Native Americans, also referred to as American Indians, are an ethnic group composed of those with ancestry from any of the various indigenous peoples of the Americas.
Over a thousand years before Davis existed, the Native Americans who inhabited the region called themselves Patwin and spoke the River-Patwin dialect of a Wintuan language. As the name suggests, the River-Patwin peoples lived on the banks of the Sacramento River and the nearby creeks. At least one Patwin tribe, Puttoy, lived along Putah Creek (Patwin: Liwaito), and there is evidence that other tribes frequently visited the area. By 1833, the majority of River-Patwin had died of illness, and within the next few years, survivors typically became displaced in inhospitable lands or were forced to go to Catholic Missions.
From 2006 to 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 1.1% of the total Davis population was Native American.
Native American Resources
UC Davis Resources
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
- Native American Student Union (NASU)
- Natives Empowered Through Unity and Education (NE'UE)
- Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in the Sciences (SACNAS)
