Kenneth Kahn has been re-elected as Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, marking his fifth consecutive full term leading the tribe’s governing body. The recent election also reaffirmed the leadership of Business Committee members Mike Lopez, Maxine Littlejohn, Gary Pace, and Raul Armenta, who will each continue serving two-year terms.

The Chairman and Business Committee oversee the legal, business, and policy affairs of the tribe while working to ensure the economic well-being of its members. Kahn, 48, was first elected to the Business Committee in 2003 at age 25, making him the youngest member ever elected to the board. Over the years, he served as Secretary-Treasurer and Vice Chairman before being elected Chairman in a 2016 special election. Beyond his tribal leadership role, Kahn serves on the California Truth and Healing Council and as Vice Chair of the Native American Rights Fund.

Returning as Vice Chairman, Mike Lopez enters his sixth consecutive term on the Business Committee. Lopez, who served a decade on the Santa Ynez Gaming Commission, also holds leadership roles with the California Nations Indian Gaming Association and the United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County.
Maxine Littlejohn, re-elected to her sixth term, continues as Secretary-Treasurer. A Business Committee member since 2000, she briefly left to serve on the Gaming Commission before rejoining the board in 2015.

Gary Pace, a longstanding figure in tribal leadership, begins his 12th consecutive term. He first joined the committee in 2004 following a special election and has helped guide the tribe through two decades of growth.
Raul Armenta returns for his sixth consecutive term after first joining the committee in 2016. Prior to that, he served nearly 20 years on the Gaming Commission.
Since the passage of the Indian Reorganization Act in 1934, federally recognized tribes like the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians have operated under self-governing constitutions. These governing systems, rooted in tradition and cultural identity, enable tribes to manage their own affairs while preserving their heritage.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, located in Santa Barbara County, remains the only federally recognized Chumash tribe in the United States. Its reservation was officially established in 1901.

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When a Southern California Indian tribe was looking for a truck to bolster its growing fire department, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians stepped in to fill the void, donating its own department’s used engine valued at $130,000.

Leadership members from the Cahuilla Band of Indians in Anza, Calif., visited the Chumash reservation in Santa Ynez in September to pick up their new vehicle, which the Chumash Fire Department originally purchased in 2007 for $350,000.

The Type 3 engine holds 500 gallons of water and has compiled 100,000 miles during the past 12 years of fighting fires throughout the U.S.

“We recently purchased a new Type 3 engine for our fire department, so when we learned about the Cahuilla’s need for a truck, we decided to offer them our used truck,” said Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “The truck still performs well and holds significant value on the re-sale market, but helping another tribe advance its own fire department by donating a critical vehicle felt like the right thing to do.”

The Cahuilla Fire Department has battled fires in Riverside County, including the 2018 Cranston Fire that charred more than 13,000 acres, and, along with the Chumash Fire Department, it has an agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to respond to fires throughout the U.S.

“A donation like this, one that is primarily focused on the preservation of life, means so much to us right now, and in the time of emergency, it will mean the world to those it saves,” said Tribal Chairman Daniel Salgado for the Cahuilla Band of Indians. “Because we are in a rural area with a large land base, we are often the first ones on the scene. This engine will greatly elevate our emergency response capabilities in our community in hopes of suppressing a fire in that narrow margin of time after ignition before it becomes an uncontrollable wildfire.”

The Chumash Fire Department was established in 2006 as a hand crew and became an engine crew in 2007 with the purchase of the Type 3 truck. The department now has six full-time employees, up to 10 seasonal employees and two engines in its fleet.

In 2017 alone, the Chumash Fire Department was ordered to more than 100 fires in 10 states, including assignments as far away as Florida. Now, its first Type 3 engine is in the hands of the Cahuilla Fire Department.

“This donation does have deep cultural meaning to us because reciprocity is one of our core values, and we believe it is why we were able to survive and still be here today as tribes,” Salgado said. “This gift will help us preserve life so we can continue carrying on these traditional values and someday return the blessing or carry it forward to the next people in need.”

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Kenneth Kahn has been re-elected as tribal chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians along with Raul Armenta, Maxine Littlejohn, Mike Lopez and Gary Pace — the other four members of the tribe’s governing body, its Business Committee.

Kahn was elected to the Business Committee in 2003 and served for seven consecutive terms as secretary-treasurer and vice chairman. He became tribal chairman in a special election in 2016.

