Similarities Between The San And The Chumamash

The San and Chumash Comparison The San and the Chumash, as described in the textbook, Ways of the World, by R.W. Strayer are examples of hunter-gather cultures, both of which continue to exist today. The San originated in southern Africa in an area spanning modern day Botswana, the Kalahari Desert and Namibia (25). The Chumash originated on the other side of the globe in Sothern California in an area spanning around modern day city Santa Barbara and the islands right off the cost (29). Now why do I bring your attention to these two cultures? Both of which are great examples of the trials and tribulations that faced humanity throughout the ages and if studied correctly can help guide anthropologist on how and why societies change. It will be

With the plentiful bounty provided by the sea, the Chumash were able to accomplish more than the San. This however was not an easy task and the Chumash did not immediately start out as a thriving community. Like the San, the Chumash started out as a hunter-gather group. Comprised of many smaller tribes the group soon realized that the ocean had more to offer than the mainland where herds of game started to become scarce, leading to war among the people in the area competing for food. It was not until the invention of the Tomol, an oceangoing vessel some twenty to thirty foot long canoe, did things start to change gears for the group. According Strayer, Building or owning one of these vessels brought immense prestige, wealth, and power, injecting a new element of inequality into Chumash society (30). Now with the ability to feed larger and larger communities the Chumash were able to settle down building villages that are more permanent ranging in size from several hundred to thousands of people. Unlike the San, The Chumash also adopted a permanent and hereditary hierarchy. Each village had their own chief that led their village in religious rituals, and regulated the trade with other villages in the area. Like many cultures around the globe, we can see many similarities within the Chumash society with the advent of trade. Wealth became to accumulate and with that wealth brought on particular traits, like the use of money, in forms of beads for services provided by local healers, dancers and other specialized skills provided by the community. They also began to boost about wealth in the form of feathered head garments worn when trading and gambling, something the San would have frowned upon. Even with the new technology, these people were able to hold on to their