Gabby Campbell

Writing 2

17 May 2020

Self Reflective EssaySelf Reflective Essay on “The Story of Hutash and the Swordfish”

In doing this genre translation of “The Chumash and the Swordfish,” my primary goal

was to merge two worlds that I love, academic anthropology and adventure fiction writing. I love

the fact and science basis of anthropological research but simultaneously, my imagination feeds

off the myth and magic of fiction writing, especially when it has historical or archaeological

themes. By taking an article about a tribe native to Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands, I had

quite a bit of background knowledge that helped me fill out the details of the storyline while

remaining culturally consistent with practices and beliefs of the Chumash people. As an

anthropology major, I find myself frustrated when books or movies misrepresent cultural

traditions or ideals. So, I took this writing project as my own opportunity to write a piece in a

creative genre, that allows me to combine what I love about both genres into a unique piece. As

well as allowing this piece of writing to appeal to a large audience of fiction and adventure

lovers, rather than just academics.

One of the largest writerly choices I made was to refer to the main character in the second

person, and to simply use female pronouns for the majority of the story. My reasoning for this

choice comes directly from the article, “the Chumash possessed taboos against casual usage of

one’s personal name, because of a belief that the name, as an expression of one’s identity, might

be used in sorcery to cause personal harm,”1 which is why I chose to only reveal her name at the

end when she is being praised by her community. Additionally, I think this choicelearning about

her destiny from her grandmother. Hiding her name also added a level of mystery and intrigue to

1 Davenport, “The Chumash and the Swordfish,” 257.

the character, a common tool used in fiction writing. My goal was for it to both be culturally

relative while also adding dimension and suspense to the storyline. Her name was derived from

the Chumash belief system, and the name Hutash is the goddess of the earth and protector of the

Chumash people.2 Using a girl who was named after this goddess was my first way I transformed

it from the factual history of the Chumash to a fictional story. Additionally,Doing this allowed

me to determine the conflict, humans versus nature, and the resolution, supernatural forces

coming to the aid of the protagonist, of the story. My main goal was to takeBy using the

earthquake, a common natural disaster for the area, the earthquake, and also take another natural

feature, the oil, and create a mythical story around what that would do to the Chumash. Theyand

an oil seep, another natural feature of the Channel islands, and create a mythical story based

where a Chumash girl saves the ocean. The Chumash have many legends that involve humans

versus natural forces, where through perseverance and divine intervention the Chumash peoples

are brought to safety by their earth goddess and protector. So in my piece, I chose to have there

be a divine aspect, but also turn the classic narrative on its head and have the people work

togetherMy goal was to add an element of magic to a classic hero narrative, which appeals to the

audience as well adding to heal the goddessstoryline. This choice hopefully helped make the

piece uniquestandout, but also defined it as a piece of fiction writingfictional literature where the

story is unique to the writers imagination and not justwriter’s imagination rather than a retelling

of an existinga myth.

Next, I focused on using suspenseful language and tone as well as foreshadowing which

areMy next writerly choice was to use suspenseful language and foreshadowing, common

literary practices used in adventure fiction writing. For example, by introducing the main

character Hutash’s special connection to the ocean and swordfish within the first few lines, “her

2 “Chumash Creation Legend,” AAANativeArts. https://www.aaanativearts.com/chumash-creation-legend

name was that of the Chumash earth goddess, and she more than any of her other friends was

drawnconnected to the water,”3 it sets up the narrative for the audience to understand down the

road the characters special powers. Next, bySimilarly, introducing the swordfish dancers in

paragraph two, I was able to foreshadow their later importancerole, while also incorporating fact

from the article that says “the existence of a distinctive term for the swordfish head-dress in the

Chumash languages and its association with ceremonial dancers indicate a special role for

Xiphias in Chumash culture.”information about the traditional Xipihia dancers, and their

ceremonial importance amongst the Chumash.4 Throughout the piece Additionally I chose to use

her grandmother to fill the role in the story of an omniscient character, who guides the

protagonist to their destiny. Whether it's a Harry Potter book or a Clive Cussler novel, it is

common in fiction writing to use this type of character to progress the storyline as well as give

the audience situational information needed. I also strove to create complex characters that

would keep the audience guessing and interested, since having a strong likeable lead helps make

a story even more enjoyable for the audience.

One of the main challenges I faced when creating this piece was to create a condensed

storyline, since the piece wasn't meant to be very long. My original goal was to create an entire

short story, but as I progressed in the writing I realized for this project an entire story just wasn’t

logistically feasible. However, I think my ultimate decision to cut the story right when she gets to

the house of the swordfish was the best way to leave it. As much as I would have loved to have

written an ending, I thinka complete story, I believe some of the best pieces of literature

challenge you to come up with your own conclusions, and let your own imagination finish the

story. I also felt that by leaving it, it maintained true to the Chumash legend, which is that only

3 Campbell, “How the Chumash SavedThe Story of Hutash and the Swordfish,” 1.
4 Davenport, “The Chumash and the Swordfish,” 258.
one person ever saw the home of the swordfish.5 I also struggled to create a condensed storyline.

I wanted to begin with details about the girl and her background, whilst also introducing

Chumash traditions and beliefs. Yet later in the story, I found myself needing to omit details to

keep on track to finish.

Lastly, to addressWhen it came to the audience and genre conventions of fiction writing,

my goal was to create a piece for a young adult to adult audience of readers that enjoy adventures

based on historical events or legends. I thinkHopefully by creating a piece that was based fromon

factual historical evidence as well as my own imaginative spin hopefully captured that. It was

very enjoyable to throw aside the more professional and rigid genre conventions of academia and

focus on the more creative side of my writing, and the potential I have there to create just as

interesting pieces of work. I also strove to create complex characters that would keep the

audience guessing and interested, since all good works in this genre have strong, likeable leads in

order to be successful“The Story of Hutash and the Swordfish” was able to succeed in my goals.

Translating pieces of history back into a story felt like putting together an imagination

puzzle. I was able to let my imagination run free while also drawing on my own personal

knowledge of Chumash traditions. By creating “The Story of Hutash and the Swordfish” I strove

to create a piece of fiction writing I would enjoy reading and discussing with friends or a family

member. I wanted to use specific and accurate details from the history of the Chumash tribe to

create a piece that was both fun and culturally sensitive. I did enjoy throwing aside the more

professional and rigid genre conventions of academia and being able to focus on the more

creative side of my writing. It allowed me to explore the potential I have to create interesting

pieces of work in a creative style.

5 Davenport, “The Chumash and the Swordfish,” 258.