Native American tribes from throughout North America will come together in Santa Ynez to celebrate Indigenous heritage and culture at the Chumash Intertribal Powwow, Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5, as the event is “Celebrating 60 Years.”
The two-day gathering, which is the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ largest cultural event of the year, features dancing, singing, drumming, food, arts, and crafts.
Open to the public, the powwow will be 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 4, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 5 at the corner of Meadowvale Road and Highway 246 in Santa Ynez. Admission is $5 and parking is free.
The tribe’s first powwow in 1965 started as a fundraiser to bring running water to the Santa Ynez Reservation. Now, 60 years later, it’s an annual cultural and educational event that allows the tribe to share their Chumash heritage with tribes from across North America and the local community.
To mark the start of the powwow each day, there will be a grand entry, Royalty and Chumash Youth Recognitions at 1 p.m., with intertribal and exhibition dancing at 2 p.m.
Each day also features contest dancing from various age groups.
This is the fourth consecutive year the tribe is hosting the annual event in Santa Ynez, returning to sacred tribal grounds after decades of hosting the event at Live Oak Camp in Santa Barbara, the tribe said.
“This year’s annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow is extra special as we mark 60 years since our tribe’s first powwow in Santa Ynez,” said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “We look forward to welcoming tribes from throughout North America to celebrate our heritage and culture.”
The annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow draws hundreds of members of tribal nations from throughout the U.S. and Canada to participate in dancing and drumming competitions, with more than $155,000 in cash prizes offered this year.
Dancing categories range in age from young children to 70 years and older. Dance styles include traditional, straight, fancy, grass, jingle dress, buckskin, cloth and chicken.
There will be informational booths and vendors selling traditional native food, regalia and arts and crafts.
The powwow is an annual effort of a committee of Chumash tribal volunteers whose goal is to provide the community with educational and cultural experiences, focusing on Native American music, arts and customs while promoting Native American self-reliance and pride.
The Intertribal Powwow is a zero waste event. Guests are urged to bring reusable water bottles and support the event’s green vendors by disposing of trash and recyclables in the proper receptacle bins.
For more about the powwow, call 805-688-7997 or visit chumash.gov/powwow.
The Santa Ynez Indian Reservation was established and officially recognized by the federal government on Dec. 27, 1901. Today, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians remains the only federally recognized Chumash tribe in the nation.
The tribe is a self-governing sovereign nation and follows the laws set forth in its tribal constitution.