Life at the Mission

      Daily Life, Life at the mission was hard for the California Indians.   

•       The day began around sunrise. They headed to the church for morning Mass, morning prayers and church lessons.
•        After church came breakfast.
•        Then the Indians went to work.
•       After the morning, work ended they had lunch. They were served soup called pozole.  After lunch they took a rest and a short period of work followed in the afternoon.
•        Everyone then gathered again for Mass followed by dinner. More church instructions were held in the evenings as well as Spanish language lessons.
•        They also enjoyed dancing and singing in the Spanish tradition.
•        Other  jobs at the mission, for men and for women.
•        The Chumash men were responsible for farming, ranching, letter making, tanning, carpentry and construction. The Chumash women cooked the food, made baskets, soap and made clothing. The missionaries taught the Indians about farming, ranching , crafts and religion.
•        They prepared religious lessons, performed church services, weddings, funerals   and baptisms.

       Hardships at the mission. There were conflicts between the California Indians, the Spanish soldiers, and missionaries.
       Many of the Indians converted to Christianity and believed in the religion but some came only because of access to food and shelter. As a result, they became frustrated and unhappy. They couldn’t escape from the mission, but if they did, they were rounded up and punished in front of the others. Therefore, many natives felt they lost their freedom.

       Spanish Arrival in New Spain and in Alta California exposed the America Indians to many European diseases that they never had contact with before, for example:  chicken pox and syphilis. Poor Sanitation systems in the dorms attracted bugs and rats. Many Chumash died due to disease.