The
Chumash are a
Native American people who historically inhabited the central and southern coastal regions of
California, in portions of what is now
San Luis Obispo,
Santa Barbara,
Ventura and
Los Angeles Counties, extending from
Morro Bay in the north to
Malibu in the south. They also occupied three of the
Channel Islands: Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel; the smaller island of Anacapa was likely inhabited on a seasonal basis due to the lack of a consistent water source. Modern place names with Chumash origins include
Cayucos,
Malibu,
Lompoc,
Ojai,
Pismo Beach,
Point Mugu, Port Hueneme,
Piru,
Lake Castaic,
Saticoy, and
Simi Valley.