Table of Contents
What natural resources did the Chumash tribe use?
The Chumash made great use of the abundant natural resources at their disposal. Their diet was rich in acorn meal, fish and shellfish, elderberry, bulbs, roots, and mustard greens. Their domed homes, called aps, were made with willow poles and tule rush.
What did the Chumash tribe farm?
The Chumash are a maritime culture, known as hunters and gatherers. Chumash people were not dependent upon farming, as were other Native American tribes. Acorns, seeds, bulbs, roots and nuts were seasonal staples, as was wild game, including bears, seals, otters, shellfish, deer and rabbits.
What did the Chumash Indians hunt?
The Chumash were skilled hunters and their diet reflected this. They hunted deer, bear and quail, and from these animals they made clothing, instruments and hunting tools. Along the rivers they hunted water fowl such as ducks, and also consumed fresh water fish.
What did the Chumash Indians use their natural environment for?
The ancestors found uses for almost every type of plant and animal available – for food, clothing, medicine, baskets, canoes, and tools. The natural environment inspired art (Chumash rock and cave art still exists today), beliefs, stories, ceremonies and songs.
Where did the Chumash Indians live in Santa Barbara?
The largest towns were built along the mainland coast near the Santa Barbara Channel. Some other Indian people had similar customs, but no other Native Americans lived in exactly the same way as the Chumash people.
Where did the Chumash people get their names?
Today many scholars believe that Chumash languages belong to their own language family. Many of the place names in the Santa Barbara area come from Chumash words, like Cuyama, Ojai , Castaic, Lompoc and Malibu.
Are there any Chumash caves still in use?
Many of the caves still exist today, protected by the National Parks system, and illustrate the spiritual bond the Chumash hold with our environment. As with most Native American tribes, the Chumash history was passed down from generation to generation through stories and legends.