Description
This thesis is a qualitative examination of the scholarly literature and anthropological notes of Spanish missionaries and 19th and 20th century anthropologists on the religious landscapes of southern California and in particular the Chinigchinich religion. The analysis of this literature has been dependent upon the collaboration with Kumeyaay and Luiseño community members who provided insights on how this research could be used in their communities through interviews. This thesis utilized existing Indigenous scholarship, methodology, and theory to uncover different understandings and perspectives of the Chinigchinich religion previously excluded by scholars. This thesis also serves as an Indigenous critique on the field of anthropology with the desire to broaden the scope of perspectives available to the study of human culture. This thesis has also been made available for all interested tribal entities in southern California so it might supplement museum exhibitions, lectures, and lesson plans as well as encourage other Indigenous scholars to examine the religious landscapes of southern Californian Indigenous Peoples. [Keywords: Chinigchinich, Wiyot, Kumeyaay, Tipay, Iipay, Luiseño, Payómkawichum, Gabrieliño, Tongva, Kumivit, Juaneño, Acagchemem, Fernandeño, Tataviam, Chumash, southern California, religious landscapes, decolonization, relationality, ethnographic refusal, survivance, Indigenous scholarship, California mission system]
