"This fall is filled with plenty of wonderful activities in the community including some great tribal activities for general participation.

One event that has already passed, but is worth noting, is the annual tomol crossing. Earlier this month, more than 200 spectators gathered on Santa Cruz Island to welcome descendants from various Chumash nations who crossed the Santa Barbara Channel using a traditional mode of Chumash transportation - the tomol.

This was the seventh time in more than 150 years that a group of Chumash descendants used the oldest living example of an ocean-going watercraft in North America to take a path that their ancestors took daily.

This weekend, on October 2 and 3, you can enjoy the 15th annual Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow at Live Oak Campground. A pageantry of native song and dance will be on full display for spectators.

As in previous pow-wows, we are expecting some 3,000 visitors over the weekend with opportunities for them to not only view pow-wow dancing but also to shop and dine at various vendor booths.

Since pow-wows were not traditionally Chumash, our pow-wow celebrates all Native American culture. It’s wonderful to see the variety of tribal regalia and different styles of pow-wow dancing."

Get the Story:
Nakia Zavalla: Chumash celebrate native culture (The Solvang Vally News 9/30)

Also Today:
Chumash to host annual pow-wow (The Santa Maria Times 10/1)