Under his chairmanship, the tribe completed its casino expansion project and saw its Camp 4 property placed into federal trust by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The tribe’s chairman and Business Committee members each serve two-year terms and are responsible for establishing policies and overseeing the legal and business affairs of the tribe while providing for the economic well-being of its members.

Armenta serves as vice chairman, having been elected in a special election in 2016.  Prior to his appointment to the Business Committee, he served almost two decades on the Santa Ynez Gaming Commission where he, along with four other members, was responsible for providing regulatory oversight of the Chumash Casino Resort.

Littlejohn was first elected to the Business Committee in 2000 and became secretary-treasurer in 2003. She temporarily left the committee to serve on the Gaming Commission from 2005 to 2009 but returned to the Business Committee in 2015 and has been re-elected as a member every year since. She is again the committee’s secretary-treasurer.

Pace was first elected in 2004 and has been re-elected to the tribe’s Business Committee in eight consecutive elections. Officials said he has worked diligently on the tribe’s behalf through many important tribal milestones including the purchase of Camp 4, the acquisition of Hotel Corque, Hadsten House and Root 246, and the launch of Kitá Wines.

After serving for almost a decade as the Gaming Commission chairman, Lopez joined the Business Committee in 2015.  The recent election serves as his third consecutive term on the tribe’s leadership team. He also serves as a representative for the tribe’s Education Committee and is a board member for the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County.

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Noozhawk Staff Writer

Native American dancers from all over North America showcased drumming, dancing and music during the 23rd annual Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow at Live Oak Camp in the Santa Ynez Valley on the weekend of Oct. 6.

The annual ceremony hosted by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians draws more than 300 members of tribal nations from across the United States and Canada.

Dancing categories include traditional, straight, fancy, grass, jingle dress, buckskin and cloth dancing. More than $50,000 in prize money is offered.

The event also offers Native American food and craft booths.

“Our annual pow-wow gives us the opportunity to gather with tribes from throughout North America and honor our Native American heritage,” said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

“We’re especially thankful to the elders who attend and teach our next generation of youth about carrying on our Native American traditions.”

The pow-wow got underway with a gourd dance at noon Saturday, followed by a grand entry at 1 p.m., marking the beginning of the pow-wow in which all dancers enter single-file behind flags.

The master of ceremonies provided directions for the dancers and the public and information about the songs, competitions and dances.

The pow-wow is an annual effort of a committee of Chumash tribal volunteers who plan, organize and operate the gathering.

The committee’s goal is to provide the community with educational and cultural experiences focusing on Native American music, arts and customs while also promoting native self-reliance and pride.

Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com.

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The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians (Chumash Tribe) has returned the ancient remains of a Native American man who died 10,000 years ago, known as Tuqan Man, to a burial site on San Miguel Island.

Tuqan Man was discovered inadvertently in 2005 by archeologists from the University of Oregon who were surveying an archeological site on the island. The ancient remains were found exposed and eroding into a gully within the site.

Following the discovery, the National Park Service (NPS) consulted with the Chumash Tribe and together they decided to excavate the unprotected burial of Tuqan Man to prevent it from eroding from the cliff and being lost to the sea.

A full scientific study was conducted due to the cultural and scientific significance of the prehistoric remains.

Federal law, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), required that the NPS determine if the remains of Tuqan Man were Native American, and if so, whether they could be transferred to a Native American tribe.

The Chumash Tribe supported the scientific process as necessary, and worked closely with the NPS to ensure the remains were treated respectfully throughout the process. The Chumash Tribe firmly believe that Tuqan Man is their ancestor.

“Protecting the final resting places of our ancestors is of paramount importance to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “When our tribe learned of the discovery made by archeologists on San Miguel Island, we made it a priority to ensure that our ancestor was laid to rest with a proper burial. Thanks to years of cooperation with the National Park Service, we were granted that opportunity.”

After careful analysis and consideration the NPS determined that Tuqan Man is Native American. Tuqan Man was found to have a significant cultural relationship to American Indian groups and to the maritime culture found on the northern Channel Islands for over 13,000 years.

The Chumash Tribe requested custody of Tuqan Man and was granted custody by NPS per NAGPRA regulations.  Recently, the Chumash Tribe returned Tuqan Man to his resting place on San Miguel Island.

