![]() ![]() Unfortunately, the arrival of the Spanish did not bode well for the native people nor the oaks of California. It was also a time for social connection during which the women could talk amongst themselves and share stories of their lives and even gossip. The preparation of acorns was not just fulfilling a necessity. Excess unground, shelled acorns could be stored up to 10 years. After the tannins were leached, the acorn flour was much sweeter and easier to eat and could be used to make soups, mush, and even bread (I myself love acorn bread). After being ground, the acorn flour would undergo the lengthy process of leaching the bitter tannins from the acorns which made them unpalatable. The women would then prepare the acorns by shelling them and using a mortar and pestle, grinding the acorns into a fine powder. During the acorn harvest, entire families would go out and collect the acorns of a large tree, which took about a day. ![]() The Ohlone people would dance amongst the oak groves each year to promote a good harvest. Their new year, a joyous occasion, was marked by the acorn harvest. Anthropologists estimate 75% of native Californians relied on acorns in their daily diet. Acorns were the primary food source for the Ohlone prior to the arrival of the Spanish and were held in high regard amongst the native people. Native oaks of California are ingrained in their society as a resource both physically and spiritually. The people native to Santa Clara Valley are known as the Ohlone, which is a name that encompasses 50 separate tribes ranging from the South Bay all the way down to Monterey. ![]()
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