Today was Moompetam. The Gathering of the Saltwater Peoples held at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach California. The saltwater peoples are the indigenous tribes who lived here along the south west coast of California and several were honored there today. My tribe, Chumash, is one of those. I am a ‘Saltwater People’. Going to Moompetam is such wonderful touchstone in my year, to see and be with other indigenous who’s faces mirror mine. The Chumash are a ‘first contact’ group who were invaded by the Spanish and we lost thousands of our people to this. To come together and share with others the culture which lived here along the coast long before Europeans came is a joy. I honor my Chumash ancestors and this land which was theirs and where they lived for hundreds of years. I am grateful. Kakinas, Tantay (thank you and peace).
