Tsunami - 9th grade: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 9:47AM PST (-0800 GMT)
To Agua Caliente Museum: What kind of artifacts have been found in the canyon.

Ayami- 6th grade: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 9:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Is there rock art in the canyon?

Morgan - 2nd grade: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 9:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What are the oldest habitats you have found in or near the canyon?

Paradise Home School : . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 9:52AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is being done to keep alive the culture of original people in your region?

Morgan - 2nd grade: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 9:52AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How old geologically is the canyon?

Tsunami - 9th grade: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 9:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
To the Museum: What was the main diet of the inhabitants of the Canyon?

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:01AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Tsunami - 9th Grade A wide variety of artifacts have been found in the canyons and desert locations in the Palm Springs area. Intact pottery jars are still found hidden in rock shelters where food and water supplies may have been stored. Thre are many grinding stones used for food preparation. Bedrock mortars are deep holes in large rock outcroppings where "manos" and pestles were used to crush and grind mesquite beans, acorns, and many other seeds for meal and flour. Arrow points, pottery sherds, shell, stone and glass trade beads, arrow shaft straighteners, and bone awls for basketry are some of the other artifacts found. Ginger Ridgway (Jenny is taking a group of students for a hike in the canyons this morning!)

Timothy: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:01AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We'll try an upload of a photo from a Camp expedition to Palm Canyon

Marcy, Camp Counselor: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We have been studying that the Cahuilla tribe had three main areas where they lived - mountains, passes, and desert valley. Which of these have the Agua Caliente band lived in ? and still do ?

sherie higgins: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how did the Cahuilla Indians travel prior to the arrival of horses in the canyon?

Marcy, Camp Counselor: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:04AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Does it ever snow in Palm Canyon ? How cold does it get and yet the palms still live there ?

Paradise Home School : . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:04AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Does the museum have storytelling or other dramatization of Native People's myths, legends and histories?

Silvia - Camp Internet: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How are the Palm Trees groomed? Did early inhabitants rely on nature to knock down old growth or was a special technique used to keep the Palm Trees trim? And howabout today? Does the park maintain the trees?

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:10AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Tsunami - 9th Grade The main diet of the Cahuilla people who lived in and near the canyons consisted of seeds, berries, blossoms, deer, rabbit, rodents, lizards, snakes, etc. Mesquite and acorns were the most important foods. Mrsquite grows in the desert and the pods were eatern green in the spring and when dried, ground into meal and flour to make cakes and to thincken stews. It is called honely mesquite because of its slightly sweet taste. The Agua Caliente people today make pumpkin mesquite bars using the flour. Acorns were gathered in the mountains about this time of year and were stored and used all year. Each clan had their own gathering and hunting territories. Ginger Ridgway

Camp Team: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
another photo from Camp's expedition to the Canyon.

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Morgan - 2nd grade The oldest sites found in the area near the canyons dates back at least 3000 years. There is some new archaological evidence that suggests that the Cahuilla may have been here as much as 5000 years ago. The Cahuilla people's legends tell them that they have always been here. Ginger Ridgway

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:18AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Ayami - 6th grade Yes, there is rock art in the canyons, especially in Andreas Canyon. There is a large rock shelter under a huge slab of fallen rock and the ceiling and walls inside are covered with rock art designs. They are quite old and faded now. We don't know how old because there isn't really a good method for performing dating tests on them.There are also many rock art sites in other locations in the desert and up in the mountains near Idyllwild including one used for girls' coming-of-age ceremonies. Most Cahuilla rock art designs are abstract...grids, diamonds, chains of diamonds, circles, etc. Occasionally there are animals and people and these are probably nat as old as the others. Ginger Ridgway

Ayami- 6th grade: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:18AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is the most common type of sheler used by early inhabitants that you have found remains of?

Will: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:20AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Was there warfare between tribal groups in the desert region?

Paradise Home School : . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:21AM PST (-0800 GMT)
what is the most common type of rock / mineral in the canyon?

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:24AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Paradise Home School Much is being done to keep the cultural traditions of the Cahuilla people alive today while they still continue to live as all other people. There are few who still speak the language but there are some classes for those who want to learn. There are 8 Cahuilla reservations of which the Agua Caliente is one. Each is different in many ways. Each has its own sovereign nation status and government. The largest has about 650 members, the smallest only 3. They are located from Banning to Anza and Warner Hot Springs. Some have retained their traditional practices more than others. There are a few people who still make traditional basketry and pottery and our museum has classes to teach these crafts. The Cahuilla tribes hold pow wows, festivals, and other community gatherings where traditional bird songs and dances are performed. There is always good attendance when talks, campouts, field trips, etc. are given about Cahuilla history and culture. These traditional practices continue and new ones develop too. Ginger Ridgway

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Morgan - 2nd grade and Paradise Home School You guys have got me on the geology questions! I'm an archaeologist and museum curator and geology is not my area of expertise! I don't know how old the canyons are geologically...sorry. I'm also not very knowledgeable about the rocks and minerals, except that the large rock formations are primarily sandstone and granite.Ginger Ridgway

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Will There wasn't much warfare among the Cahuilla people and their neighbors,the Serrano, Chemehuevi, Luiseno,and Kumeyaay. The tribes along the Colorado river in Arizona were another story. They caused the others some problems, though there are no records of major wars. However, when the spanish and Mexicans came to the area, there were some fights to keep them from taking Indian land. You might want to look up accounts of the Anza and Romero expeditions. Among the Cahuilla themselves fights sometimes occurred when someone trespassed on hunting and gathering territories. Ginger Ridgway

Ayami- 6th grade: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What are the artifacts you have found made out of. I'm curious if there are stone tools, wooden tools, etc.

