The
Chumash and Gabrielino-Tongva peoples were the first human inhabitants
of the Channel Islands and Santa Monica Mountains areas. They are
known to have lived here for thousands of years; numerous
archaeological sites have been uncovered in the past decade.
There were about 20,000 Chumash living in an area that covered
California's coast from Malibu in the South, to San Luis Obispo in the
North. The successful livelihood of the Chumash people was based upon
their subsistence upon the available natural resources - plants,
animals and fish, and their sustainable ways of utilizing these
resources. They found use for almost every type of plant and animal
available - for food, clothing, medicine and tools. Their environment
inspired their art (Chumash rock and cave art still exists today),
their beliefs, stories, ceremonies and songs. The rich history and
lifeways of the Chumash people is preserved in those art forms, which
were passed down to the children of each generation.
The Chumash were a maritime culture, known as hunters and gatherers.
Their boats - canoes, called tomols, enabled them to fish and trade,
traveling up and down the coast to other villages. Tomols were usually
constructed from redwood logs. The Chumash were not dependent upon
farming, as were other Native American tribes. Acorns, seeds, bulbs,
roots and nuts were abundant, as were wild game, including bears,
seals, otters, shellfish, deer and rabbits.
Chumash homes were called aps, and were constructed of local plant
materials. Baskets and mats were woven, and bones and plants were used
for tools and clothing. The Chumash were extremely innovative and
resourceful, and found uses for everything that was available,
including each part of almost every plant.
The Chumash also developed a variety of games, which were designed to
teach the young about sportsmanship and skills useful for hunting and
making crafts. Stories were told to teach the children about their
relationship with nature, and their cultural and religious beliefs.
The Chumash culture was one of the most unique and advanced in the
continent, and there is much to learn from a people who understood the
relationship between humankind and earth's natural resources; they
both feared and respected the natural world, for they knew their lives
depended on it for survival.
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