Constance Goddard DuBois

Constance Goddard DuBois (died 1934) was an American novelist and an ethnographer, writing extensively between 1899 and 1908 about the native peoples and cultures of southern California.

[2] The story revolves around two brothers, Chaup, who embody both human and supernatural qualities, and their journey through trials, family conflicts, and acts of creation and destruction.

The narrative explores themes of kinship, betrayal, and revenge, with the brothers navigating moral and physical challenges that involve hunting, confronting mythical creatures, and interacting with their community.

Du Bois situates the myth within the broader cultural and spiritual framework of the Diegueño people, emphasizing the role of storytelling in preserving indigenous heritage.

This work reflects Du Bois’s commitment to documenting and analyzing Native American folklore during a time when such traditions were increasingly under threat from assimilation policies.