Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians facts for kids
Flag of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indigenous Americans near Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara County, California.
|
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 154 enrolled members | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| United States (California) | |
| Languages | |
| English, historically Ineseño | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Chumash people |
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians is a Native American tribe. They are part of the larger Chumash group. The Chumash are native people who have lived in California for a very long time. This tribe lives in Santa Barbara. They are officially recognized by the U.S. government. Their own name for themselves is Samala. In their language, the area of Santa Ynez is called ’alaxulapu.
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How the Tribe is Governed
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash has its main office in Santa Ynez, California. The tribe is led by a tribal council. This council has five members. They are chosen by the tribe members through a democratic election. This means people vote for who they want to represent them.
Here are the current leaders of the tribe:
- Chairman: Kenneth Kahn
- Vice-chairman: Mike Lopez
- Secretary/Treasurer: Maxine Littlejohn
- Business Committee Member: Gary Pace
- Business Committee Member: Raul Armenta
The Santa Ynez Reservation
The Santa Ynez Indian Reservation is a special area of land. It is the only reservation belonging to the Chumash people. It was created on December 27, 1901. At first, it was 127 acres in size.
Since 1979, the tribe has worked to make the reservation better. They started programs to build homes. They also improved things like roads and water systems.
Reservation Expansion
In 2019, the reservation grew larger. A piece of land called Camp 4 was added. This added 1,390 more acres to the tribal lands. This expansion helps the tribe have more space for its community.
The Samala Chumash Language
The Samala Chumash language is also known as Ineseño. The last person who spoke Samala as their first language passed away in 1965. This meant that the language was almost lost.
However, the language is now being brought back to life. People found old documents and records. These records helped modern Chumash people learn their language again. This has made the community very proud.
Bringing the Language Back
In the early 1900s, a linguist named John P. Harrington worked with Maria Solares. She was one of the last people who spoke Samala fluently. He wrote down a lot of information. These notes included details about the Chumash language, culture, and traditions.
Later, Dr. Richard Applegate used these notes. He wrote a detailed grammar book for Samala. He also created a dictionary for the language. This dictionary was released in 2008.
Dr. Applegate and Nakia Zavalla are leading efforts to revive the language. Nakia Zavalla is the Cultural Director for the tribe. She is also a direct descendant of Maria Solares. Dr. Applegate started teaching Samala in 2003. Ms. Zavalla has created a program where people learn the language by using it all the time. As of 2008, five people were learning the language this way.
You can also find an online tutorial to learn Samala Chumash.
How the Tribe Supports Itself
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash runs several businesses. These businesses help support the tribe and its members.
They own and operate the Chumash Casino Resort. They also run several restaurants. These include the Chumash Cafe, the Creekside Buffet, and The Willows restaurant. They also used to own Root 246. All these businesses are located in Santa Ynez, California.
Education for Tribal Members
Children living on the reservation attend local schools. The schools that serve the reservation are the College Elementary School District and the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District.
