John Anderson : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 8:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Good Morning: I am writing from north Idaho, where we just had a deep snow and all the trees are covered with white. Hope you have some rain by now, and are ready to talk about ethno-astronomy.

John Anderson : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 8:52AM PST (-0800 GMT)
ETHNO-ASTRONOMY My research includes the study of ethno-astronomy and archieo-astronomy but my focus is on ethno-astronomy. I have worked with the Chumash Indians for almost twenty years, studying their history and culture including their studies of the heavens. The Chumash were excellent astronomers, and the field of ethno-astronomy is interested in how their astrononomical observations influenced their cultural beliefs. ARCHIEO-ASTRONOMY The Chumash maintained various astronomical observatories. One exampe are the solstice observatories which included rock art paintings in caves, which had 'windows' cut in a wall so that the rising sun on the morning of the solstice would shine through the 'window' and light up a special solstice symbol on the cave wall. Archieo-astronomy includes the study of such caves, and other physical features used to observe the sky. When I have questions about a specific site, I contact archaeologists who study them, such as Dr. William Hyder who is a specialist in rock art.

John Anderson : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:04AM PST (-0800 GMT)
EXAMPLE OF ETHNO-ASTRONOMY My book called The Chumash House of Fate is a study in ethno-astronomy. I have a background in philosophy and am especially interested in the way that the Chumash astronomical observations influenced their religious beliefs. In this book, I discuss the five leading gods of the ancient Chumash. M.S. Qilikutayiwit, a Samala Chumash woman from the Santa Ynez reservation community, described these five gods to John Harrington of the Smithsonian Institution, in the earlier part of this century. The five gods were the Moon (a neutral judge) who ruled over two teams of gods. One team was the Eagle and the Sun. And their rival team was led by Coyote, with Morning Star as a helping god. Every night, the Chumash believed, these deities competed with one another in a cosmic struggle which determined the fate of humanity. Coyote and Morning Star were sympathetic to the needs of humans, and thus were seen as kindly deities.

Paradise HomeSchool: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
To Dr. Anderson from Paradise HomeSchool: Do you feel the Medicine Wheels located in North America and other parts of the world represent an important area of study for serious Astronomy students?

Paradise HomeSchool: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dr. Anderson: Is there a difference between the Astronomy, as a science, studied and worked with by Native Americans and the Astronomy studied in a conventional college astronomy course?

Marcy, Camp Counselor: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Good Morning Dr. Anderson - we have posted some information on our web site about a few of the constellations the Chumash named in the sky and their role in their mythology. I found that Altair in the Constellation Aquila was considered to be the Land of the Dead, reached after corssing the Milky Way. I have also found a Chinese story about Altair, how it crosses over the milky way in our view to meet with Lyra, once a year and was wondering if the Chumash have any story you know of that mentions this phenomenae ? And what else can you tell us about their view of this heavenly paradise where the souls regenerate before returning to earth ? and lastly - is Point Conception widely recognized by all cumash as the gateway to the afterlife ? Or only to certain villages / bands ?

Ms. Glenn: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Good Morning Mr. Anderson. We thank you for spending your time with us this morning! We also had a little snow yesterday and today some frost. This is strange for us and exciting too. Well here we go. I am hoping for some interesting questions from these wonderful students.

Marcy, Camp Counselor: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The Camp Internet totem is Coyote - good to hear he represents a favorable ally in the heavens too. In fact the Camp includes Coyote stories in the Coyote Storytelling center - can you share any more with us today that we can add to the Center ?

Crystal Lorena Christina: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What kind of beliefs did the chumash have in stars?

John Anderson : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
MEDICINE WHEELS: I think that most astronomers agree that some of the medicine wheels were observatories. Perhaps all were, but no consensus has been reached on that issue.

John Anderson : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Marcy: I have a number of favorite Chumash stories about Coyote, because he is such an interesting character. One appears in my book called Enememe's Friends. In this story, Coyote swims out to Limu (Santa Cruz) island where he picks a poppy flower from the vast fields of poppies. He brings it back to the mainland and presents it to the wife of an important Chumash leader in the Ventura area. You can find this and other Coyote stories in December's Child, a collection edited by Thomas Blackburn. It is in many libraries, and the Coyote and poppy story is on page 156.

Crystal Lorena Christina: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:22AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the chumash pray to the stars.

Michael,Coder,Cynthia: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:22AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the gods in the sky want something good or bad to happen to the Chumash?

John Anderson : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:23AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Crystal Lorena Christina: The Chumash astronomers were careful observers of the stars, and they had names for both stars and constellations. Travis Hudson, who was the Curator of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, wrote a book on Chumash astronomy called Crystals in the Sky. Ernest Underhay wrote it with him. It includes a lot of information about the star lore of the Chumash. My interest in the stars is less on the science end and more on the religious end of things. Like many ancient peoples, the Chumash believed that the stars were souls. They also believed that when they died, their souls would appear in the sky on the Milky Way which was a pathway of the souls to the heavens.

