Chumash Peoples have lived on the Central Coast of California for an estimated 20,000 years by Western archaeology. We know we have been here since time immemorial.

Our long standing relationship with the abundant land and sea along this coastline is the core of our Chumash Cultural Heritage. As communities living in harmony with the ocean, the Central Coast’s abundance provided a stable source of food and resources to sustain and enrich our complex culture with several regional languages, cuisines, art, technology, and much more. Rooted in a philosophy of sustainable and respectful use of the natural resources, “Chumash culture has been considered one of the most unique and advanced in the continent” (Wishtoyo). This respect and understanding for the interconnectedness and reciprocity of humans and nature is passed down, even today, through stories and teachings from generation to generation.