Chumash ancestors used abalone, clam and mussel shells to embellish everything from regalia to their daily tools. Their jewelry even became popular amongst European explorers and settlers, which is why today you can find Chumash jewelry and other art pieces in museums and private collections around the world. Today, Chumash jewelry makers combine old-world design with contemporary techniques to pay homage to their ancestors. This segment of Chumash Life features Santa Ynez Chumash community memb

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ma’al’puxš a kiyaqlɨ’w (The learners of the language) Last year, the Culture Department of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians introduced a new language programs to help Santa Ynez Chumash community members learn our traditional language of Sʰamala. This new method is delivered through a five-week course where students learn the language through conversational phrases, allowing an immersive and engaging experience for all ages. Thanks to the success of our various Chumash Enterprises, we are

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2K views · 54 reactions | Sharing the complexity of our ancestral communities through education is just one of the ways we are honoring the legacy of our people. Learn more about the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians at santaynezchumash.org. | Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians | Facebook

The Chumash have been a maritime culture for thousands of years, with their territory stretching from Malibu to Morro Bay and westward to the sandstone cliffs of the Channel Islands, over 20 miles off the coast of California. To navigate the treacherous currents of the channel for fishing and trading, they built the strong plank canoe tomols for which they are famous. But over centuries of European colonization, which included forced assimilation and enslavement of Chumash people, the craft of t