Marcy, camp counselor: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:24AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Here is a story aout the stars from Coyote's storytelling place on the Camp web ............ Coyote and the Six Sisters...... following a recount by Jesus Juaro ...... Six sisters were married to Mountain Lion. Lion was a good hunter but Coyote coveted his wives and wanted to steal them. He decided to kill Lion, so he told him that there was a deer grazing near the edge of a steep ravine. When Lion went to hunt the deer Coyote followed him and, sneaking up behind him, he pushed Lion to his death. ....... Coyote then went to visit the six sisters. " Why are you girls sad?" he asked, feigning innocence. The girls explained that they were upset because Lion has not returned from his hunt. Coyote offered to stay with the girls and hunt for them, and so he became their husband.... After Coyote had lived with the girls for a while he became ill. Feeling death approaching, he instructed the girls to burn his body on a pyre after he was gone. The girls obeyed his wishes, but Coyote was a mischievous character, and as soon as his body was placed on the pyre he revived. ....... The sisters were unhappy living with Coyote, and when he came back to life they tried desperately to escape. " If we turn into palo ( into a stick ) he will be breaking us, water ( and he ) will be heating us. Better to go (in)to (the) sky, one proposed." They agreed that going into the sky was their only chance of getting away, so one day while Coyote was hunting rabbits they made their escape....... Coyote was surprised to discover the girls missing, and he looked everywhere for them with no success. Then one day, thirsty from his long search, Coyote lowered his head to drink from a pool of water. Reflected in the calm waters of the pond were the sister’s faces showing their teeth as they smiled down at him. Coyote tried to catch the girls but he could not. Today Coyote is a red star ( the star Aldebran ) behind the Pleiades. .......

Cheryl,Nichole,Robert: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:24AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What are the chumash like?

Yoana andFabiola: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:25AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson. Do the stars protect the Chumash Indians.

Yoana andFabiola: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson. Do the stars protect the Chumash Indians.

Crystal Lorena : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the chumash have any kind of ceremonies for the stars?

Lenell,Cherell: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:35AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson What types of food do they grow?

Carlos,Jaun,Armando: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:36AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dr. Anderson, what other beliefs do Chumash have than beliving in stars.

Cheryl ,Robert: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:40AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why did the chumash beleive in the gods would keep them safe?

Twyla Diana Stephinie: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson where do you work?

Twyla Diana Stephinie: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson how did the stars help the Chumash Indians?

Stephinie: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:49AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do the chumash have any consalations?

Trinica/Alex: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Mr.Anderson did the Chumash have a special day to selbrate the stars?

Tiffany,Regina: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John.Anderson/

Twyla Diana : . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:57AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson did the Chumash construct the tents bythe stars?

Ana Rosa Yohana: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson are there any special kind of stars you are interested in.

Stephinie: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 9:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
John Anderson do you know of any Chumash Indian names that came from the stars?

Ms. Glenn: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 10:04AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Mr. Anderson, If you have any answers you want to get back with on, my email address is redlodge11@hotmail.com. I really appreciate your time and so do my students. Thank You, Cressa Glenn

: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 10:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hello: I am back. We are having a big storm and I got cut off answering a question about prayers. Yes the Chumash did pray, and they believed that the stars and planets were supernatural souls of great cosmic influence. You can understand this from European traditions where we speak of a guardian star, or make a prayer to the first star we see tonight, etc. More on this later...

: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 10:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Stephinie: . Yes we know of many Chumash star and constellation names. They can be found in Crystals in the Sky, by Travis Hudson and Ernest Underhay. One, for example, is Snilemun, which is the Chumash name for Sky Coyote. See button for related discussion. Oh yes, another interesting celestial abode is called Shimilawsha which is the name for the celestial heaven where the Chumash souls went after death.

John Anderson: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 10:23AM PST (-0800 GMT)
ASTROLOGY: The Chumash, like most ancient peoples, believed in astrology. Astrology is based on the belief that the behavior of the stars, planets and other celestial objects affected the lives of people here on earth. You can learn more about Chumash astrology by pressing the button http:expage.com/page/astrology My book on Chumash astrology is organized by each month. It is based on the teachings of the Chumash islander named F.L. Kitsepawit. He had something interesting to say about each month. For example, a person born in June is said to be sensitive, careful, and held in esteem by other people (page 15). A person born in April is cheerful and works for the community (page 11).

