Bright colors, pounding drums and smoking sage made the 19th annual Chumash Days Powwow and Intertribal Gathering a sensory experience for the many who attended the annual event last weekend — the biggest one yet.
Visitors and participants from Malibu and across the West — Native American and many other races and backgrounds — packed Malibu Bluffs Park to enjoy a full schedule of events on both days, including gourd dancers, a grand entry, invocations, intertribal dancing, the Cody Blackbird Band and the Bird Singers.
There were more than 40 booths at the event selling items — everything from handcrafted jewelry and dream catchers to funny t-shirts (EAT PRAY DRUM). Booth owner Carla Tourville, a resident of San Diego and member of the Tule River Yokut-speaking tribe, said she and her husband, “Go to all the powwows and conferences we can.”
Another attendee, who gave his name only as Nick, said he was a member of the Hopi tribe and had come in from Arizona for this powwow. He said his 21-year-old nephew passed away two weeks ago, and he wanted to participate in the drumming as a way of expressing his grief.
The event was started 19 years ago by a group of Malibu citizens who wanted the city to do something to celebrate the Chumash and, at the same time, wanted to help educate local residents.
“I believe their proposal was to hold a small powwow every Earth Day to recognize the original people that lived here,” Amy Crittenden, recreation manager, explained. “It was originally held in what is now Legacy Park. Around 2005, the city took over the event from the group of volunteers that had been running it.”
The event continued to evolve, and many Native Americans from other tribes besides the Chumash began coming as both attendees and participants. Today, it appears the local Chumash are just a small proportion of the participants and attendees.
The Chumash powwow followed the general format of all powwows. The Grand Entry, the first dance, is led by an Eagle Staff carrier, often a tribal elder, followed by a color guard of flag carriers made up of military veterans. On Saturday, the Eagle Staff carrier was Richard Webster, the California flag was carried by Manny Mendivil and the U.S. flag by Dean Webster. On Saturday, city council member Jefferson Wagner took part in the grand entry holding a City of Malibu flag.
“During grand entry at powwows, the Eagle Staff is always presented ahead of any other flag as the most important and meaningful. It was the indicator of a tribe’s accomplishments in battle and the integrity and honor of its people,” Crittenden wrote in a message to The Malibu Times.
The intertribal dancing includes Native Americans of all ages in colorful dance regalia, solemnly chanting and dancing around the sacred circle bonfire, while a drumming section pounds the drums. No two individuals are dressed the same.
Local Chumash elder, storyteller and spiritual advisor Alan Salazar told traditional Chumash stories at the powwow, which usually include their story of creation and the rainbow bridge, and the “hole in the blanket” story. He also used sage smoke to cleanse the dancers and flag holders before entering the sacred circle.
“Alan Salazar is called on many times when the city has needed a ceremony to cleanse an event or open up a celebration dedicating lands formerly occupied by the Chumash to open space,” said Crittenden. “He’s also gone to Malibu schools in the past to help educate the children about the Chumash and serves on the city’s Environmental Review Board.”
Native American actor Saginaw Grant, with over 40 film and television credits, attended the powwow as head gourd dancer. He received an honor and also participated in many dances. At the age of 80, he’s still working. In 2013, he played Chief Big Bear in the film “The Lone Ranger,” then appeared as a man who sells his truck to Walter White in a “Breaking Bad” episode.
The City’s Parks and Recreation Department, which manages the event, was surprised by an unexpectedly large number of attendees, some of whom had to wait for up to an hour to get a shuttle from the parking lot on Webb Way and Civic Center Way up to the event at Bluff’s Park. The line was nearly 100 people long at one point, with many opting to get on the 534 metro bus and pay the $1.75 fare.
Crittenden said that after the long waits on Saturday, the city ordered a bigger shuttle bus on Sunday. “Each year it keeps getting bigger,” she said.
