
The
coastal portion of our indigenous homeland stretches from
Morro Bay in the north to Malibu Point in the south, and
encompasses the northern Channel Islands of Tuqan, Wi’ma,
Limuw, and ‘Anyapakh (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa
Cruz, and Anacapa). This great, elongated bowl with its
irregular rim of coastal mountain contains and nurtures
a breathtaking array of maritime habitats. The ancestors
of the autochthonous people of the region—we are now
known as Chumash—were so well-integrated into and
adapted to their habitats that they were able to thrive
here continuously and sustainably for some thirteen thousand
years before European contact.
As for
many indigenous maritime cultures, the canoe is central
to our understanding of who we are as a people on this specific
place on the earth. Until the missionization of the Chumash
people, our waters were filled with watercraft, especially
the redwood plank canoe, the tomol, among the most advanced
technological achievements of North America’s indigenous
peoples. Used for both fishing and transportation, these
elegant and versatile canoes wove together coastal and island
communities in a complex system of trade, kinship and a
resource stewardship that was sustained over thousands of
years.
The
old Brotherhood of the Canoe governed the manufacture and
use of the tomols until it was formally disbanded around
1834 because of the decimation of the people and the tomols.
However, 142 years later, in 1976, Helek (Peregrine Falcon)
was the first tomol to be built in modern times. Her design
based on ethnographic and historic accounts as well as archeological
data, she was paddled by a crew comprised of ten members
of the modern Brotherhood of the Tomol from Tuqan to Wi’ma
and then to Limuw in a grueling and much-celebrated journey.

The tomol,
‘Elye’wun (Swordfish), was built by the Chumash
community in 1996-97 under the leadership of the Chumash
Maritime Association. On September 8, 2001, ‘Elye’wun
made her first and historic crossing from the mainland to
Limuw, completing the island circle begun by Helek. This
crossing culminated in a cultural celebration with about
150 Chumash families and friends encamped on the island,
marking the first time for almost all of us to make this
return to an important origin place of our people.

On September
11, 2004, ‘Elye’wun again made the arduous journey
from mainland to the village of Swaxil (at the present day
location of Scorpion Valley) where some 200 Chumash and
other Native people were gathered to discuss issues affecting
Sacred Sites. The 2004 crossing was truly a milestone
for the community in that the crew landing ‘Elye’wun
were five Chumash youths aged 14 to 22, marking a significant
passing on of knowledge and experience to our young people.
These are part of the generation who are now accustomed
to the awesome sight of a traditional canoe in our home
waters, giving some of us older ones—who did not even
know to hope for such a thing in our own youth!—a
profound sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

As with
other coastal indigenous nations, Chumash people are restoring
our heritage of intimacy with the sea for the dual purpose
of protecting her and as a means of rediscovering our dignity
and identity as a people sprung from this place. Against
overwhelming odds, what we are seeing is a cultural spirit
so compelling that the tree once considered dead has sent
up strong, resilient shoots and branches. The resurgence
of the canoe is but one example, but one that stands as
an icon for what is happening in the hearts of many Chumash
people as we strengthen the knowledge of our heritage.
The 2004 Crossing was jointly sponsored by Barbareño
Chumash Council and Chumash Maritime Association with funding
from Seventh Generation Fund and others. Special thanks
are due to Jack Byer and support vessel Just Love; Bob Duncan
and support vessel Jack Tar; Channel Islands National Marine
Sanctuary’s Chris Mobley and Bob Schwemmer for support
vessel Xantu and camera; Ed Cassano, friend and skipper
par excellence; Channel Islands National Park’s Ann
Huston and especially staff at Scorpion Campground.
‘Elye’wun’s
2004 crew: Perry Cabugos (Captain), Marcus Lopez (Captain),
Michael Cordero, Roberta Cordero, Michael Cruz, Tom Lopez,
Rick Mendez, Oscar Ortiz, Reggie Pagaling, Alan Salazar,
Jacqueline Scheinert, Steve Villa, Mati Waiya. The Landing
Crew: Marcus V. O. Lopez (Captain), Tano Cabugos, Diego
Cordero, Jimmy Joe Navarro, Michael Sanchez
Bibliography
Cordero, J.,“Like I’d Been There Before, The
Tomol Brings Her
People Back into Balance,” News from Native
California, 1998,
Vol 2, No. 3, pp. 7-12.
Cordero, R., “Our Ancestors’ Gift Across Time,
A Story of Indig
enous Maritime Culture Resurgence, News from Native
California, 1998, Vol 2, No. 3, pp. 4-6.
Cordero, R. and G. Sanchez, “Full Circle, Chumash
peoples gather
on Santa Cruz Island to celebrate a historic tomol
crossing of
the Santa Barbara Channel,” News from Native
California, 2001,
Vol 15, No. 2, pp. 10-15.
Hudson, T., “At Sea with the Helek,” The Masterkey,
1977, pp.
59-65.
ed., Hudson, T., J. Timbrook and M. Rempe, Tomol:
Chumash
Watercraft as Described in the Ethnographic Notes
of John P.
Harrington, 1978, 190 pp.
Wilkinson, C., Messages from Frank’s Landing:
A Story of
Salmon, Treaties, and the Indian Way, 2000, 118 pp.