4.1: Reading- The Original People of Orange County- A Story of Two Nations

The Original People of Orange County: A Story of Two Nations

Long before Spanish explorers arrived in California, two indigenous nations were thriving in what we now call Orange County. The Tongva people were living throughout the Los Angeles Basin and northern Orange County, while the Acjachemen Nation was occupying the central and southern areas of Orange County.

For thousands of years, the Tongva were establishing villages near rivers and creeks. Their largest settlement, called Yangna, was flourishing where downtown Los Angeles stands today. Meanwhile, the Tongva were also building communities along the Los Angeles River, where they were gathering tule reeds for their boats and were fishing in nearby waters. In areas that are now the cities of Irvine, Tustin, and Costa Mesa, Tongva families were living in dome-shaped homes made from willow branches and tule grass.

At the same time, the Acjachemen people were inhabiting the lands from what is now Aliso Creek in central Orange County down to northwestern San Diego County. Their most important village, called Panhe, was situated at the mouth of San Mateo Creek near present-day San Clemente. While some Acjachemen families were living permanently in large villages of up to 300 people, others were moving seasonally between different camps, following the natural cycles of food gathering.

Both nations were developing sophisticated trading networks. The Tongva were traveling by boat to Santa Catalina Island, where they were exchanging dried fish and shells for soapstone and sea otter pelts. Similarly, the Acjachemen were using their knowledge of ocean currents to trade with island communities, and they were also traveling inland to areas that are now Lake Elsinore and Riverside County.

The Acjachemen were practicing sustainable resource management throughout their territory. In the coastal sage scrub habitat that covers much of Orange County, they were using California sagebrush to mask their scent while hunting rabbits and deer. They were also harvesting blue elderberries in early summer, brewing the flowers into medicinal teas while carefully drying the berries to make nutritious syrups.

When Spanish missionaries were establishing Mission San Gabriel in 1771 and Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1776, the lives of both nations changed dramatically. The Spanish were calling the Acjachemen "Juaneños" because of their connection to Mission San Juan Capistrano, while they were referring to the Tongva as "Gabrieleños" after Mission San Gabriel.

Today, approximately 3,000 descendants of each nation are still living in Southern California. Both the Tongva and Acjachemen nations were recognized by the State of California in 1994, though they are still working toward federal recognition. Cities throughout Orange County are now creating educational programs and cultural sites to honor these original inhabitants who were living sustainably on this land for thousands of years before European contact.

Comprehension Questions

True or False:

1. The Tongva were establishing villages near rivers for only a short period of time. (T/F)
2. While some Acjachemen families were living permanently in large villages, others were moving seasonally between camps. (T/F)
3. The Spanish were calling the indigenous peoples "Juaneños" and "Gabrieleños" before the missions were built. (T/F)

Discussion Questions

1. What were the Tongva people doing along the Los Angeles River?
2. Where was the Acjachemen village of Panhe located in modern terms?
3. How were both nations using boats for trading purposes?
4. What sustainable practices were the Acjachemen following when they were harvesting elderberries?
5. Why did the Spanish call these indigenous peoples "Juaneños" and "Gabrieleños"?