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From the Wishtoyo Foundation:
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.
(Source: www.wishtoyo.org)
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