17th Annual Santa Ynez Chumash Culture Day

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians invites the public to come enjoy California-style Native American singing, dancing, food and games at the 17thannual Santa Ynez Chumash Culture Day from noon – 9 p.m., Saturday, October 21, at the corner of Highway 246 and Meadowvale Road in Santa Ynez.

            The free event is open to the public and all ages are welcome. There will also be native vendors, food booths and basket-weaving demonstrations.

            “Every year, we look forward to engaging our fellow California-based tribes and members of the public with traditional song, dance and culture,” said Nakia Zavalla, Culture Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “This year is especially significant because, for the first time, we’ll be holding our annual Santa Ynez Chumash Culture Day on our property at the corner of Highway 246 and Meadowvale Road, which offers more space to enjoy this meaningful event.”

The event begins at noon with an opening prayer and will be followed by an elders honoring. California-style Native American singing and dancing will take place from 1-5 p.m. and again following a dinner break from 6-9 p.m.

A traditional handgame tournament will start at 5 p.m., with teams competing for prize money. First place is $1,500, second place is $1,000 and third place is $500.

Santa Ynez Chumash Culture Day is sponsored by the Tribal Elders Council and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Culture Department. The Tribal Elders Council is a division of the tribal government that is responsible for preserving cultural resources and maintaining the tribe’s heritage, history and traditions. For more information, call Tribal Administration at 805-688-7997.

The Santa Ynez Indian Reservation is located in Santa Barbara County and was established and officially recognized by the federal government on December 27, 1901. Today, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians remains the only federally recognized Chumash tribe in the nation. The tribe is a self-governing sovereign nation and follows the laws set forth in its tribal constitution.