Overview of the Pomo Religion
The Pomo people are the indigenous people of Northern California. The Pomo territory in California is very large, ranging from the pacific coast to the west, and extending inland to clear lake and also mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point. The Pomo tribe originated in around the 1700's and named themselves Pomo which in their language means "people". Instead of the Pomo indians living as a whole tribe they lived in small tribes that ranged throughout northern California and linked themselves together through geography, language, lineage and other elements of culture.
According to the Pomo's the world contained 6 supernatural beings:
-Guksu which was said to live at the southern end of the world. The word Guksu means 'large mosquito' and is locally known as gallinipper. He was good natured as a whole. Healing was his speciality and Pomo medicine men and doctors made their prayers to him. He was a normal sized human with a long, large and sharp red nose.
-Calnis lived in the eastern end of the world and in dance ceremonies was associated with Guksu but Calnis was usually testy and liked to "trip people up".
-Suupadax lived at the northern end of the world and the word is associated with "whirlwind"
-Xa matutsi lived at the western end of the world and it represents the pacific ocean. This is a very important part of the Pomo mythology because of their location and how close they were to the Pacific ocean. The Pomos believed the world was bounded by the water.
-Kali Matutsi lived in the sky or the heavens above. This was associated with "sky occupation"
-Kai Matutsi lived in the earth and everything below. This was associated with "earth occupation"
The Pomos believed that these spirits lived in sweat houses or dance houses in each end of the world. Sometimes these spirits could be evil and kill men but if they were properly treated they were benevolent.
The Pomos main belief though was that there was only one creator who made the world. They believed the creator was to be a coyote, the animal and a mythological trickster. All the Pomos believed there was once a time where the animals could speak and had human attributes as well as animals. But the animals eventually turned into their present forms.
The Pomo people are the indigenous people of Northern California. The Pomo territory in California is very large, ranging from the pacific coast to the west, and extending inland to clear lake and also mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point. The Pomo tribe originated in around the 1700's and named themselves Pomo which in their language means "people". Instead of the Pomo indians living as a whole tribe they lived in small tribes that ranged throughout northern California and linked themselves together through geography, language, lineage and other elements of culture.
According to the Pomo's the world contained 6 supernatural beings:
-Guksu which was said to live at the southern end of the world. The word Guksu means 'large mosquito' and is locally known as gallinipper. He was good natured as a whole. Healing was his speciality and Pomo medicine men and doctors made their prayers to him. He was a normal sized human with a long, large and sharp red nose.
-Calnis lived in the eastern end of the world and in dance ceremonies was associated with Guksu but Calnis was usually testy and liked to "trip people up".
-Suupadax lived at the northern end of the world and the word is associated with "whirlwind"
-Xa matutsi lived at the western end of the world and it represents the pacific ocean. This is a very important part of the Pomo mythology because of their location and how close they were to the Pacific ocean. The Pomos believed the world was bounded by the water.
-Kali Matutsi lived in the sky or the heavens above. This was associated with "sky occupation"
-Kai Matutsi lived in the earth and everything below. This was associated with "earth occupation"
The Pomos believed that these spirits lived in sweat houses or dance houses in each end of the world. Sometimes these spirits could be evil and kill men but if they were properly treated they were benevolent.
The Pomos main belief though was that there was only one creator who made the world. They believed the creator was to be a coyote, the animal and a mythological trickster. All the Pomos believed there was once a time where the animals could speak and had human attributes as well as animals. But the animals eventually turned into their present forms.