Note: All information obtained for this article was sourced from the official Chumash website, SantaYnezChumash.org.
This is Native American History Month. It is not a time when we simply have events in the Caf or celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time when we should take the time to truly remember and celebrate the native nations of this country.
Many rich cultures, histories and peoples were lost in the creation of this country. And yet so many, such as the Chumash, remain unfortunately marginalized.
Before Pepperdine University sat nestled in the hills of Malibu and before the Adamson family came to the coast of Malibu, the Chumash Nation stretched 7,000 square miles from “Hamaliwu” to Paso Robles and inland to the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley.
But who are the Chumash? What happened to them?
With the creation of the Spanish Mission system came the decimation of the Chumash.
The Spanish, led by Gaspar de Portola, left Baja California and ended up in the Santa Barbara Channel. This expedition spelled doom for the Chumash. Five Spanish missions were built among the Chumash and in a span of just 62 years (1769 to 1831), an estimated 19,212 Chumash perished, primarily from European diseases introduced by the Spanish invaders.
Modern-day Santa Barbara, Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria all sit on what was once home to the Chumash people. Santa Barbara in particular was parceled out to soldiers by their commanders when they retired from service. In 1834, Spanish families loyal to the Mexican government were given formerly controlled mission lands. Still more land was sold or given away to prominent people.
Remaining land promised to Chumash survivors by Mexican authorities was never returned to them.
By 1870, the Santa Barbara area was turning into the affluent area it is today, and by 1880 the remaining Chumash in the area were working the land that had once been theirs.
The Chumash are now settled on the Santa Ynez Reservation in Santa Barbara County. This reservation was established on Dec. 27, 1901. The residents of this reservation are members of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, which is the only federally recognized Chumash tribe.
Revenue generated from the Chumash Casino Resort helps support tribal members economically. The resort has become the primary entertainment destination for Santa Barbara County, and the hotel in particular has maintained high distinction through the years.
The Chumash have worked hard to keep the culture of their ancestors intact.
“The culture of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians is deep within the souls of every tribal member and rests within our hearts.”
Like other minority groups who are expected to assimilate, the indigenous peoples of this nation have been particularly targeted.
“By forbidding us to speak our language, sending Chumash children to boarding schools and forcing us to move away from our traditional native religion, many of our core beliefs were stripped away from us. Despite the many attempts to eradicate our culture, we maintained our connection to our ancestors and to our core identity of being Chumash.”
The Chumash have “survived because of … strength as a tribe and … spiritual connection to Chumash heritage.”
The revenue from the resort helps to facilitate cultural programs and events.
“Thanks to the revenue from our Chumash Casino Resort, we can now implement cultural enrichment programs that we couldn’t previously afford. We can ensure that our culture remains strong within our tribe and is preserved for our children,” according to the website.
Some of the cultural enrichment programs highlighted on the website are the Chumash Language Program, the Tomol Crossing, Pow Wows and Culture Days.
The native language of the Chumash is Samala. The last Chumash elder who spoke Samala passed away years ago, and the language is now maintained through a 10-week program developed by Dr. Rechard Applegate who is an expert in the language of the Chumash. His program “provide[s] students with the necessary skills to speak, read and write the native language of our Chumash ancestors.”
Remember and celebrate the history and culture of the indigenous nations of the U.S. Don’t forget that the buildings in which we sleep, study and eat sit on land that was once inhabited by the Chumash. They were subjugated to persecution and decimation. We sit here in Hamaliwu today on that legacy.
__________
Follow Breanna Grigsby on Twiiter: @Bre_Louise