Timothy - Camp: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the Cahuilla trade with coastal groups like the Chumash?

Carol: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:36AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is your main job as a curator at the Museum?

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Marcy the Agua Caliente were one band of Cahuilla Indians that lived inthe Palm Springs area. Their villages were located from Chino Canyon in the west to the area around present day Rancho Mirage and Cathedral City. They were considered Pass Cahuilla because of their proximity to the San Gorgonio pass but lived in a desert environment much like the Desert Cahuilla bands farther east. However, they all had their own territories in the mountians wherethey went seasonally tohunt and gather acrons and pinyon nuts so they had temporary camp sites there. The Agua Caliente today occupy their reservation land which is a checkerboard of every other even numbered section (square mile) of land in Palm Springs and parts of Rancho Mirage and Cathedral City. The reservation land is indistinguishable from the surrounding land. Ginger

Oaks Middle School: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is the most valued and or interesting artifact that you have at the museum.

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Sheri Higgins The Cahuilla used the most convenient form of transportation avaialable...their feet. There were no native animals suitable for transportation before horses and the sandy desert and rocky mountains made such things as wagons, travois, etc. very impractical. Ginger

Timothy - Camp: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Welcome online Oaks Middle School Expedition Team.

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Sheri Higgins The Cahuilla used the most convenient form of transportation avaialable...their feet. There were no native animals suitable for transportation before horses and the sandy desert and rocky mountains made such things as wagons, travois, etc. very impractical. Ginger

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Carol My job as curator at the museum has many tasks. I am responsible for taking care of the artifacts including safe storage, thorough record keeping, and researching information about them. I also design and install exhibits showing our artifacts, photographs, and other things to tell the history and culture of the Cahuilla. I write the museum newsletter, speak to schools and other groups, lead field trips to rock art sites and the canyons, and lots of miscellaneous duties. It's a great job! Ginger

Marcy, Camp Counselor: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Does it ever snow in Palm Canyon ? How cold does it get and yet the palms still live there ?

Marcy, Camp Counselor: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do you know if there were permanent year round villages in the mountains where the early Cahuilla lived ? Or were those seasonal sites for food gathering and hunting ?

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 10:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Oak Middle School What is the most interesting artifact we have at the museum? This is a hard questions because everyone has a different opinion! We have some very beautiful baskets with wonderful designs but I think the ancient tools used to make them are more interesting. We have some bone awls made from animal bone; one I especially like is made from the foot bone of a Bighorn sheep.It was used to punch the holes to sew the juncus reed through. "Another interesting item is a pottery "olla" or water jar that a packrat chewed through and made her home in. Lots of people think that the arrowheads are the most interesting. Ginger

Oaks Middle School: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 11:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What education and experience do you need to work in a museum? And, is the job rewarding and does it pay well? Does the job require traveling?

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 11:13AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Paradise Home School The museum occasionally has events where the bird songs and dances are performed. These songs tell the stories that the bird told of the beginnings of the Cahuilla world. Sone of the songs are sacred and used only for religious ceremonies and others are social songs. They sound like chants accompanied by gourd rattles. The dances consist only a few steps forward and back while singing. I don't know of any cases where there have been dramatizations of legends. The Cahuilla legends are very long and complex but it would be interesting to see parts of them enacted. Ginger

Oaks Middle School: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 11:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Oaks Middle School is leaving for lunch. Thank you for the great information!

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 11:25AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: Timothy - Camp Yes, there was much trade with coastal groups as well as groups to the east in Arizona. The Cahuilla traded with the coastal peoples for steatite (soapstone) for arrow shaft straighteners which could withstand heating in fires to steam and shape the arrow shaft. It was also used for bowls and ornaments. Obisidian for arrowpoints and knives was available at Obsidian Butte at the south end of the Salton Sea but was not the high quality aavailable from the Coso range and Mono Lake areas of northrn California. Shells were another common trade item with coastal peoples. They were used as money,beads and other ornaments. Trade networks often included a chain of people from the original source to the final user. Trade was very important for materials as well as for communication between tribes. Ginger

: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 11:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
TO: All of you This has been fun for me! Your questions were excellent ones. I hope you're enjoying your study of the Cahuilla as much as I enjoy their culture,history, and working with the Agua Caliente people today. They are wonderful! I hope I have answered all the questions you sent...this is my first time doing this. Your photos of the canyons are beautiful. It makes me wish I were out there right now! Ginger Ridgway for the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

Marcy, Camp Counselor: . . . . Wed, Nov 17, 11:41AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Thanks everyone for participating today - and commendations to Ginger for whom this was the first live chat - it went very well. Later this afternoon we will start our Rock Art Dig, so meet us back here soon !

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