entered the Valley. One of the prospectors had lured his comrades there to kill them and take possession of a mine they held in partnership. He had incited the Yosemites to kill the intruders, arranging his escape and letting the blame fall on them. Late in the summer of 1853, Tenaya and some of the men of his band were playing a hand bone game with some Mono Indians. The gambling became tense and a fight broke out which ended with Tenaya being struck in the head with a rock crushing his skull along with several others of his band killed as well. As was their custom, they were cremated and wailing was heard for two weeks. After the death of their leader, the few remaining members dispersed between Mono Lake and to the near west. Legacy Tenaya Lake was named after Tenaya. Tenaya Middle Schools in Fresno, California and Merced, California are named after him. An elementary school in Groveland, California is also named after Chief Tenaya. See also History of the Yosemite area References External links The Yosemite Indians Discovery of the Yosemite by Lafayette Bunnell The Last Survivor by H. J. Taylor contains an account of the last survivor of Tenaya's original tribe. 1910 Miwok tribal area map Map of Miwok territory by noted California Anthropologist C. Hart Merriam. Historic Yosemite Indian chiefs - with photos Native American leaders History of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Yosemite National Park Mono tribe Paiute people 1853 deaths Year of birth unknown Deaths by stoning