Pit River Indians
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (1,800) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( California) |
|
| Languages | |
| English, Achumawi and Atsugewi | |
| Religion | |
| traditional tribal religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Achumawi, Atsugewi, and other Pit River bands |
The Pit River Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of eleven bands of indigenous peoples of California. They primarily live along the Pit River in the northeast corner of California. Their name also is spelled as "Pitt River" in some historical records.
The eleven bands are as follows:
The eleven bands of the Pit River Tribe speak two related languages. Nine speak Achumawi and two speak Atsugewi (Atsuge and Apwaruke). They are classified in the northern group of the postulated Hokan 'superstock' of languages, and a subgroup called Palaihnihan has been proposed for just these two languages.
The tribe also owns trust lands in Lake County, California, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, and Shasta Counties.
Nowadays most speak English and Achumawi is endangered and Atsugewi is extinct
The tribe conducts business from Burney, California. They were officially recognized as a tribe in 1976 and ratified their constitution in 1987. Each of the eleven bands is represented in the tribal council.
On August, 1964, a Constitution was formally adopted by the Pit River Tribe. The Preamble states:
"... for the purpose of securing our Rights and Powers inherent in our Sovereign status as reinforced by the laws of the United States, developing and protecting Pit River (Ajumawi - Atsugewi) ancestral lands and all other resources, preserving peace and order in our community, promoting the general welfare of our people and our descendants, protecting the rights of the Tribe and of our members, and preserving our land base, culture and identity,..."
While the Pit River group originally filed a separate land claims, after the Indian Claims Commission was created in 1946, the Pit River tribe was encouraged in 1963 to participate in the larger claims—Indians of California vs U. S. – but ultimately there was disharmony within the tribe and they rejected their monetary award.
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Wikipedia