ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS

Won-a-pa-lei, a twelve-year-old Ghalas-at Indian girl, and her family lived a quiet life on an island known as the Island of the Blue Dolphins.

One day when Won-a-pa-lei and her brother, Ramo, were gathering roots for their village, they noticed a Russian ship sailing towards their island.

Ramo ran wildly to see the big “canoe” Ramo ran wildly to see the big “canoe”. Carrying their weapons, the village men of Ghalas-at also moved swiftly toward the shore. Half the men went to the shore, but the others, including Won-a-pa-lei, hid in bushes ready to attack if necessary.

The captain of the Aleutian ship and his crew wanted permission to hunt for sea otter. Due to their past experience with the Aleutians, Won-a-pa-lei’s Father, Chief Chowig, was reluctant to allow the Aleuts to hunt, but finally agreed to do so for a percentage of the profits. Captain Orlov and his hunters moved to the island that morning. Chief Chowig warns his people to stay away from the Aleut camp, because they were not to be trusted. Although the Ghalas-at people did not venture close, they kept a watch from a distance.

The villagers realized that the Aleutians were attempting to leave without sharing their profits. There was a confrontation between Chief Chowig and Captain Orlov. As a result, a fight broke out and the Chief and many of his men were killed.

Now that most of the men had been killed in the battle, the women had to hunt for the tribe’s food. The women worked hard and were much better hunters than the men. This eventually caused conflict between the remaining men and women. This problem, compounded by their grief, led to division among the tribe members. The new chief, Kimki, decided to set sail to find a new home for his people.

The islanders watched anxiously for Kimki’s return, but at the same time they nervously anticipated the Aleutian’s red sails. Spring came and left. One calm night, a villager spotted sails. At first they thought it was an Aleut’s ship, but they soon realized that the ship belong to white men who were sent by Kimki. These men came to take the villagers to their new home.

A storm was brewing and the islanders were encouraged to pack in a hurry and to only take their important belongings. As the villagers boarded the ship, Won-a-pa-lei noticed that her brother Ramo was not on the ship. She saw Ramo running along the cliff with the spear in his hand that he had forgotten. Without hesitation, Won-a-pa-lei flung herself into the sea. Even though the storm had become fierce, she was not afraid. When she reached her brother, she fell to her knees and hugged him. Won-a-pa-lei and Ramo were now stranded on the island all alone.

Now you will enjoy an adventurous cruise to the Island of the Blue Dolphins. As you dip with the dolphins, you will explore the Chumash culture, visit exotic sea animals, and enjoy a seafood extravaganza.

Created by Deborah Sweeney Theresa Whitehead Ruthie McDavid