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The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 1491, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Land Affirmation Act of 2017, to send the bill to the U.S. Senate.

The legislation, which passed the House on Nov. 28, ratifies the decision made by the Secretary of the Interior on Jan. 19, 2017, to place approximately 1,400 acres of land, known locally as Camp 4, into trust for the benefit of the tribe.

The bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), was passed among legislation considered under suspension of the rules, a procedure that is used to pass noncontroversial bills through the House of Representatives. It now moves to the U.S. Senate for approval.

“Camp 4 is about tribal housing on tribal land, it’s about preserving our Chumash culture, and it’s about bringing tribal members home,” said Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn. “We are pleased that H.R. 1491 continues to move forward and we look forward to the day that it becomes law.”

H.R. 1491 was introduced March 14 by LaMalfa, who represents the California congressional district near Chico and chairs the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs. It unanimously passed the House Natural Resources Committee on July 25, which allowed the bill to be considered by a floor vote of the entire House of Representatives.

LaMalfa has submitted three bills over the last several years to allow Camp 4 to be taken into trust, which means it would become part of the tribe’s sovereign reservation. The first two were rejected.

Since buying the property in 2010, the Chumash tribe has sought to place the land in trust with plans to build housing there for tribal members. In December 2014, the Pacific Region Director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs approved an application by the tribe to accept title to the Camp 4 property in trust. The Santa Ynez Valley Concerned Citizens filed a federal lawsuit on Nov. 1 challenging that action.

The suit, brought by SYVCC and three homeowners who live adjacent to the trust property, alleges that the analysis of the environmental, land‐use, economic and other impacts as required by federal law was wholly inadequate and insufficient upon which to base the federal decision to take Camp 4 into trust. Instead of requiring a more comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs relied instead on a more limited Environmental Analysis.

The bill was aided by a recent amendment that proclaimed a signed memorandum of agreement between the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the County of Santa Barbara regarding the Camp 4 land. The tribe’s membership approved the agreement and the county Board of Supervisors followed suit with a 4-1 vote on Oct. 31. As part of the agreement, Santa Barbara County pledged to support H.R. 1491 and drop its federal lawsuit.

The agreement between the tribe and the county allows for 143 one-acre residential lots developed on 194 acres, with 869 acres of open space and 206 acres of agriculture. The agreement also allows the tribe to build a tribal hall on the land, holding up to 100 events annually.

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, a Democrat from Santa Barbara and a former county Supervisor, submitted a statement of support into the official record prior to the vote on H.R. 1491.

“I believe that the locally negotiated agreement concerning Camp 4 between the Tribe and the County, which is incorporated in the amended version of H.R. 1491, is in the best interest of my constituents, and is an important step toward establishing a long-term collaborative relationship between all the parties involved,” Carbajal said.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians owns and operates the Chumash Casino Resort on its reservation on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez. It also owns Hotel Corque, Root 246 restaurant and the Hadsten House hotel in Solvang, two gas stations in Santa Ynez, and other property around the valley.

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The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic will partner once again with the Army Reserve and National Guard to provide free dental care for uninsured members of the community Sept. 11-21.

The Army Reserve and National Guard will provide dental check-ups, which may include X-rays, teeth cleanings, fillings and extractions. Uninsured individuals are encouraged to make an appointment immediately because space is limited.

“We’re extremely proud of our ongoing partnership with the Army Reserve and National Guard, and our ability to offer free dental care for community members in need during this annual event,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

The free dental exams will be offered weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday, Sept. 11 through Wednesday, Sept. 20. Appointments will be available on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. to noon. To make an appointment, please call the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic at 805-688-7070.

The Army Reserve and National Guard will provide its own certified dental staff for these services as part of a collaboration between Walking Shield, Inc., and the U.S. Department of Defense. The program brings military reserve units to reservations to assist with health care and provide services for the country’s underserved population. The clinic staff will provide support as needed.

The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and is located on the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ reservation at 90 Via Juana Lane in Santa Ynez. The staff specializes in the highest standards of quality health care through modern medicine and cultural tradition.

The clinic’s comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services are available to all members of the community, not only for Native Americans. The facility accepts Medicare, Medi-Cal and most major insurance plans.

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The five beneficiaries of this year’s two-day golf tournament, which will be held Aug. 23-24 at Alisal River Course, are Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum, and Wildling Museum of Art and Nature.

