atsugewi. The name "Achomawi" means river dwelling (from ajumma, "river") and the band historically inhabited the Fall River Valley and the Pit River from the south end of Big Valley Mountains, westerly to Pit River Falls.

The other eight bands that shared the Achomawi language had a historic homeland located along other parts of the Pit River. Their territory extended from Big Bend to Goose Lake. This land was also home to the Atsugewi language group, which consisted of two distinct bands of what is now unified as the Pit River Tribe, and who lived south of the Achomawi language bands in the Hat Creek valley and Dixie Valley.

Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially. Alfred L. Kroeber estimated the combined 1770 population of the Achomawi and Atsugewi as 3,000. A more detailed analysis by Fred B. Kniffen arrived at the same figure. T. R. Garth estimated the Atsugewi population at a maximum of 850, which would leave at least 2,150 for the Achomawi. Kroeber estimated population of the Achomawi 1910 as 1,000 and "three-fourths still full blood".Edward S. Curtis, a photographer and author in the 1920s, gave a 1910 population of Achomawi at 984. The Achomawi population was estimated at 1,500 in 2000.

The Achomawi language and the Atsugewi language are classified together as the Palaihnihan languages, and more broadly in a possible northern group of the proposed Hokan phylum with Yana, the Shastan languages, Chimariko, Karuk, Washo, and the Pomo languages.