THE TWO WORLDS OF THE WASHO

Social Organization & Group Systems

The Washo cultural social organization consisting of kinship patterns, marriage patterns, and /or forms of organization are described. Society functions in a manner such that its members are able to survive; social organization provides a framework in which children can be born and raised by parental traditions. The Washo social organization is examined in terms of a series of groups based on the family, a single unit (38).

Family is described as the social unit responsible for producing and raising children. Family was also an economic unit; it moved in search of food. Most families held at least five members, some a dozen, and relationships within the family varied. The family unit was identified by a single dwelling place; usual dwellers were a man, his wife, and their children. A widow or widower might be the head of the household. Brothers and sisters with spouses were also found in a single househ

. . .
irl to a woman required many people (girl's dance). Some subsistence activities were more productive if many people cooperated; hostile neighbors had to be fought against. When food was plentiful, groups would gather together, however, the Washo could not live together for long or the food supply would not last (17, 23-24, 38, 42). The Washo family has remained a constant throughout time. The family social unit has remained to produce, nurture, and train their children. A bunch consisted of several households, that lived and moved together according to needs for food; formation, dissolution, and re-formation were a response to environmental requirements and that which occurred with individual members (deaths, accidents). A bunch would have a leader; a leader may be a descendant of another leader or a man with special power. Bunches ceased to exist around the 1920s (45-46). Family members joined with others when the environment demanded tasks that could not be done without help. Men within a bunch formed hunting parties. Men from different bunches may align to fight an enemy. If the environment could no longer provide for a bunch, it would break up to survive and families may rejoin at a later time or join with another
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Lake Tahoe, Systems Washo, Religion Washo, Washo Siblings, Divisions Washo, Conclusion Washo, California Nevada, social organization, family unit, worlds washo, economic unit, washo social, winter camp, Rinehart Winston, Tribe California, Worlds Washo, washo indian tribe, washo social organization, 42 washo, children widow, subsistence activities, cultural social, indian tribe california, economic political belief, tribe california nevada,
Approximate Word count = 1786
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)