27th annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow

27TH ANNUAL CHUMASH INTERTRIBAL POWWOW

COMING TO SANTA YNEZ ON OCT. 5-6

Native American tribes from throughout North America will come together in Santa Ynez to celebrate their heritage at the 27th annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6. The two-day gathering, which is the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ largest cultural event of the year, features dancing, singing, drumming, arts, crafts and more.

The powwow is open to the public and will be held from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5, and from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 6 at the corner of Meadowvale Road and Highway 246 in Santa Ynez. Admission is $5 and parking is free.

To mark the start of the powwow each day, there will be a gourd dance at noon, followed by a grand entry at 1 p.m. This is the third consecutive year the tribe has hosted the annual event in Santa Ynez. After decades of hosting the event at Live Oak Camp in Santa Barbara, the powwow has returned to sacred tribal grounds.                                                              

“We’re excited to welcome the thousands of people who join us each year for our annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “This is a special time each year when we join together with fellow tribes to honor Native American heritage and traditions, reaffirm old ways and share the beauty of song, dance and prayer alongside old friends, new friends and family.”

The annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow draws hundreds of members of tribal nations from throughout the U.S. and Canada to participate in dancing and drumming competitions. Dancing categories range in age from young children to 70 years and older. Dance styles include traditional, straight, fancy, grass, jingle dress, buckskin, cloth and chicken. More than $143,000 in cash prizes will be offered, making the Chumash Intertribal Powwow the third highest-paying powwow in California. The event will also feature informational booths and vendors selling traditional native food, regalia and arts and crafts.

The powwow is an annual effort of a committee of Chumash tribal volunteers who plan, organize and operate the two-day event. The committee’s goal is to provide the community with educational and cultural experiences, focusing on Native American music, arts and customs while promoting Native American self-reliance and pride.

The Chumash Intertribal Powwow is a zero waste event. Guests are encouraged to bring their reusable water bottles and support the event’s green vendors by disposing of trash and recyclables in the proper receptacle bins.

For more information on the powwow, call 805-688-7997 or visit chumash.gov/powwow.

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.