Cultural Programs

The Chumash Maritime Association (CMA) has a history of good partnerships and collaborations with various bands, groups, agencies, organizations, and individuals through our role as tomol builders and caretakers of the ‘Elye’wun. 

Tomol Practice at Avila Beach.

Building Tomols CMA is supporting the building of a new Barbareno Chumash Council community Tomol. We have held many paddle making workshops for young and old paddlers. The long double bladed paddles are unique to the Chumash.

Paddle Practice

Tule Boat for Creek Week at the Tomol House Our Tomol House is located adjacent to the Watershed Resource Center. We work closely with those affiliated with the Watershed Resource Center at Arroyo Burro State Beach to participate in Creek Week, Earth Day, and Fathers Day Events. Affiliates include Art from Scrap, Channel Keepers, Stream Team, Surfrider Foundation, 4-H Cooperative Extension Aqua-Pura program, and the Santa Barbara Housing Authority.

Native Plant Restoration We partnered with the County Parks and Recreation Department and Santa Barbara Beautiful on a project to restore and improve an educational native plant landscape around the Watershed Resource Center.

Practice in Santa Barbara Harbor Every other Sunday starting in March we bring our tomol to the harbor for paddling practice to prepare for the annual channel crossing to Santa Cruz Island, Limuw. CMA partners with the National Park Service, all of the Chumash bands, CINMS, NOAA, and a large community of supporters to help facilitate the annual channel crossing and receiving of the ‘Elye’wun at Scorpion Harbor, the ancient village of Swaxil.

CMA Cultural Youth Camp We received grant funds from the Santa Barbara Arts Commission to support Chumash cultural activities. The Arts Commission also granted funds for artists to participate in the Chumash Maritime Association Cultural Youth Camp 2008. The camp provided valuable interaction with our youth as cultural ambassadors to their peers. Our youth have skills, knowledge,stories and songs that they will enjoy sharing in future camps and events.

Syuxtun Story Circle Recently, CMA has supported Chumash artists from various tribal bands and the Chumash community to work with the City of Santa Barbara and Avila Sea Life Center to produce two large story mosaics. The Syuxtun Story Circle won the 2010 Santa Barbara Beautiful Award for Art in Public Places and is located in the sidewalk of Cabrillo Blvd in the Chumash History Plaza.   The Tomol Exhibit in the Avila Sea Life Center is located in Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo.   Santa Barbara Arts Commission funded a community grant to record stories of the Syuxtun Story Circle for this public podcast.

Avila Sea Life Center Tomol Exhibit

CMA also partners with the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, and other organizations during special events by providing educational displays and tomol participation.  CMA worked with the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS), Wishtoyo Foundation, and other Chumash community members to produce the documentary film about the sanctuary, Beneath the Rainbow Bridge.