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The weekend heat did not deter the hundreds of people who attended the 27th Annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow on October 5 and 6. For the third year in a row, the Tribe held the powwow on sacred grounds in Santa Ynez. Dancers and drummers from across North America competed and danced in vibrant and often intricate regalia.
“I can’t even describe the feeling,” said Nakia Zavalla when asked how it felt to see so many tribes and peoples represented. Zavalla is the cultural director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
“To see the regalia that represents their style, their people. You learn something new every year,” she continued. “And you make new friends. That’s what powwows are. They’re a gathering of many nations and you’re able to meet people and see old familiar faces, too.”
Chumash dancers at the 27th Annual Intertribal Powwow | Credit: Courtesy of The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians 
Chumash dancers at the 27th Annual Intertribal Powwow | Credit: Courtesy of The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians 
The entrance to the powwow grounds. For the third year in a row, the Chumash Tribe hosted the powwow in Santa Ynez on tribal grounds. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Storyteller Alan Salazar tells Chumash and personal stories. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Tents near the powwow arena are filled with Indigenous art and clothing for sale. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
A designated viewing and rest section for elders. The powwow area, where performers sang, drummed and danced, was surrounded by bleachers and tents to make sure everyone stayed as cool as possible in the 100 degree heat. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Food trucks and stalls for powwow attendees. Options included fry bread and Indian tacos. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
A dancer dances in the powwow arena. Over the weekend, dancers competed and danced socially in several styles. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Drummers and singers perform as dancers compete. Prizes were awarded to drummers as well over the weekend, with $8000 for first prize. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Dancers line up before entering the powwow area. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Jacob Crane (left), Baac Garcia (center) and Julius Phoenix (right) at the powwow. Crane is of the Tsuu’tina Nation in Alberta Canada, Garcia is Tohono O’odham and lives in Orange County, California and Phoenix is Navajo and Northern Paiute. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
A performance at the powwow. | Credit: Christina McDermott
Dancing occurred in a shaded arena near the center of the grounds. Surrounding it stood tents and bleachers, where drummers and spectators sat. Vince Beyl, who is White Earth Ojibwe, was the master of ceremonies for the powwow, and provided information about events and directions for dancers.
The weekend featured dozens of events in total with dancers ranging in age from elementary-schoolers to senior citizens. They competed in a range of styles for more than $143,000 in prize money. Judges awarded first, second, third and fourth prizes to dancers and drummers.
Zavalla says that this year, there was a competition category for Chumash dancers — and that competition went really well.
“We were able to share our songs so other tribes could see who we are as Chumash people,” she said.
Allen Roy Paquin competed in the 60 + Mens Fancy Dance event. Paquin is Jicarilla Apache and Zuni Pueblo and from Dolseen New Mexico. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Men competing at the powwow. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Men competing at the powwow. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Michelle McCauley Bobadilla is a women’s fancy shawl dancer. She is part of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Dancers line up to hear the competition winners. | Credit: Christina McDermott 
Aurora Toledo of the Big Pine Tribe competed in the Women’s Old Style Jingle. | Credit: Christina McDermott
The Chumash held their first powwow in 1965 to help raise funds to provide running water for the reservation and money for tribal youth programs. Today, Zavalla said the powwow is no longer a fundraiser, and the tribe has the capacity to support and sponsor all the events.
“It makes it really exciting because we’re competing against each other and sometimes we’ll have up to 16 individuals in categories so the competition gets very fierce and you see some of the best dancers,” she said. “We have championship dancers and singers here as well.”
The powwow is organized by a volunteer committee group of tribal members. According to the powwow’s brochure, the goal is to bring Chumash community members and others “an authentic Chumash education and cultural experience through music, art, and art tradition while promoting tribal self-reliance and pride.”
Around the grounds, event-goers had the opportunity to shop for Native art and supplies from vendors, hear stories from a Chumash storyteller, learn about Chumash culture, cool off at water and misting stands, and grab a lunch or snack, including fry bread and Indian tacos.