“These museums are great sources of knowledge and history, and they provide quality educational programming for children throughout Santa Barbara County,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “We’re in the process of planning our Chumash Museum, so we’re familiar with the resources it takes to create and maintain a high-level experience for museum guests. With that in mind, we’ve decided to make these five museums the beneficiaries of our annual charity event.”

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara), which aims to inspire a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world, will use the funds raised from the Chumash Charity Golf Classic to support its educational programs for children. Luke J. Swetland, the museum’s president and CEO, said the programs offer a wide variety of ways to reconnect children with nature and learn more about the wonders of the world that surrounds us.

“We are exceedingly grateful for the support that the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has offered us through the years,” Swetland said. “And we are very thankful to have the tribe as a partner in our efforts to educate and inspire the people of Santa Barbara County and beyond.”

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (113 Harbor Way, Suite 190,
Santa Barbara) strives to inspire and educate the young people who will inherit the care of the Santa Barbara coastline.

Funds received from the Chumash Charity Golf Classic will support the museum’s youth education programs, which serve up to 8,000 youth annually. One such offering is the Spirit of Dana Point Tall Ship Overnight Education Program, which gives fourth-graders studying California history the unique opportunity to live like a 1830s sailor for one night.

The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum (705 S McClelland St., Santa Maria), aims to foster family and youth-inspired learning by creating experiences to “explore ourselves, our valley, our world and beyond.” In its 21st year, it currently serves more than 32,000 children and their families.

Proceeds from the tournament will help support the museum’s weekly education programs, such as Tuesday Tales, Preschool Patrol, Passport Thursday, Fit Friday, Science Saturday and Super Sunday.

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature (1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang) uses art as a tool to inspire the community and visitors to enjoy, value and conserve wildlife and natural areas. The programs it offers help visitors understand the environment care for nature’s dwindling wilderness areas.

Wildling, which recently relocated from a site in Los Olivos, will put funds raised by the Chumash Charity Golf Classic toward its ongoing campaign to purchase the museum’s current space on the corner of Mission Drive and Fifth Street.

The Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum (3596 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez), which was originally organized in 1961, celebrates the rich history of the Santa Ynez Valley, its pioneering settlers and the five early townships that formed the foundation of the region.

The museum is committed to creating a better future for the Santa Ynez Valley by inspiring generations to find wonder and meaning in the past. Proceeds from the golf tournament will be used for conserving, preserving and exhibiting of the museum’s collection.

Since its inaugural event in 2005, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ annual golf tournament has raised more than $1 million for local charities and nonprofits. Past beneficiaries include the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, Dream Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Barbara County, Lompoc Family YMCA, Unity Shoppe, Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley and Buellton Senior Center, among others.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has donated more than $20 million to hundreds of groups, organizations and schools in the community and across the nation as part of the tribe’s long-standing tradition of giving. To find out more about the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation and its giving programs, visitwww.santaynezchumash.org.

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Camp 4 – recently placed into federal trust

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians announced today that the tribe’s 1,390 acres known as “Camp 4” has been placed into federal trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

“We are pleased that our Camp 4 land is now in federal trust,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.  “Camp 4 is officially part of our reservation so we can begin the process of building homes on the property for tribal members and their families and revitalizing our tribal community.”

Shortly after the tribe purchased the Camp 4 property in 2010, it began the process of placing the land into federal trust by taking the administrative route.  In July 2013, the tribe filed a federal trust application with the BIA and by December 2014 a Notice of Decision was received from the BIA, accepting the tribe’s Camp 4 land into federal trust.  It was one of the final steps before the land was officially placed into trust.

Concurrently, the tribe took the legislative route and in October 2013 federal legislation (HR 3313) was introduced to take the Camp 4 land into federal trust on behalf of the tribe.  In February 2015, federal legislation (HR 1157) was re-introduced to Congress.  In July 2016, the House Committee on Natural Resources voted 29-1 to pass HR 1157.

Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn

“The administrative path was successful and now Camp 4 is in trust,” said Kahn. “The return of this ancestral land represents a significant milestone in the tribe’s history and now it is part of the reservation.”  

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians owns and operates the Chumash Casino Resort, which is located on the tribe’s reservation on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, California. The tribe also owns Hotel Corque, Root 246 and the Hadsten House in Solvang and two gas stations in Santa Ynez.

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