The California Frontier Project

  • About
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Teacher Membership
  • Podcast
  • Shop/Support
    • Books
    • T-shirts/mugs

Articles about Native American life in early California.

The Legend of Chief Solano

By Damian Bacich

“He was of gigantic stature, standing six feet seven inches–without his stockings, for he had none. And he was large all over in proportion, with the strength of several men. His name by baptism was Francisco Solano, and by that name he was best known.” – Platon Vallejo

Filed Under: California Indians, Hispanic Heritage, Native Americans Tagged With: California Indians (Standard 1), Gen. Mariano G. Vallejo, Mission San Francisco Solano, Patwin, Sonoma, Suisun

The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island: Interview with Elisabeth Rareshide

By Damian Bacich

The story of the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island was made famous by Scott O’Dell’s novel The Island of the Blue Dolphins. In this episode of the podcast, we learn more about her real life with archeologist Elisabeth Rareshide, along with a new exhibit at the Mission Santa Barbara museum. Elisabeth Rareshide Elisabeth Rareshide […]

Filed Under: 4th Grade, California Indians, Native Americans, Podcast Episodes Tagged With: Island of the Blue Dolphins, Juana María

Indian Life at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel

By Damian Bacich

What was daily life like for Native Americans at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel? What did they eat? What jobs did they do? An introduction to life at Alta California’s 4th Spanish Mission. Who Founded Mission San Gabriel? Mission San Gabriel Arcángel was the 4th mission established in Alta California. The mission was founded on September […]

Filed Under: California Indians, Daily Lives, Native Americans, Spanish Missions Tagged With: Gabrielino, Interrogatorio, Mission San Gabriel, Pedro Benito Cambón, Somera, Tongva

Missions and Misconceptions: Interview with Marie Christine Duggan (Part 1)

By Damian Bacich

The story of the Spanish missions in California isn’t always what it seems. By delving into Mexico’s National Archives, Dr. Marie Christine Duggan uncovered facts that provide a unique inside view of mission life. From murder trials to Indian militias, we talk about some of the lesser-known aspects of California mission history. Marie Christine Duggan […]

Filed Under: California Indians, Daily Lives, Franciscans, Native Americans, Podcast Episodes, Soldiers and Presidios, Spanish Missions Tagged With: Blacksmiths, Chumash, Militias, Vaqueros

Native Americans of Southern California: the Kumeyaay

By Damian Bacich

The Kumeyaay are indigenous people who live on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, in southwestern California and northwestern Baja California. They traditionally spoke languages related to each other, and many were connected to Mission San Diego de Alcalá. The Kumeyaay Name In times past, because the Kumeyaay were spread over such a large territory that […]

Filed Under: California Indians, Native Americans Tagged With: Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, Kumeyaay, Mission San Diego de Alcala, Portolá, San Diego

Why Did Native Americans Come to the California Missions?

By Damian Bacich

Why Did Native Americans Come to the Missions?

Native Americans came to the California missions for a variety of reasons. Some of these were: protection from their enemies, access to stable food sources, attraction to Spanish culture and religion, fear of Spanish weapons and a desire to stay together with their clans and kin. Were Native Americans Forced to Enter the California Missions? […]

Filed Under: California Indians, Indians featured, Native Americans, Resources, Spanish Missions Tagged With: Native Americans, spanish missions

Native Americans of the California Coast: The Chumash

By Damian Bacich

The Chumash are a widespread group of California native people who lived along the southern California coast and the Santa Barbara Channel Islands.

Filed Under: California Indians, Native Americans, Resources Tagged With: Channel Islands, Mission La Purisima, pictograph, rock art, San Buenaventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, tomol

Adopted by Indians: A True Story (Review)

By Damian Bacich

Author: Thomas Jefferson Mayfield Editor: Malcolm Margolin Illustrators: Hilair Chism, Rick Jones Paperback: 144 pages Publisher and Year: Heyday Books, 1997 As we perused the gift shop of a local history museum, I noticed my son was reading one of the books. Of course, if my children find a book about history that interests them, I pay […]

Filed Under: Books, California Indians, Daily Lives Tagged With: Bay Area, California Indians (Standard 1), Choinumne, Daily Lives (Standard 5), Native Americans, Primary Sources

Life at a California Mission: A Native American Perspective

By Damian Bacich

In the 1830’s, a young man named Pablo Tac wrote about his experiences growing up at Mission San Luis Rey. It is one of the only firsthand accounts written by a Native American who lived at a mission.

