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Chumash Placenames Still Surviving

Over 40 Chumash placenames still survive in Chumash territory, as the names of rivers, creeks, canyons, mountains, towns and even a street. This page lists them. You’ll see the Chumash original; the location and the modern equivalent are in boldface. The translation spells out which of the Chumash languages gave rise to the name.

The correspondence between the original Chumash placename and its modern equivalent is seldom exact. They may differ phonetically, of course, and they may not refer to precisely the same locale. For example,

asuskwa

was originally the name a village or a campsite on the Sisquoc River, while the modern name Sisquoc applies to the river itself.

See the bottom of this page for references to articles on Chumash placenames.

aliswey		two sites: a village near Santa Maria, now seen in Rancho Suey and Suey Crossing, as well as a site NE of Los Olivos, seen in Lisque Creek, “in the tarweed” in Purisimeño
anapamu		hill in Santa Barbara, now a street name Anapamu, “ascending place” in Barbareño
anyapax		Anacapa Island, said to mean “mirage, illusion” in Ventureño, with change of spelling due to an early cartographer’s error
aqicum		village in Cachuma Canyon, formerly Quichuma, said to mean “a constant sign” in Inezeño
asaka		village at Zaca Station, “in the bed” in Purisimeño
asuskwa		site on the Sisquoc River, said to mean “stopping place” in Purisimeño
awalay		village on San Antonio Creek, now seen in Cuaslui Creek, E of Los Alamos, meaning uncertain
awhay		village at Ojai, “moon” in Ventureño
cismuhu		site NE of Carpinteria, now seen in Chismahoo Mountain, said to mean “it streams out” in Barbareño
humaliwo		village at Malibu, “where [the surf] sounds” in Ventureño
itiyaq		village on Itias Creek, NW of Gaviota, “the dell” in Purisimeño
kalawaaq		village E of Santa Ynez, now Calabazal Creek, “shell of the turtle” in Inezeño
kamulus		village at Camulos, “the juniper” in Ventureño
kasmali		village near Casmalia, “it is the last” in Purisimeño
katq		village at Castaic Lake, “the eye, the face” in Ventureño
kayw		village on Calleguas Creek, SW of Simi, “the head” in Ventureño
kuyam		village on Cuyama River, cf. “to rest, wait” in Inezeño
lompo / olompo		village near Lompoc, said to mean “in the cheeks” or “stagnant water” in Purisimeño
lospe		village S of Point Sal, now Lospe Mountain, near Guadalupe, “the flower” in Purisimeño
matilha		village on Matilija Creek, said to mean “division” in the Ojai dialect of Ventureño
muwu		village at mouth of Mugu Lagoon, “beach” in Ventureño
naxuwi / anaxuwi		village near Nojoqui, NE of Gaviota, “meadow” in Purisimeño
nipumu / onipomo		village at Nipomo, N of Santa Maria, “village” in Obispeño or possibly “at the promontory” in Purisimeño
pismu		village near Pismo Beach, “tar” in Obispeño
saaqtikoy		village at Saticoy, “it is sheltered from the wind” in Ventureño
seqis		Arroyo Sequit, W of Point Dume, “beachworm” in Ventureño
seqpe		village on Sespe Creek, near Camulos, “kneecap” in Ventureño
imiyi		village in Simi Valley, meaning unknown
sitoptopo		village near Ventura, now seen in Topatopa Creek and Topatopa Mountain, “the carrizo patch” in Ventureño
naxalayw		site on upper Santa Ynez River, now seen in Najalayegua, meaning unknown
soms		village near Ojai, now seen in Somis, E of Saticoy, “scrub-oak spring” in Ventureño
stuk		village in Stuke Canyon, E of Santa Ynez, “wooden bowl” in Inezeño
sumo		village at mouth of Zuma Canyon, said to mean “abundance” in Malibu dialect of Ventureño
swey		village E of Santa Maria, now seen in Suey Crossing and Rancho Suey, “tarweed” in Purisimeño
taapu		village NE of Simi, now seen in Rancho Tapo, meaning unknown
taxiwax		site on Tajiguas Creek, E of Gaviota, “it seeps” in Purisimeneño
takuy		village on Tecuya Creek, also seen in Tecuya Mountain, W of Tejon, perhaps “holding” in Ventureño
teqeq		village in Tequepis Canyon, S of Lake Cachuma, meaning unknown
wasna / awasna		village at Huasna, N of Santa Maria, meaning unknown
wenemu		village at Hueneme, “sleeping place” in Ventureño
xalam		village on Jalama Creek, “bundle” in Purisimeño
xonxoni ata		village near Jonata, “tall oak” in Purisimeño

You can find a listing of over 400 Chumash placenames in
		Chumash Placenames, by Dr. Richard Applegate, in The Journal of California Archaeology, Vol.1, Num. 1, Winter 1974, pages 187–205
		An Index of Chumash Placenames, by Dr. Richard Applegate, in Papers on the Chumash, San Luis Obispo County Archaeological Society occasional paper number nine, 1975