Gabby Campbell

Writing 2

17 May 2020

The Story of How the Chumash Brought Back the Swordfish

The sun was hot on her shoulders and the tide was splashing at her legs, as she stood in

the seas. Her name was that of the Chumash earth goddess, and she more than any of her other

friends was drawn to the water. Suddenly she saw a glint of silver, and her heart raced. She loved

all animals, especially marine life, but the swordfish was by far her favorite. Wadding out in the

tides to see these creatures was one of her favorite things ever since she was a small child and

her grandmother had told her that just like they were the people of this land, swordfish were the

people of the ocean. In fact, they were a revered animal to the people of the islands, they were

prolific in Chumash myth, art, and ceremonial dances, as well as a huge staple in their diet. They

called them ‘elyewu’n, and legend has it they lived in a house at the bottom of the ocean, inside

the house there was no water and they lived like the people on land. As she thought back on the

legend, she wondered about the swordfish home and wondered if she would ever see it. She

wondered about it often, especially when she saw the men head out in their tomols with their

harpoons to hunt the swordfish. Everyday they would come back from the open ocean with the

fresh catch, and during peak season or when catches were particularly bountiful they would have

a ceremony giving thanks to the gods. These were her favorite, because the swordfish dancers

would perform, with their clothes made of the fish, wearing their skulls for head dresses. These

men were believed to be the closest to the fish, and the only one who knew how to get to the

house of the swordfish. Until one day, there was a great earthquake on the islands, huge waves

crashed ashore destroying fishing huts, washing the tomols out to sea, and devastating some of
the homes on the island. They had experienced earthquakes before, but rarely did they reach this

magnitude.

The next day, when the fisherman went out to sea, they came upon a startling discovery:

all the fish were gone! Not only could the men not find any swordfish for the day, but the entire

kelp forest was devoid of life. The elders had never heard of such a thing, no legend preceded it,

so they brought in the swordfish dancers for their ideas.

“Ah yes, the ‘elyewu’n have retreated to their home,” he said. “The swordfish are the

wisest of them all, if the swordfish stay in their homes so will the other fish.”

One of the elders suggested they pray to the gods, and hold a ceremony that night to

appease them. Just then, the fisherman walked in. They had spent the rest of the day searching

for clues as to what happened to the fish and had news. She pressed her ear to the door eagerly to

hear what they said.

“It was the earthquake,” one said. “It tore a rift in the ocean floor, and now oil seeps out

of it! If we don't act soon this will destroy our sea and all the creatures in it.”

Everyone in the room gasped and looked around in shock. If the earth had been hurt, then

Hutash the goddess of the earth and protector of the Chumash peoples, must in turn be hurting.

For the Chumash to stay living on the islands they needed a healthy marine population as well as

the protection of Hutash, without her help the community would be vulnerable to the natural

forces. She knew this was serious, so she ran to her grandmother in distress.

After telling her grandmother everything that had happened, she was not only worked up, but

breathing heavily and was feeling lost.

“My darling, there’s a reason you were named in the honor of Hutash, you are more than

most Chumash connected to the earth ever since you were a child, I noticed this within you and
watched you grow into your own. You can fix this. You can help mend the earth and heal

Hutash. You can bring back the swordfish.”

She looked at her grandmother with wide eyes, waiting for her to explain.

“First, you will journey to the house of the mighty Swordfish. They will help you. Then you will

journey to the ocean rift, once you are there you will have to summon all your strength to mend

the tear. Do not fear, the strength of Hutash will be with you,” said her grandmother.