Southern Coastal Natives

From My Class Wiki

The Chumash, Gabrielino, Luiseno, and Kumeyaay were tribes in the Southern coast of California. These Indian groups lived in a warm and dry desert like place. They depended on nature’s resources. These Natives were one of the first Californian to settle.

Tribes in southern California used many natural resources to get the necessary things they needed. There were lots of trees in the coast , but most of the tall trees like redwoods grew only in the northern coast. Trees were made into plank boats and houses. Deer antlers and stones were carved into tools and clamshell holders. These Indians depended on their natural resources to survive.

Mussels, abalones, clams, and plants were some of the foods that the Chumash ate. Acorn was another important kind of food. The Gabrielinos fished and caught sea animals. The Luiseno, and the Kumeyaay set fire to burn old brush, so the animals that they hunted had more food to eat. There were many kinds of food the Indians ate.

Indians lived in different kinds of shelter. Most tribes like the Yuroks and Hupas built rectangular plank homes, but the Chumash lived in a drier climate so they built their homes from brush and grass. Chumash tribes made their homes by sticking long poles into the ground and laying it with dry plants. Tribes made homes with resources they had in the area they lived.

(Charles November 18, 2008)