Satwiwa facts for kids
| Established | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Location | 4126 1 W. Potrero Road, Newbury Park, CA 91320 |
| Type | Culture Center National Park |
| Public transit access | Thousand Oaks Transit (TOT) |
Satwiwa (which means "the bluffs" in the Chumash language) was once a village for the Chumash people in the Santa Monica Mountains of Newbury Park, California. Today, it's home to the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center. This center is run by the National Park Service along with the Friends of Satwiwa.
The Chumash people have lived in the Satwiwa area for over 10,000 years. It sits at the base of Boney Mountain, which is a very special and sacred place for the Chumash.
This area is surrounded by thousands of acres of wilderness in the Santa Monica Mountains. You might see amazing animals like golden eagles, mountain lions, coyotes, snakes, bobcats, foxes, and hawks here.
Satwiwa is one of the main ways to enter the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. It's also known as "the backdoor" to Point Mugu State Park because of its trails.
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What Does Satwiwa Mean?
The name Satwiwa comes from the Chumash language. It means "the bluffs" or "higher places." This name first referred to the nearby Boney Mountain. Satwiwa was also the name of a Chumash village. This old village was located just north of Big Sycamore Canyon in southern Newbury Park, California. It was right at the foot of Boney Mountain.
About the Satwiwa Culture Center
Satwiwa is next to the Santa Monica Mountains and Rancho Sierra Vista. It's part of the huge Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. This special place is at the western end of the Santa Monica Mountains in Newbury Park, California. It borders land managed by the National Park Service.
The Chumash people have lived in Satwiwa and the surrounding areas for over 10,000 years. The old village site has been turned into a nature center. It has a special area where you can learn about Chumash Indians. Native American guides or park rangers are often there on weekends to give talks. The center also hosts art shows, ceremonies, and hands-on exhibits. Many hiking trails start here, connecting to Point Mugu State Park. You can even find trails to beautiful waterfalls in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Satwiwa and the nearby Point Mugu State Park cover a huge area of 16,000 acres. The word "Mugu" also comes from the Chumash language, meaning "beach." This landscape is stunning, with Boney Mountain as a dramatic backdrop. You'll see rocky canyons, coastal plants, creek beds, oak and sycamore trees, and rolling green hills. Many trails connect to other open spaces nearby.
A Look at Satwiwa's History
Native Americans have lived in this area for over 10,000 years. They had a hunting and gathering lifestyle. They fished in the Pacific Ocean and hunted deer and rabbits in the canyons. They also collected acorns from oak trees. They would grind these acorns to make food, often mixing them with roots or berries. These thriving tribes were part of a big trading network. It stretched up and down the coast, even reaching the California Channel Islands.
In the mid-1500s, the Spanish were the first Europeans to meet the native people. The Spanish built missions nearby to claim the land for Spain. When the Spanish arrived, the village of Satwiwa became part of Rancho El Conejo.
Today, Native Americans from Chumash, Tataviam, Tongva, and Vanyume backgrounds organize programs at the Satwiwa Center. They work to keep their traditions alive. They share their culture through modern programs, art, and displays. Traditional and religious ceremonies and dances are still held at Satwiwa Center.
The U.S. National Park Service bought the Satwiwa site in 1980. They then created the cultural center there. The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is a partnership between the Chumash people and the U.S. National Park Service. It offers many educational talks and workshops. You can also see Native American art displays and more.
The Chumash People at Satwiwa
The Ventureño Chumash Indians first settled in Satwiwa about 13,000 years ago. They lived in the village as recently as 2,000 years ago. The village was an important stop for travelers and traders. They crossed the Santa Monica Mountains through Sycamore Canyon. This path helped them get from the Conejo Valley to the Mugu Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean. The Chumash traded with the Gabrieleño-Tongva Indians, who lived mostly in Los Angeles County.
Many Chumash artifacts and petroglyphs (rock carvings) have been found nearby. These are especially common along the Arroyo Conejo creek, which flows to the estuary at Mugu Lagoon. Satwiwa is at the foot of Boney Mountain, which is a very sacred mountain for the Chumash people. Many of these artifacts are on display at the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center. You can also see them at the Chumash exhibit at the Stagecoach Inn Museum in Newbury Park. The Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks also has many items.
Native American groups still use Satwiwa regularly. The Chumash Barbareño-Ventureño Band of Mission Indians hold events there. These include community dancing and celebrations for ceremonies like the summer solstice and the Hutash ceremony.
The first people who lived in the village of Satwiwa believed Boney Mountain was the sacred home where all creation began. The peak is still sacred to the Chumash people today. The cultural center has a Chumash demonstration village. It's right across the path from the main center. This village has reconstructed 'ap (houses) built in the traditional Chumash way. It's a popular place to visit on weekends when Native American teachers and National Park rangers are there.
Fun Things to Do at Satwiwa
Point Mugu State Park is one of California’s largest state parks, with over 100 miles of trails. Almost half of the park is the Boney Mountain State Wilderness Area. This is a wild natural area around Mount Boney, which is sacred to the Chumash people.
Several trails lead to waterfalls, mountain viewpoints, and some even cross the Santa Monica Mountains to the coast of Point Mugu. The Old Boney Loop trail goes from Satwiwa into the heart of the Boney Mountain State Wilderness. A shorter hike is to Sycamore Canyon Waterfall, which is 3.5 miles roundtrip from the Satwiwa Native American Culture Center. Sycamore Canyon Waterfall has a 70-foot series of cascades near a creek bed covered with trees.
There are many trails in the area that connect to each other. People use these trails for running, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.
Wildlife You Might See
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Satwiwa is next to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, which is national park land. Because of this, there's lots of wildlife around! You might often see rabbits, coyotes, deer, prairie falcons, roadrunners, hawks, golden eagles, foxes, and raccoons.
The area is also home to other animals, including rattlesnakes and mountain lions.
Mammals of the Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is home to more than 45 different kinds of mammals. Here are some of them:
- Virginia Opossum
- California Raccoon
- American Badger
- Gray Fox
- Valley Coyote
- Red Fox
- Bobcat
- Mountain lion
- Ring-tailed Cat
- Striped Skunk
- Spotted Skunk
- Long-tailed Weasel
- Black-tailed jackrabbit
- Desert Cottontail
- Brush Rabbit
- Mule Deer
- Western Gray Squirrel
- Fox Squirrel
- California Ground Squirrel
- Merriam's Chipmunk
- Botta's Pocket Gopher
- Desert Shrew
- Ornate Shrew
- Broad-footed Mole
- Pallid Bat
- Big Brown Bat
- Hoary Bat
- California Myotis
- Yuma Myotis
- Western Pipistrelle
- Western Mastiff Bat
- Mexican Free-tailed Bat
- Pacific Kangaroo Rat
- California Pocket Mouse
- California Vole
- Dusky-footed Woodrat
- Desert Woodrat
- Brush Mouse
- California Mouse
- Cactus Mouse
- House Mouse
- Deer Mouse
- Pinon Mouse
- Western Harvest Mouse
- Brown Rat
- Black Rat
