Transcript People of Orange County

People of Orange
County
The
Gabrielino Indians
About the People
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Widely known as thoughtful people
Called themselves the Tongva
Original inhabitants of Upper Newport Bay
Found from Malibu to Aliso Creek
Spanish named them Gabrielinos
because they live close to San Gabriel
Mission
Location of the
Gabrielino People
Shelter
• Spent most of their lives
outdoors
• Homes were called kish and
used only for sleeping and
shelter from poor weather
• Made with willow poles, tule
grass, and cattail leaves
• Smoke hole on top for
indoor cooking
• Animal skins for doors and
• sleeping mats
Food
• Used natural resources available
at or near Upper Newport Bay
• Plants, seeds, berries, and fruits
made up largest part of their diet
• Acorns, a staple of their diet,
were collected from oak trees as
nearby as present day Tustin.
• The ocean provided fish,
shellfish, and other food items.
• Especially enjoyed abalone
• Hunted animals around the bay
area
• Also ate reptiles and insects
• Most of their time was spent
hunting or gathering food.
Food Preparation
• Knowledge of plants was important to Tongva
women because some were poisonous!
• Utensils were very important. Each woman had
her own set.
• When a woman died, her utensils were buried
with her.
• Bowls made from soapstone that came from
Catalina Island could be placed right in the fire!
Roles of Men and
Women
• Roles were very strict
• Women gathered and prepared food.
• Men were involved in hunting,
trading, and craft-making.
• Little clothing was necessary due to
the mild climate.
• Men and women wore accessories for
decoration and status.
Baskets
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Main tool used to prepare food
Tongva women were expert weavers
So finely woven they were water tight
Used as huge storage bins
Gabrielino Baskets
Hunting
• Men were responsible for
hunting, fishing, and making
tools.
• They designed fish hooks from
abalone shells or other animal
bones.
• Used any available resource to
make scrapers, hammers, drills,
and other tools.
• Tools were continually improved
Trading
• Trading took place between the
Tongva and other tribes.
• Soapstone and otter skins were
obtained from Catalina.
• Obsidian, acorns, and large game
were obtained from as far east as the
Salton Sea.
• Canoes used to trade with
the Chumash of Catalina.
Religion and Government
• Loose form of government
• Male member gained permission
to act as leader
• Sometimes women were allowed
to lead
• Shaman was the religious leader
• Included the teaching of morals
• Tongva were a peaceable, kind
people
Gabrielinos Then and Now
• When missions arrived in Ca.,
Tongva culture gradually began to
disappear.
• The Tongva were wiped out by
diseases, murder, and destruction
of the environment.
• Most of what is learned about the
Tongva comes from information
and artifacts they left behind.