Chumash Courage: A Story of California Indians Before 1492

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1 Chumash Courage: A Story of California Indians Before 1492 By Helen Elliot Bandini Adapted by Al M. Rocca

2 The Digital Screen Reader (DSR) is designed to be read electronically on computers and hand-held electronic devices. Permission is hereby given to use this version of the book on multiple computers and devices in one classroom or home. This product may not be reproduced or copied in any form, written or electronic, in more than one classroom or home without written permission from the publisher. Product No. RP 108DSR ISBN Original Text: The History of California (Chapter 2: The Story of the Indians), ca Author: Helen Elliot Bandini Adapting author: Rocca, Al M. Chumash Courage: A Story of California Indians Before 1492 Fiction, 39 pages 1. Chumash Courage Juvenile Literature (fiction) Copyright 2008 Renown Publishing Redding California Clip Art courtesy of Desk Gallery, Zedcor, Inc All other photos are used with permission from the Library of Congress i

3 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Cleeta and Muhuwi 1 Chapter 2 The Elk Hunt 6 Chapter 3 The Chumash Village 10 Chapter 4 An Offering to the God, Chinigchinich 18 Chapter 5 Macana and her Family at Work and Play 23 ii

4 Chapter 1 Cleeta and Muhuwi "Run, Cleeta, run, the waves will catch you." Cleeta scudded away, her naked little body shining like polished mahogany. She was fleet of foot, but the incoming breakers from the great, blue Pacific Ocean ran faster still. The little Indian girl was caught in its foaming water, rolled over and over, and cast upon the sandy beach, half choked, yet laughing with the fun of it. "Foolish Cleeta, you might have been drowned. That was a big wave. What made you go out so far?" said Muhuwi, the elder sister. "I found such a lot of mussels, great big ones, I wish I could go back and get them," said the little one, looking anxiously at the turbulent water. "The waves are coming in higher and higher and it is growing late," said Muhuwi. She continued, "Besides, I have more mussels already than you and I can well carry. The boys have gone toward the river mouth for clams. They will be sure to go home the other way." Cleeta ran to the basket and looked in. 1

5 Cleeta and Muhuwi 2 "I should think there were too many for us to carry," she said, as she tried with all her strength to lift it by the carry straps. "What will you do with them; throw some back into the water?" "No, I don't like to do that," answered her sister, frowning, "for it has been so long since we have had any. The wind and the waves have been too high for us to gather any. Look, Cleeta, look; what are those out on the water? I do believe they are boats." "No," said the little girl, "I see what you mean, but boats never go out so far as that." "Not tule boats," said Muhuwi, "but big thick canoe-boats made out of trees; that is the kind they have at Santa Catalina, the island where uncle lives. It has been a long time since he came to see us, not since you were four years old, but mother is always looking for him." The children gazed earnestly seaward at a fleet of boats which were making for the shore. "Do you think it is uncle?" asked Cleeta. "Yes," replied her sister, uncertainly, "I think it may be." Then, as the sunlight struck full on the boats "Yes, yes, I am sure of it, for one is red, and no on else has a boat of that color; all others are brown." "Mother said he would bring abalone when he came," cried Cleeta, dancing from one foot to the

6 Cleeta and Muhuwi 3 other; "and she said they are better than mussels or anything else for soup." "He will bring fish," said Muhuwi, "big shining fish with yellow tails." "Mother said he would bring big blue ones with hard little seams down their sides," said Cleeta. Meantime the boats drew nearer. The boats were made of logs hollowed out until they were fairly light, but still seeming too clumsy for safe seagoing craft. In each were several men. One sat in the rear and steered, the others knelt in pairs, each man helping propel the boat by means of a stick some four feet long, more like a pole than a paddle, which he worked with great energy over the short, thick sides of the canoe. "I am afraid of them," said Cleeta, drawing close to her sister. "They do not look like the people I have seen. Their faces are the color of the kah-hoom mother weaves in her baskets. There are only three like us, and they all have such strange clothes." "Do not be afraid," said Muhuwi. "I see uncle; he is one of the dark ones like ourselves. The island people have yellow skins." The time was the year 1540, and the Indians were the Californians of that day. The men in the boat were mostly from the island of Santa Catalina. They were fairer, with more regular features, than the inhabitants of the mainland, who in southern