Filed Under: 4th Grade, California Indians, Daily Lives, Indians featured, Native Americans, Primary Sources, Resources Tagged With: Agapito Amamix, Antonio Peyri, California Indians (Standard 1), Daily Lives (Standard 5), Luiseño, Native Americans, Pablo Tac, Pala, Primary Sources, San Diego

Acjachemen (Juaneño) Tribe Facts

By Damian Bacich

Filed Under: California Indians, Native American Tribe Facts Tagged With: Acjachemem, Juaneño

Chumash Tribe Facts

By Damian Bacich

Other names: Obispeño, Ventureño, Barbareño, Purisimeño, Yneseño, Canalino Home region: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, as well as the Channel Islands, east to Castaic and Mt. Pinos. Mission affiliations: San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, San Buenaventura, Santa Bárbara, La Purísima Concepción, Santa Inés Historical background: Chumash is the name given to a number of […]

Filed Under: California Indians, Native American Tribe Facts, Resources

Native Americans of the San Francisco Bay Area (Part 2): Ohlone Culture

By Damian Bacich

The second of a two part series. Read part 1 here. In this second part, we discuss Ohlone culture, including political organization, religion, myths, music and art, tools and crafts, the Ohlone today and Ohlone sites you can visit.

Filed Under: California Indians Tagged With: Amah-Mutsun, Chictactac-Adams, Indian Canyon Nation, Mission Dolores, Mission San José, Muwekma Ohlone, Ohlone, Sanchez Adobe, Santa Cruz

Native Americans of the San Francisco Bay Area: The Ohlone Tribe, Part 1

By Damian Bacich

The Ohlone people occupied  the San Francisco and Monterey Bay regions for thousands of years. Part 1 of a 2 part series. In the first part of this series, we will discuss the Ohlone name, their traditional territory, Ohlone languages, housing, food and clothes.

Filed Under: California Indians Tagged With: Anza, Bay Area, California Indians (Standard 1), Costanoan, Ohlone

Native Americans in the Rancho Era: Roberto-Suñol and Olompali

By Damian Bacich

In 19th century California, some Indians sought to recover their native lands by requesting grants from the Mexican government. The Roberto-Suñol Adobe and Olompali State Historic Park commemorate two men who did just that.

Filed Under: California Indians, Mexican Rule Tagged With: Adobes, Bay Area, California history, California Indians (Standard 1), Coast Miwok, living history, Miwok, Native Americans, Ohlone, Rancho Era, San José, State Park

Indian Life at the California Missions — Santa Inés

By Damian Bacich

How did native people live at Mission Santa Inés? What was daily life like? What languages did they speak? What foods did they eat? How did they dress?

Filed Under: California Indians, Daily Lives, Primary Sources, Spanish Missions Tagged With: California Indians (Standard 1), Chumash, Daily Lives (Standard 5), Mission Santa Inés, Santa Inés, Santa Ynez

Indian Life at the California Missions — San Carlos Borromeo

By Damian Bacich

How did native people live at Mission San Carlos Borromeo? What languages did they speak? What foods did they eat? How did they dress?

Filed Under: California Indians, Daily Lives Tagged With: Mission San Carlos Borromeo, Native Americans, Primary Sources

Native American Life at the California Missions: An Overview

By Damian Bacich

Indian Life at the California Missions

How did native people live at the Spanish missions in Alta California? What were their jobs? What did they eat? An in-depth look at Native American life in the California missions.

Filed Under: 4th Grade, California Indians, Daily Lives, Indians featured, Spanish Missions Tagged With: California Indians (Standard 1), Daily Lives (Standard 5), Native American Jobs

Native Americans of the California Missions: Territories, Affiliations and Descendants

By Damian Bacich

California Indians: Mission-Affiliated Groups

Native American Tribes of the California Missions

Filed Under: California Indians, Indians featured Tagged With: Acjachemem, Barbareño, California Indians (Standard 1), Canalino, Chumash, Costanoan, Diegueño, Esselen, Fernandeño, Gabrielino, Ipai, Juaneño, Kumeyaay, Luiseño, Miwok, Mutsun, Obispeño, Ohlone, Patwin, Purisimeño, Quechnajuichom, Rumsen, Salinan, Suisunes, Tataviem, Tipai, Tongva, Ventureño, Wappo, Wintu, Yneseño, Yokuts

Mission San Antonio de Pala: Why You Need to Visit

By Damian Bacich

San Antonio de Pala, founded in 1816 as an asistencia (branch) of San Luis Rey, is a living Native American community and an important destination on your next visit to San Diego.

Filed Under: California Indians, Field Trips, Spanish Missions Tagged With: California, California Indians (Standard 1), Luiseño, Native Americans, Pablo Tac, Peyri, San Diego

Indian Life at the California Missions – San Miguel Arcangel

By Damian Bacich

One of the things people often ask about is what life was like on the California missions, especially Indian life. Some of the most important accounts of California Indian life at the missions come from the Interrogatorio (Questionnaire) that the Spanish Government sent to the priests of the California Missions in 1813.

Filed Under: California Indians, Daily Lives Tagged With: California Indians (Standard 1), Daily Lives (Standard 5), featured, Mission San Miguel, Primary Sources

I’m Dr. Damian Bacich, and I started the California Frontier Project. Learn more about me and the project here.

Teaching Materials for the Whole Year

Alta California Tees and More

Alta California T-shirt

Copyright © 2023 · Damian Bacich