SBCAN Land Acknowledgement

SBCAN acknowledges that we work, live, and play on unceded, stolen, and occupied Indigenous lands and waters. The goal of this land acknowledgment, commitments, and calls to action are our way of doing what we can to dismantle the ongoing legacies of colonialism. The name, “Chumash,” often used to describe the first people of Santa Barbara, has only been used consistently since 1924. The original names Indigenous people in this area use to call themselves are Yak tityu tityu, tilhini, ‘Amuwu, Kuyam, Samala, Šmuwić, Micqanaqa’n, Hul kuhk’u, Kashtïk, and Micćumaś. The Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation was originally created as “the Coastal Bands”, referring to the multiple Indigenous bands and families that came together. There are still many different Chumash Tribes, Bands, Clans and Families in their tribal territories from Big Sur to Malibu. 

We would also like to acknowledge the Indigenous Mixteco members of our community, and honor the fact that migration is natural and has happened on these lands long before the immigrants arrived from across the sea. Lastly, we pay our respects to these lands and waters that sustain us. We acknowledge that humans are part of nature and without us, this earth would flourish, but without the earth we would not. 

We honor the rich and varied history of what we call Santa Barbara County and pay respects to all Indigenous elders; past, present, and emerging. SBCAN commits to make space for Indigenous voices to be heard and elevated. We commit to be a partner in the efforts Indigenous groups champion. We also commit to bringing Indigenous people into the projects that we lead, and we commit to support the local Chumash in any other ways that we can that would benefit their communities. 

We invite you, our members and our guests, to learn more about the Indigenous people where you live and we urge you to reflect on how you or your organization can also commit to creating change to dismantle settler colonialism. This acknowledgement was created in partnership with the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and is a living statement that reflects our ever evolving relationship together.