POWWOW CELEBRATES CHUMASH HERITAGE.Byline: David Greenberg The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Daily News Staff Writer Alan Salazar, spiritual adviser for the Oak Brook Chumash Interpretive Center's annual powwow powwow American Indian ceremony or gathering of various kinds. Powwows originally were healing ceremonies, but the word could also refer to exuberant celebrations, with dancing and singing, of success in hunting or victory in battle. , says he finds inner peace standing under the oak and willow trees that blanket Lang Ranch. ``You can get under these trees and you don't see modern civilization,'' he said. ``You don't see any of the development in Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. . You feel like you're back 200 years.'' The powwow celebrates the heritage of Chumash Indians, who occupied the Ventura County region as far back as 500 years ago. Some 10,000 people, including Indians from other tribes, were expected to attend Saturday and today, which will raise one-third of the center's $120,000 annual operating budget Noun 1. operating budget - a budget for current expenses as distinct from financial transactions or permanent improvements budget items, operating cost, operating expense, overhead - the expense of maintaining property (e.g. . Maintaining Chumash heritage is of particular importance since the tribe's numbers have been reduced to no more than 500 across Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , members said. ``We descended from the people who lived right here,'' said Paul Varela, the center's director. ``There's no other people in the country who can say that. It gives you a picture of what a great place it was to live. I feel that energy.'' The powwow, which began Saturday and runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, features drum contests, dancing, Indian cooking and crafts. Katie McCann, 18, of Mission Viejo accompanied her Chumash boyfriend, Jonathan, to the event to attune at·tune tr.v. at·tuned, at·tun·ing, at·tunes 1. To bring into a harmonious or responsive relationship: an industry that is not attuned to market demands. 2. herself with his ancestry. ``Meeting his family and learning about his heritage will help me learn about him,'' she said. ``There's a bond between everyone. It gives me a feeling of happiness. It is very peaceful.'' Before the public arrived, Salazar cleansed the dance area of bad spirits with the gentle strokes of a burning sage brush. He fed a small sacred fire with tobacco - a gift from Mother Earth - and datura datura, n See jimsonweed. Datura a genus of toxic plants in the family Solanaceae; contain tropane alkaloids including hyoscine (scopolamine), hyoscyamine, atropine which cause excitement, restlessness, pupillary dilation, dryness , a wild plant said to make one's dreams more powerful. But spending a weekend on sacred grounds was more than a dream for Beverly Folks, who serves on the center's board. ``I feel my ancestors smiling down on me,'' she said. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color in Simi and Conejo Editions only) Two gray wolves, brought by Wolves-N-Wildlife, attended the powwow Saturday at the Oak Brush Chumash Interpretive Center in Thousand Oaks. Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News |
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