PROGRAM OFFERS LESSONS OF THE CHUMASH : MAN HELPS PARK VISITORS LEARN INDIAN CULTURE, VALUE OF RESPECTING ENVIRONMENT.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

Part way through his demonstration of Chumash Indian drum and song technique Sunday, Mati Waiya saw his mother making her way toward the group seated in front of him at Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa Park.

``That's my mom,'' Waiya said, pointing out Jobie Perez to the 30 or so people in his audience, who called out a cheerful, collective welcome. ``How ya doing, Mom. Nice to see ya.''

Her appearance was unplanned, but it illustrated something near and dear to Waiya's heart - the importance of family and getting the Chumash Indian's message of respect for nature through to all generations.

It is especially important to get this across to today's children, who are inundated with so many negative images and messages that there is a real danger that they will lose sight of the richness of life surrounding them, he said.

Waiya wants to raise awareness of Chumash culture and, through that, respect for the environment. He does so by regularly demonstrating Chumash material culture and artistic achievement, much as he did at the first of the ``Satwiwa Sundays'' sponsored by the Friends of Satwiwa at the park's Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center.

``You create a platform to discuss with the children the importance of the environment,'' he said.

Satwiwa Sundays are natural and cultural history programs run April through June by the Friends of Satwiwa, according to the National Park Service, which is a co-presenter of the programs.

Coming programs will include an Inuit carver; Gabrielino/Tongva material culture; Chumash storytelling; and Paiute art and culture, according to the National Park Service.

Waiya wanted his audience to come away with a sense of the abundance that nature has to offer. The elderberry clapper sticks, oak staff and other handcrafted tools and musical instruments he displayed were made from the materials that Mother Nature herself provides.

``It really makes it a good way of showing the kids that this is special and you don't have to spend a dime to get this fulfillment,'' Waiya said.

Nine-year-old Matt Mitchell of Agoura Hills, who was at the demonstration with his Boys Scouts of America troop, got the message.

He said he learned how much ``fun'' it could be living as the Chumash did. And was glad that the Chumash respect for the environment was alive and well at Rancho Sierra Vista. There was no litter to be seen and the trees were alive and flourishing - and would probably remain so for generations to come, he said.

``You want it to be the exact same way or in even better condition when your children come,'' Matt said.

Cathi Salomon, who moved to Newbury Park only a year ago, happened to wander onto the demonstration with 3-year-old son Connor and was glad she did. And that family feeling didn't escape her.

``It's kind of neat - it looks like it's a family thing,'' she said.

For information, call the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area information center at [phone], Ext. 201.

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Photo

PHOTO (color in SIMI and CONEJO editions only) Mati Waiya likes what he hears as he teaches a Chumash Indian welcome song to ``Satwiwa Sundays'' participants.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News