Cahuilla Traditional Dwellings: The Kish

The Cahuilla people of Southern California traditionally lived in dome-shaped structures called kish (sometimes spelled "kiwis" in older texts). These homes were built from willow branches bent into a frame and covered with mud or brush, featuring a central smoke hole for ventilation. Typically 12–20 feet in diameter, a single kish could house several families. This design provided insulation against both summer heat and winter chill, well-suited to the desert and mountain environments of their territory.