To most people, Chumash is simply a blur as they speed up and down the Great Ocean Highway. However, the small seaside community is actually home to a deep and spiritual culture, built around the ocean life and native greenery. One plant in particular holds a strong, spiritual place in that culture, known to the locals as ‘Spiritleaf.’
Hundreds of years ago, long before the city of towers and fast cars we know today as Los Santos, Chumash was just a small fishing village that stretched up the West Coast of (now) San Andreas. Living so closely with the ocean and the forests that stretched over the hills behind Chumash, the people developed a deep spiritual connection to the nature. Eventually settlers arrived on their shores and, seeing the way that the people of Chumash lived, decided to live alongside them and learn their ways.
Unfortunately the settlers brought more than just their ships to the beaches. They also brought with them diseases that the native inhabitants of Chumash had never encountered before. Within only a few months every last one of the villagers had been wiped out, with only the settlers remaining.
With what little they knew of the Chumash culture, the settlers took over the village and vowed to continue the way of life that they had inadvertently destroyed. One of the traditions that had seemed most important to the locals was that of growing and protecting one of their native plants. Unable to remember the original name of the plant, they renamed it ‘Spiritleaf’ to symbolize the great spiritual value it held to the people of Chumash.
Over the years, they continued to plant the ‘Spiritleaf,’ learning how to use it for medicinal purposes just as the native people once did. Rumor spread to nearby settlements that the plant had miracle healing properties, prompting others to try and harvest the plant from Chumash land. The settlers of Chumash protected the plant fiercely and fought off anyone that tried to take the ‘Spiritleaf’ for themselves.
Whilst most of the old traditions have been lost to time, the present day people of Chumash still keep one part of the culture alive. They continue to grow and protect the ‘Spiritleaf’ plant, as a way to connect spiritually with their past and their ancestors. The locals also continue to make use of the plant’s medicinal properties, especially with Chumash being situated far from any medical centres.
Due to the cultural significance that the ‘Spiritleaf’ has to the people of Chumash, it’s recommended not to interfere with any of the pointed-leaf plants you find in the area. Both the growing and the harvesting of the plant are deeply spiritual ceremonies, and should only be watched respectfully from a distance. It’s incredible to see a cultural tradition like that of the Chumash ‘Spiritleaf’ persist for hundreds of years, and hopefully will remain for hundreds of years more.
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