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The Culture of the Luiseño Indians, by Philip Stedman Sparkman, [1908], at sacred-texts.com


INTRODUCTION.

The Luiseños belong to the large Shoshonean linguistic family, which includes the Bannocks of Idaho and Oregon, the Utes, Paiutes, Comanches, Mokis, and other tribes. Indians of Shoshonean family occupied the coast of California from the mouth of Agua Hedionda creek to about Point Duma. They also occupied the islands of San Nicolas, Santa Catalina, and perhaps San

p. 189

[paragraph continues] Clemente also. The first European to visit their territory was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese in the Spanish service, who in 1542 saw Santa Catalina island and visited what is now known as San Pedro bay.

That branch of the family known as Luiseños occupied the coast from above San Juan Capistrano to the mouth of Agua Hedionda, and are thus the most southwesterly tribe of the Shoshonean linguistic family in the United States. We cannot pretend to give the exact boundary of their former habitat, but will do so as nearly as possible. Beginning at the mouth of Agua Hedionda, it ran so as to include what was afterwards the San Marcos rancho, also most of the Escondido rancho, one of their villages being situated in the ravine near the gold mine. From here the boundary ran so as to include the Mendenhall and Maxey ranches, also most of Guejito; from here to the San José valley, part of which it included; from here to near Cahuilla valley; from here so as to include Saboba and Temescal; and from there to the sea near San Juan Capistrano. The language spoken at San Juan Capistrano, as well as that of Saboba, differs considerably from that of the remainder of the Luiseños, and by some the people of those places are not included among the Luiseños.

"Rio San Luis Rey de Francia," River St. Louis King of France, was the name given by the Franciscan friars to what is now known as the San Luis Rey river. Four miles up the river from its mouth was established the mission of San Luis Rey de Francia in 1798. Twenty miles higher up the river the mission of Pala, an outpost of San Luis Rey de Francia, was established in 1816. The Indians who were gathered at these two missions were called "San Luiseños" by the Franciscans. "San Luiseños," the equivalent of "St. Louisans" in English, has now been shortened generally to "Luiseños," and adopted by the tribe as their designation, they, like many Indians, having no name for themselves, except one merely meaning "people."

The neighbors of the Luiseños on the south are the Diegueños, who belong to the Yuman linguistic family. On the north and east are other Shoshoneans known as Cahuillas. This appellation they were given by the Mexicans; it is not, as has been supposed, their native name.

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The Luiseños of whom we more particularly write are those living in the valley of the San Luis Rey between Pala and the San José valley. These formerly occupied not only the river valley but also Palomar mountain, and there is a tradition among them that they formerly went to the coast in winter. It must not be supposed that they wandered at will over this territory; on the contrary, each band had its allotted district, in which it alone had the right to gather food and hunt. Thus each band had its tract in the San Luis Rey valley, and another on Palomar, to which it moved during the acorn-gathering season. The land of each band seems to have been sometimes again subdivided among the different families of which the band was composed; at least that part of the land which was valuable for certain food products was thus subdivided.

Each band seems to have guarded its allotted territory with the greatest jealousy, and more quarrels are said to have arisen over trespassing than from all other causes combined. When questioned as to when or how the land was divided and subdivided, the Indians say they cannot tell, that their fathers told them that it always had been thus. Many of the older ones remember how they were cautioned when young never to trespass on the land of others in pursuit of game or food without permission. Yet occasionally a band would become dissatisfied with its habitat, and forcibly intrude itself into that of another. An instance of this took place so recently as still to be remembered and spoken of.

Luiseño geographical names are very numerous indeed, every small tract with any distinguishing feature being named. Sometimes there will be a name for a large tract of country, and then other names for small portions of such a tract. This is not, however, the rule. Usually each small tract has its name, without any general name for the larger area. But large tracts outside of Luiseño territory are known by a general name. Some geographical names are descriptive, but most of them are not. Many of the names given below are those of old village sites near modern localities and settlements, but now applied to these localities. Many names are derived from plants and animals which are or were abundant near the locality named after them.

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Totakamilum

Coronado Islands 1

Kimki harasa

San Clemente Island 2

Ponga’

Santa Catalina Island 2

Palimai

Slough at mouth of Agua Hedionda Creek

Exla tovotva

Colorado desert

Paauw

Palomar mountain

Yamiwa

San Jacinto mountain

Wikyo

Highest peak of Palomar mountain

Takwish poshapila

Rocky peak east of Wikyo

Pewipwi

San Bernardino mountain

Kachikchi

Cuyamaca mountain

I’pax

Highest peak of Volcan mountain

Taakwi

Cahuilla mountain

Pashkwo

Monkey hill, San José valley

Katukto

Moro hill, near Fallbrook

Kolo

Mountain nearly opposite where Escondido ditch comes out of San Luis Rey river

Ponawuk

Hill near Pala flour mill

Ta’i

Peak of Palomar, near Bougher's

Kaxpa

Antonio Serrano's house on Pauma ranch

Akipa

The small flat on Pauma ranch

Hunalapa

Oak flat (Pauma ranch)

Tutukvimai

Rodeo (Pauma ranch)

Yami’

Site of Potrero ranch house

Tomka

Valley above same

Kuka

Old Potrero village

Tumau

Site of Pala flour mill

Malamai

Agua Tibia

Pa’i

Agua Tibia warm spring

Kupa

Agua Caliente

Temeko

Temecula

Pichaang

Pichanga

Keish

San Luis Rey

Alapi

San Pascual

Malakash

Santa Ysabel village

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Saumai

Site of J. Q. Adams’ store at Valley Center

Shakishmai

Site of house on Maxey ranch

Yangi’wana

Mesa Grande

Ushmai

Las Flores

Woshha

Rincon

Pala

Pala

Paisvi

Iron spring on Palomar

Wavam

Where the Pauma Indians had their encampment during the acorn-gathering season on Palomar

Shoau

Where the Pala Indians had their encampment during the acorn-gathering season on Palomar

Shautushma

Where the Yapicha Indians had their encampment during the acorn-gathering season on Palomar

Sulpa

Where J. Frey lives

Akwo

Spring where S. Gamez lives

Mutamai

Where Luis Majel lives

Yuimai

Where Juan Despierto lives

Ahuya

Old village site above Rincon on road to Potrero

Topamai

Old village site on Santa Margarita Ranch near ranch house

Malava

Old village site on Palomar

Wiya’

Old village site on Palomar

Chakuli

Old village site on Palomar

Ashachakwo

Old village site on Palomar

Pahamuk

Old village site on Palomar

Tokamai

Old village site on Palomar

Pavla

Where Indians of Kuka or Potrero encamped while gathering acorns on Palomar

Mokwonmai

Old village site on Palomar

Pakuka

Spring on east side of Palomar

Atupa

Spring on east side of Palomar

Awa’

Aguanga

Pawi

Warm spring in middle of village at Cahuilla valley

Chawimai

Los Duraznos, Cahuilla valley


Footnotes

191:1 Compare the names of places given in the present series of publications, IV, 142-150, 1907, and VIII, 108 seq., 1908.

191:2 The names and identifications of these islands were variously given by different informants of the author. Cf. ibid., VIII, 108, note 80. A San Juan Capistrano Indian in 1907 said: "Santa Catalina es Kinke (qīnqe). San Clemente no tiene nombre, esta pegado a Santa Catalina, es la misma cosa."


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