Wassama Round House is a fascinating and circular lodge that was rebuilt after being burned following the death of each ruling chief. The mystical house and land have a Native American heritage dating its past to the 1860s. The spiritual Wassama Round House is a special place for cultural gatherings of Chukchansi Yokuts and Southern Sierra Miwoks located in California’s Madera County on the edge of the Sierra Nevada National Forest and a few miles west of Yosemite.

The sacred dance house carries an air of spiritual reverence. Once inside, you can imagine the place transformed through ceremonial dancers in traditional native clothing made with beautiful craftsmanship for the special Gathering Day Ceremony. Wassama translates to “leaves falling,” a gentle and peaceful way of life for 8,000 years until 1849 when the California gold rush created an influx of Americans and Europeans.

The Wassama Round House is a living legacy of the long-ago traditions of native Californians.