: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 10:31AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ana Rosa Yohana: Yes there is a particular star which interests me more than all others, in my study of Chumash and other native American ethno-astronomy. This is the North Star. It is especially important in ancient religions because it is the ONLY place in the sky that does not move! All the rest of the stars and constellations rotate around it. It is for this reason that I believe it is the most holy, the most influential place in the heavens for the Chumash. In The House of Fate I argue that it is the home of the celestial Eagle, whom the Chumash astronomers called Slo'w. This Eagle does not move, according to the Chumash. He does not respond to prayer. He just sits there thinking, suggesting I propose that he is pure soul, intellect and the dominant deity of the Chumash religion. When the North Star first appeared in the sky, order was introduced into the cosmos.

oak view: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 10:36AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Can we get a picture of castor and pollux

: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 10:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Twyla Diana : The Chumash did use the stars to orient themselves to the cosmos. The North Star, of course, is the key star because it never moves and is always directly north. The Sunrise is used to approximate the east, and the sunset is used to approximate the west. The south is harder, since there is no southern 'pole' star like in the north. For the ancient Chumash the stars of the southern sky were in the Abyss, which they called Alampauwauhani. One root may be the term Alapay, which means above in Chumash. You can learn more about the Abyss at button So, to finally answer your question: yes, the Chumash did orient their homes to the four directions. Typically, their homes were made of reeds and were very well built.

Marcy, camp counselor: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 11:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We would like to thank the students and Dr. Anderson for presenting such fascinating questions and answers. These will be posted later on the web matched up as a pair of question/answer so other students and parents can enjoy the dialogue you all partook in today. You are welcome to stay online this morning a chat, and Dr. Anderson, just let us know when it is time for you to sign off. Thanks everyone - good work ! Is there any chance you will be in California this year Dr. Anderson ? We would love to do a video interview with you so the students can watch you tell these wonderful mythological stories.

John Anderson: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 1:55PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Twyla Diana Stephinie: I work from my home, which is located in the mountains of northern Idaho far from any city. I grew up in Southern California, and worked at the University of Califonia at Santa Barbara. This is where I first met Chumash Indians. But in the early 1980's my wife and I moved to this remote area of America, near the Canadian border. Because of the internet, I can stay in touch with people in California on a daily basis, including my many Chumash friends and colleagues. Life is different in the remote countryside, with no university or college nearby. Once I was an academic [someone working in academic, i.e. a university] but now I work as an intellectual. What I am saying, is that many people interested in intellectual studies live away from the mainsteam centers of population and still can participate, through publishing books and through my many web pages and email contacts.

John Anderson: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 2:04PM PST (-0800 GMT)
MARCY: My goodness, you have asked a number of interesting questions. I will start with the question about Altair, the star in the constellation Aquila which the Chumash considered to be the celestial heaven where their dead souls resided after traveling on the Milky Way (The Souls' Road). I have read a little about the fascinating Chinese astronomical lore about Altair crossing over the Milky Way to meet with Lyra. I pondered on it a long time, searching Chumash star lore for a link. But to this day, I am at a loss to explain this Chinese myth in terms of Chumash lore. But I will say this: I believe that there are many parallells between the ethnoastronomical lore of Asia and the Chumash. In time, I think that we will gain a richer understanding.

John Anderson: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 2:18PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Trinica Alex: Yes the Chumash had special days, when they celebrated the stars. In fact, their annual ceremonial calendar was filled with holidays (holy days) dedicated to the movements of the stars in the sky. The winter and summer solstice are two of the most significant holidays in the Chumash ritual calendar, and they were based on the apparent movement of the Sun on the horizon. But the Chumash, like other ancient peoples, also used the rising and setting of certain key stars to help predict the solstices. My book called Tales for the Christmas Season explains about the Chumash and Mohave Indian beliefs about the winter solstice. Press button for further information about the astronomical beliefs of the Chumash and Mohave during this most holy period of the year. Press button for a second book which focuses on the winter solstice (X-mas) beliefs of the Chumash astronomers.

John Anderson: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 2:29PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Marcy: Back to your question about the Chumash celestial paradise, where the souls of the dead went after traveling on the Path of the Dead (the Milky Way). This paradise is called Shimilaqsha by the Chumash, which means Land of the Dead. Christians can recognize the concept of a heavenly paradise where the souls of the dead go, after traveling upward into the heavens. But one of the key differences between the traditional Chumash and the Christian Europeans who invaded California is the concept of reincarnation. Like the Hindu of India, Persians, and even the ancient Greeks, the traditional Chumash believed that the soul of every human is 'reborn' into a new body after death. It goes to the celestial paradise where it is cleansed and prepared for rebirth. When properly cleansed, the soul descends again into a physical encarnation, as a newborn baby. You can read about this concept by pressing button and button

