34 FREMONTIA VOL. 44, NO. 3, DECEMBER 2016 10,000 YEARS OF GEOPHYTE USE AMONG THE ISLAND CHUMASH OF THE NORTHERN CHANNEL ISLANDS by Kristina M. Gill ust off the southern California coast, the archipelago of the Santa Barbara Channel is com- prised of four east-west trend- ing islands, located between approxi- mately 19 and 42 kilometers from the mainland today. When people first arrived during the last Ice Age, the islands of Anacapa (Anyapakh in Chumash), Santa Cruz (Limuw), Santa Rosa (Wi’ma), and San Miguel (Tuqan) were connected as a single landmass commonly referred to by geologists and archaeologists as Santarosae (~10-12 km from the mainland). The Island Chumash and their ancestors thrived on these islands, adapting to sea level rise, climate change, and population growth for at least 13,000 years, un- til Europeans drastically impacted their traditional way of life through disease, enslavement, and forced assimilation. The Island Chumash are famous for their seafaring capabilities and strong maritime orientation, with a J Edible geophytes like blue dicks are phenomenally abundant on California’s Channel Islands, as evidenced by the springtime bloom on Santa Cruz Island’s West End. Blue dicks occur in various plant communities, but are especially prevalent in grassland/forb field communities, occurring throughout western North America and on all the islands off the California coast. Photograph by Eamon O’Byrne, TNC, Santa Cruz Island, spring 2014. V44_3_book.pmd 2/20/17, 5:15 AM 34