Native Americans

 

Angel Island is within the ancestral territory of the Coast Miwok, specifically the Huimen [Hu-e-men (‘e’ as in eel)] tribe. The Coast Miwok are today represented by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (FIGR). FIGR represents both Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo descendants of Marin and Sonoma Counties. Many groups of Ohlone and other tribes would likely have been present on the bay as it’s such a major resource and boundary area, and others may have also occasionally used the island maybe with or without Coast Miwok permission.

Native American use of the island began some two thousand or more years ago, when people began to populate the San Francisco Bay Area. Coast Miwoks, who lived in what is now Marin County, reached the island with boats made from tule reeds. Some of these boats could carry eight to ten people. Though they tended to become waterlogged after prolonged use, these boats were adequate for short trips because their lightness made them fast and maneuverable. Long poles were used to propel the boats in shallow water; double-ended paddles were used in deep water. 

The Miwok people established camps at what we know today as Ayala Cove, Camp Reynolds, Fort McDowell, and the Immigration Station. Using the island as a seasonal hunting ground, they were experts in fishing, hunting deer, seals, sea lions, and sea otter. Several kinds of fish and shellfish were available year-round, and salmon and other highly prized fish were seasonally plentiful. The annual spawning runs were made through Raccoon Strait just offshore from Angel Island. The Miwok people also hunted ducks and other sea fowl, and gathered acorns, buckeyes, and other seed crops, as well certain roots and leaves, in order to round out their varied diet.

Stewardship of the island began with the Miwok people when, among other practices, they encouraged the growth of native oak trees and other plantlife by introducing prescribed fires. Today, parks staff continues this practice by supervising prescribed burns to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic fires at the park.