By Raiza Giorgi

publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

Native American dancers and other tribal members from far and wide displayed their cultural heritage and talents in drumming, dancing and other artistry during the 24^th annual Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow at Live Oak Camp in the Santa Ynez Valley on the weekend of Oct. 5-6.

The pow-wow held a grand entry on Saturday and Sunday, in which all dancers entered single-file behind flags.

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

“I love coming here to celebrate the Chumash and Indian culture and visit with family and friends from other tribes,” said Lacee Lopez of the Santa Barbara Coastal Chumash tribe.

Lopez helps out her family every year with selling wares and making jewelry. She loves her family’s connection with the ocean and has crossed to the Channel Islands 11 times in canoes.

“I love the freedom of paddling and seeing the dolphins. It’s as close as we can get to our ancestors,” Lopez added.

This year, Lopez noted, she also joined in the dancing.

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.

The pow-wow started 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 grand entry was repeated on Sunday.

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.

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All ages are welcome to experience California-style Native American singing and dancing during the 13^th annual Chumash Culture Day from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 19 at the Tribal Hall on the Santa Ynez reservation.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will also feature arts and crafts vendors, food booths and basket-making demonstrations. All ages are welcome.

“Our annual Chumash Culture Day showcases the talents and traditions of California-based tribes,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “It’s also a great opportunity for members of the public to visit the reservation, enjoy a day of song and dance, and learn more about our culture.”

The event begins at 1 p.m. with a blessing and will be followed by an honoring of elders. California native dancing and singing will occur from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and again following a dinner break from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A traditional Handgame Tournament will start at 5 p.m., with teams competing for first-place ($1,000), second-place ($750) and third-place ($500) prizes.

Chumash Culture Day is sponsored by the Tribal Elders Council and the Cultural Department of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. The council is a division of the tribal government that is responsible for preserving cultural resources and maintaining the tribe’s heritage, history and traditions.

The Chumash reservation is located at 100 Via Juana Lane, Santa Ynez. For more information, call the Santa Ynez Chumash Tribal Hall at 805-688-7997.

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Native American dancing, singing and drumming will be on display at the 22nd annual Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at Live Oak Campground in Santa Ynez. The celebration will be held 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

A gourd dance at noon, followed by a grand entry at 1 p.m., will mark the start of each day of the pow-wow. This is the largest cultural event of the year held by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

“Our annual inter-tribal pow-wow is a special time that allows us to honor our heritage and traditions,” said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

“It’s also a time for us to share in the beauty of song, dance and prayer alongside old friends, new friends and family,” he said.

The Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow draws members of tribal nations from across the United States to participate in dancing and drumming competitions. Dancing categories include traditional, straight, fancy and grass dancing. Nearly $45,000 in prize money will be offered.

The event also features Native American food and crafts booths.

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

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

It will be a zero-waste and a non-Styrofoam event, in keeping with the tribe’s commitment to be environmental stewards. Guests are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles, support the event’s green vendors, and dispose of trash in the proper receptacle bins.

Live Oak Campground is at 4650 Hwy. 154 in Santa Ynez. Admission is free. Parking costs $5. Camping fee is $35.

For more information, call 688-7997 or visit santaynezchumash.org/powwow.html.

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By Jessica Schley

In an effort to bring back a venerated valley tradition, an art show and auction in the spirit of the former Peppertree Art Show was held May 20 at Flag Is Up Farm in Solvang, the home of “Horse Whisperer” Monty Roberts and his wife, sculptor Pat Roberts.

Monty Roberts auctioned off several pieces as a fundraiser for Join-Up International, a nonprofit organization that teaches gentle methods of horsemanship to students from all over the world.

For 33 years artists and collectors anticipated attending the Peppertree Art Show hosted by art collector Irma Eubanks and her husband, TV host Bob Eubanks, at their ranch in Santa Ynez. The art community nationwide was saddened by the loss of the event and venue in 2008, as it had become one of the most famous fine art shows in the nation, with hundreds of pieces on display and up for auction every year. The show attracted thousands of visitors during its three-decade run.

Several former Peppertree artists approached gallery owner and art event planner Tom Burgher of Pismo Beach to reinvigorate an annual fine art show for the valley. The inaugural featured 16 artists and was split between Western and contemporary themes. Mediums included sculpture, oil on marble, and Native American leather and beadwork, among others.

Serving as auctioneer, Monty Roberts auctioned off several pieces as a fundraiser for Join-Up International, a nonprofit founded by the Robertses to teach gentle methods of horsemanship to students from all over the world.

A surprise appearance was made by the horse Shy Boy during the auctioning of a sculpture made in his image by Pat Roberts. Shy Boy is the wild mustang that was featured in a PBS-aired BBC documentary in 1999 about Monty Roberts’ methods of horse gentling.

Classical guitarist Jack Cimo played, and Jeff Faber of Opolo Wines in Paso Robles poured tastings for the crowd of about 50. The event raised several thousand dollars, which will help the farm’s nonprofit to provide “Horse Sense & Healing” clinics for veterans and first responders.

For more information visit www.join-up.org/veterans.

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Native American dancing, singing and drumming will be on display during the 21st annual Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow at the Live Oak Campground in Santa Ynez. The two-day gathering will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 1 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2.

This year’s theme is “Weaving the Story of Our Future.”

A gourd dance at noon, followed by a grand entry at 1 p.m., will mark the start each day of the pow-wow, which is the largest cultural event of the year held by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

“Thousands of spectators attend the pow-wow each year,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.  “It is a great opportunity to share our Chumash heritage with tribal people, who come from different parts of the country, and members of our local community.”

The Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow draws members of tribal nations from across the U.S. to participate in dancing and drumming competitions. Dancing categories include Northern Traditional, Southern Straight, Jingle Dress, Fancy and Grass. More than $45,000 in prize money will be offered. The event will also feature Native American food and crafts booths.

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

It will be a zero-waste and a non-Styrofoam event, in keeping with the tribe’s commitment to be environmental stewards. Guests are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles, support the event’s green vendors and dispose of trash in the proper receptacle bins.

Live Oak Campground is located at 4650 Highway 154 in Santa Ynez. Admission is free. Parking cost is $5. The camping fee is $25. For more information on the pow-wow, call (805) 688-7997.

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