Well, the Natives here were enslaved here in The Mission System. Had to work the fields and such.
But tribes up here had a form of slavery amongst themselves. That is how you "paid" for a bride. If the family had status you had to go though a period of indentured service to them as payment for her.
A form of human trafficking also happened up here. When I was a young man I made a trip to Weitchpec on the reservation and ended up playing cards with some old Indian men.
My mom is 1/2 Yurok so I am 1/4.
After I asked the oldest guy about Bigfoot ( we were about 10 miles from where the Patterson video was taken, I made a trip to that spot also) they started talking about the old days. These men were raised the old way, in the 1920s-30s this area was still "wild".
They spoke about their forefathers going on "women raiding trips". Down the mountain ridges south where the old trading locations were and cutting west over to what is now Shelter Cove. Staying away from what is now Arcata-Eureka-Fortuna-Scotia,
And taking young girls back with them, stealing them.
It kept the gene pool more diverse. But women in the culture were considered property in a way.
But it is interesting the family name does not follow the males as in our culture. It followed the females.
Maybe it was some way to even thing out so to speak.
