Chumash

The Chumash people lived for centuries along the California coast between Malibu and San Luis Obispo and the Channel Islands, depending on the natural world for food, clothing and shelter.

The Chumash Indians of southern California were once the largest cultural group among the western tribes. But 'reduction' by Spanish, Mexican, and American invaders of California greatly reduced their numbers. Today, only the Samala subdivision of the Chumash are legally recognized by the federal government.

The Chumash Indians Native People of Southern California
Chumash Indian Interpretive Center Oakbrook Regional Park Chumash Interpretive Center
Wishtoyo: The Home of the Chumash Wishtoyo is the Chumash word for rainbow and, like the native legend telling of the arrival of the first Chumash settlers in California on a rainbow bridge from Santa Cruz Island, Wishtoyo is a bridge, preserving the wisdom of the ancient Chumash culture and linking it to present day environmental issues.