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The California-Intermountain Indians lived in a culture where food was plentiful and the land was rich. Because of this, these Indians could find food easier than some of the other Indian cultures. The California Indians were hunters and gatherers. They gathered nuts, seeds, berries, roots, and hunted deer, rabbits, and game birds. The Indians of California lived in communities that had up to 2.000 people.
Their houses were arranged in groups. The houses were round frames covered with grass. There was a hole in the roof where light could enter. The beds were made on frames with skins to cover them. There were dividers between them so that if many people slept in one house they could not see each other. In the middle of the floor they made a fire for cooking seeds, fish and others. All of the California Indians were basket makers. They made baskets as large as 3 feet wide and as small as a thimble. Some of their baskets were covered with shells, others with feathers. They not only wove baskets, but hats, trays, cooking pots, boats, and baby carriers.
The Intermountain Culture, also known as the Great Bazin , was between California and the Rocky Mountains. This land was mostly desert land. There were large hills with valleys between them. In some of these valleys you could find an oasis that contained water, plants, and wildlife. Because of the desert-like environment, it was difficult for these Indians to find food. So they had to move constantly. Because of this, their homes were temporary structures. Winter was the hardest season because of the lack of food. During the summer the Indians would gather rice grass. September was the best month because the Indians moved to the sides of the hills to gather pine nuts.
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