California Native American Indian Series

Chumash Tribe We are Californians. Some of us were born here. Some of us moved here. A few of us have ancestors who lived here for hundreds of generations. Those Native American or indigenous people of long ago lived in tribes with special customs, cultures, and practices. Each tribe was unique. The Chumash tribe was distinctive with its mild climate and abundant resources, detailed rock art, and craftsmanship. Location The Chumash tribe (pronounced chew' mosh) lived along the Southern California coast in what is now Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. They also inhabited three islands off the coast of Santa Barbara and as far east as the San Joaquin Valley. There were as many as 22,000 Chumash people in a territory of 7000 square miles. 1

What Makes Chumash Special Sometimes luck makes all the difference between survival and success. The Chumash were different from other tribes in some very fortunate ways. They had the best climate of all the California natives. Climate affects everything for people who rely so much on their natural environment. The temperate weather meant wild food was so plentiful that there was no need to grow it. This gave the tribe lots of extra time to develop other skills. Hundreds of years before the Spanish explorers arrived, ancient Chumash discovered caves in the hillsides, perfect for sacred ceremonies. They painted the walls with pictures of human figures, animals and designs. The rock art is still there today and is considered the best quality pictographs in North America. You can visit them near Santa Barbara. 2

Culture Complimented by the Spanish explorers for their intelligence, friendliness, and good nature, the Chumash were also good at languages. In fact, they had at least six of them! They called themselves "the first people." Chumash means "island people" which is the wrong word for people who mostly lived on the mainland. But the wrong name stuck and they've been known as Chumash ever since. Housing All tribes used local resources to build their homes. In Chumash villages, homes were constructed of willow branches and grass mats and shaped like a dome tent. Surprisingly, homes could be very large-- even up to 50 feet across. As many as 70 people could live inside using grass mat interior walls for privacy. Unlike other tribes, the Chumash slept on raised beds just like you! No village was complete without a sweathouse that men entered by climbing through a hole in the roof, a cemetery and a playing field for games. 3

Leadership The chief might rule over just one village or several, and could be male or female. It was a lifetime job with lots of responsibilities: declaring war, running ceremonies, giving permission for land use, entertaining visitors, caring for the poor, and deciding punishments. Needless to say, such an important person lived in the biggest house in the village. Because the Chumash had plenty of food, they had extra time to develop their craftsmanship skills. They were the finest boat builders of any tribe and built the only ocean-going canoe in North America. How they did it was a secret, but we know they used tar to seal the gaps between planks to make the boat water-tight. 4

Trade Their skills in woodworking and basket making were equally impressive. The craftsmen even organized into unions which improved their products, trading, and wealth. Everyone loved their quality goods and wanted to trade with the Chumash. What did they get in return? They received obsidian (a volcanic glassy rock for arrow tips), salt, herbs, and antelope and elk skins. Religion Like many tribes, the Chumash believed in supernatural beings. One creation legend describes three flat worlds sandwiched together like an Oreo cookie. The top cookie or layer was the home of the gods. The middle "filling" was earth where people lived. The bottom layer was the home of evil forces. Shamans, both male and female, were honored because they could communicate with these other worlds and spirits, cure sickness, and predict the weather and the future. 5

Chumash ceremonies were closely tied to the natural world and their relationship with it. They held ceremonies to ensure a good fall harvest or find favor at winter solstice for keeping stored foods safe. Dancing, singing, and music could last for several days. Although they made music with flutes, rattles, and whistles, there were no drums. Family Life Family life was filled with customs very different from our own. Brides were bought and paid for with beads and blankets. Babies had their noses flattened and were wrapped up tight from shoulders to toes and tied to a board on the mother's back for hours so she could work. Old people had the job of teaching kids. Girls learned how to gather and prepare food as well as make clothing and baskets. Boys were taught to hunt and fish in addition to making and repairing tools. For fun, everyone liked games. From ball games on the playing field to games of chance involving bets, the Chumash enjoyed themselves tremendously. 6