John Anderson: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 2:40PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Cheryl, Nichole, Robert: The Chumash people were once the largest native American cultural group in the western United States. But the invasions of the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans introduced many new diseases among them and reeducted them to only a fraction of their pre-contact population. Modern Chumash people are a very diverse cultural group, and it is difficult to describe them in simple terms. Some are traditionalists, which means that they place much importance in the preservation of their ancestral cultural heritage. Most of my contacts with the Chumash are with Traditionalists, or families with strong traditional leaning. But many Chumash, including a number of families living on the Santa Ynez Reservaton, describe themselves as Catholics. You can find out for yourself what modern Chumash are like, by visiting the Santa Ynez reservation or by contacting non-reservation Chumash by looking at my webpage which lists their various groups. Press button

John Anderson: . . . . Thu, Jan 28, 2:48PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Carlos, Juan, Armando: A great deal of information is available on the beliefs of the Chumash Indians, other than their astronomical and astrological lore. You can find lists of books on the Chumash on the web page of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natrural History. Or you can press button To answer your question generally, I would say that the Chumash shared a common material cultural base with many of their Chumash neighbors, especially the Uto-Aztecan speaking peoples of the Los Angeles basin.

John Anderson: . . . . Fri, Jan 29, 7:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Paradise HomeSchool: You asked about the differences between the study of astronomy conducted by the ancient Chumash in comparision to the modern study of astronomy done in colleges and universities. Well, this is an interesting question since we are dealing with two different cultures and differing time frames. To begin to answer your question, I would say that at the time that Spain invaded California, circa 1769, both the Chumash and the Spanish were knowledgable about the movements of the stars and planets and used this information to direct their lives, both practical and ceremonial. The Spanish, for example, kept careful watch on the date and assigned various ceremonial importance to certain dates such as Easter, Christmas, etc. This is an example of ethno-astronomy, i.e. the use of astronomical knowledge to regulate the ethnicity of a culture. Unfortunately for the Chumash, their culture underwent a genocidal decline as a result of a series of European occupations of California. This resulted in a collapse of their socio-economic system and the repression of their development in the field of astronomy. I feel confident that if the Chumash had remained a free country and had been permitted to grow with other nations into the modern world, that their astronomy would have changed along with the astronomy of Europe and the rest of the world. You can look at button for a discussion of their astrological beliefs. Now this book brings up another aspect of the question. Many modern astronomers do not believe in astrology, at least not in the old sense in which it was so influential among the ancient peoples of the world including the Europeans. Millions of contemporary Americans still believe in astrology, and check their astrological sign in the morning newspaper. I don't believe in astrology, at least not in the sense that it understood in ancient times. As we learned more and more about the cosmos, we became less convinced that the stars and planets were gods (supernaturals, et.al). On the other hand, I am open minded about the possibility that energy waves from certain regions of the cosmos influence life here on earth. The eruption of sun spots is an example of this type of influence. Perhaps in time we will better understand other cosmic influences on our life here on earth. I feel confident that many contemporary Chumash would agree with this assessment. I also feel confident that, like millions of Americans, other traditional Chumash still believe in astrology in the 'old' sense. So, check out the web page on astrology and get back to me with questions!

John Anderson: . . . . Fri, Jan 29, 7:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
POINT CONCEPTION: Yes, I am very interested in Point Conception and its ethnoastrological significance to the traditional Chumash. You can read about Point Conception and the controversy surrounding this sacred Chumash site by pressing button The problem is that a major spaceport is being built on the Vandenberg Air Force Base near Point Conception. Traditional Chumash believe that the greater Point Conception area is sacred, used by the souls of their dead as a place to rise up into the heavens and begin their journey on the Path of the Dead (the Milky Way). Traditionalists want Point Conception protected from the environmental impact of the growing spaceport. And this is a major ethno-astronomical issue. It is religious, and emotionally charged. Check out the web page and also button to learn more about this controversial issue. Tell me what you think about the rights of the Chumash to have Point Conception protected.

: . . . . Fri, Jan 29, 8:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Cheryl,Nichole,Robert: .You asked me what the Chumash are like. In my first answer to your question I spoke about contemporary Chumash who I know and consider friends and colleagues. I can also refer you to information on the older Chumash of the nineteenth century, whose biographies I am developing for a prototype web site, for potential use by California schools. In these web pages, you can learn about the lives of many leading Chumash of the last century- what motivated them, how they met their life challenges, and information on linked web sites. To access the web page on Luisa Nutu, for example press button This web page tells the life story of Nutu who was a Tsmuwich (Barbareno) Chumash woman. She preserved the folk tale featured in chapter one of my book called Tales For the Christmas Season. You can learn more abou this book at button Remember when you read the biographies hat you are seeing them in a rough form, unfinished until funding is made available for the editing. But it is always interesting to see a project in development, and we can still learn a great deal from such materials. Get back to me with questions.

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