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In This Section... · Migration and Language · Trade · Houses · Crafts and Utensils · Money · Food · Salmon Magic · Coming of Age as a Shasta Girl Shamanism and Healing Treasures of Mt. Shasta Hidden Lakes of Mt. Shasta The Ghost Dance Why Mt. Shasta Erupted

Migration and Language

Following the standard theories of early migration from the north to the south, scientist once thought these people had come from the Oregon side of the Siskiyous mountain range that runs across the top of North California, and had migrated south. But a surprise met scientists when they began to classify the language groups of California and the Americas. The Shasta language comes from the same Hokan language group as the Chumash far to the south and out on the Channel Islands! This has lead anthropologists to suggest that perhaps the Shasta migrated from the south up to the north, making the Shasta the northernmost Hokan-speaking tribe in California.

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