Putuidem Village Park, San Juan Capistrano, CA
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
What To Bring
Acorns, Corn (To show what the indigenous people would eat)
Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds for grinding
Books about native plants
Books about
Water bottles
Sun protection
WHAT TO DO
Arrive and explore! This is a great spot for children to bring bikes and scooters. Have the children bring their nature backpacks with magnifying glasses, California native plant guides, animal track guides, etc.
Activities:
Practice grinding spices and seeds in the bedrock mortars. Bring large rocks or search for them around the area to use as the grinding rocks. The kids will love mixing
Purchase a fish net and have the children explore weaving different items into it or make mini looms.
The Indigenous Acjachemen Tribe of San Juan Capistrano, CA
The Acjachemen (Ah-ha-sheh-men) are an Indigenous people of California. They historically lived south of what is known as the Aliso creek and what became San Diego county.
The Spanish colonizers called the Acjachemen Juaneño, following their baptism at Mission San Juan Capistrano in the late 18th century.
Acjachemen believe they have lived there since the beginning of time. Archaeological evidence shows an Acjachemen presence there for over 10,000 years.
The Acjachemen resided in permanent, well-defined villages and seasonal camps alongside the creeks. Village populations ranged from between 35 and 300 inhabitants, consisting of a single lineage in the smaller villages, and of a dominant clan joined with other families in the larger settlements.
About The Dwellings
The indigenious Acjachemen people lived in a dwelling called a Kiicha. They were used primarily for sleeping and held 10 or 12 people in one the size shown on the site. There is also a cutaway view of a granary basket that would be used to hold acorns, roots, and other items off the ground and away from insects and small animals.
Acorns formed a large part of the diet of the native Americans in the local area. They were typically crushed into a powder which could be used like flour to make a porridge-like meal or be formed into small cakes to take on hunting and foraging expeditions. Find out more here.