Food But life was not all play for the Chumash. They still needed to hunt fish and gather food. Their #1 food source was acorns. The tribes close to the ocean loved sea food and ate a lot of abalone. In the summer, berries were plentiful. But you may not like the Chumash special dessert, honeydew! Sounds yummy, right? Honeydew was actually the droppings (yes, it is what you think!) of aphids and whiteflies, collected and rolled into sticky balls. Sugary sweet and delicious! Clothing What did the Chumash wear in such nice weather? The men usually wore nothing. The women wore a double apron that they decorated with fringe and shells. They wore their hair long and tied back. For special occasions, women might wear tube shells through their nose and shell or bone necklaces and earrings. Each village had their own special designs that they painted on their bodies which made it easy to tell people apart at big gatherings. 7

Cultures Collide The rich culture and population of the Chumash tribe was destroyed by the Spanish mission system. Five missions were built in Chumash territory after the 1769 arrival of Gaspar de Portola. Within 50 years, 90% of the Chumash were dead from European diseases. Eventually, the Chumash were forced into reservations where every aspect of their lives was controlled by the U.S. government. By 1970 there were no full-blooded Chumash left. It was a sad end to a magnificent tribe. 9

Discussion Questions 1. What were some things that made the Chumash unique? They lived in a great climate, had lots of resources which gave them time to develop their craftsmanship and detailed rock art. 2. What was special about the caves the Chumash found? These caves were perfect for sacred ceremonies. They decorated the walls with painted pictures. You can still see this art in Santa Barbara today. 3. What did the Spanish explorers think of the Chumash? They thought they were intelligent, friendly and were good natured. They spoke at least six languages which showed their intelligence. 4. What resources did the Chumash use for housing? They used willow branches and grass mats on their houses. Their houses were really large and could hold up to 70 people. 5. If you were the Chumash leader what would you do? You could be a male or female, and it was a lifetime job. They had a lot of responsibilities including: declaring war, entertaining visitors, caring for the poor, punishments, deciding land use. 6. What special resource did the Chumash have access to? They had tar which they used to seal canoes to make them usable on the ocean. 7. What did the Chumash value? They valued obsidian, salt, herbs, and antelope and elk skins. They traded their woodworking and basket making goods for these things. 8. Describe the Chumash creation legend. The world is like a three layer sandwich, top layer is the home of the gods, the middle is where the people lived and the bottom layer is the home of evil forces. Shamans could communicate with these other layers. 9. What did boys and girls do in the tribe? The boys were taught to hunt and fish and learned how to repair tools. The girls learned how to gather and prepare food as well as make clothing and baskets. 10. What did the Chumash eat? They ate mostly acorns. They also ate a lot of seafood, berries in the summer and a special food called honeydew which is bug droppings. 11. How did the Chumash dress? The men usually wore nothing, the women a double apron that they decorated. They wore their hair long and tied back. They might wear jewelry and would paint special designs on their bodies for special occasions. 12. What happened to the Chumash over time? There are no full-blooded Chumash left due to the diseases brought by the Europeans. 9

Chumash Tribe There are many stereotypes about Native American tribes. Not all indigenous people lived in teepees, wore feathers in their hair, or scalped white settlers. Every tribe was unique. The Chumash tribe was distinctive with its mild climate and abundant resources, detailed rock art, and craftsmanship. Location The Chumash tribe (pronounced chew' mosh) lived along the Southern California coast in what is now Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. They also inhabited three islands off the coast of Santa Barbara and as far east as the San Joaquin Valley. There were as many as 22,000 Chumash people in a territory of 7000 square miles. 1

Name: Tribe: Where is your tribe located? What does your tribe eat? Describe your tribe s housing. Describe one of your tribe s ceremonies? Explain the purpose of the event. What does your tribe value? 1

Name: Tribe: Describe a myth, legend or belief of your tribe. What is something unique about your tribe. Write a paragraph about how your tribe uses their natural resources. 2

Name: Tribe: Describe a myth, legend or belief of your tribe. What is something unique about your tribe. Write a paragraph about how your tribe uses their natural resources. 4thgrade4ever 2

Thank you to Cat Lady Graphics for the wonderful Background. Follow us at : www.teacherspayteachers.com/st ore/4th-grade-4ever www.4thgrade4ever.blogspot.com We are twin teachers who create curriculum that we use in our own classrooms! 4thgrade4ever