Initial $25,000 Offering Supports the Northern Chumash Tribal Council’s Work to Reclaim Ancestral Land at Dos Pueblos Ranch
The FUND for Santa Barbara is proud to announce the launch of the Chumash Reparative Action Fund, a new initiative designed to advance reparations for all Chumash peoples and deepen the organization’s longstanding commitment to Indigenous justice. This announcement comes during Native American Heritage Month, a time to recognize and honor the histories and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples.
The FUND’s work begins with the recognition that Santa Barbara County is located on unceded Chumash land. The history of settler colonialism in this country has caused lasting harm to the Chumash people, their culture, and the lands they have stewarded for thousands of years. These injustices persist today, perpetuated by those in positions of power who continue to terrorize and traumatize Indigenous communities and people of color.
Beginning this year, The FUND will make annual, rotating offerings to each of the seven Chumash Bands in the region. These offerings are an acknowledgment that The FUND, like almost all of us, has benefited from historical and ongoing harms. These contributions aim to give back in ways that are authentic to The FUND’s mission while leveraging decades of experience in grantmaking, philanthropy, and community building. Finally, these offerings aim to help chart a new future for repairing and rebuilding in community with the Chumash peoples, guided by Indigenous knowledge, experience, expertise, and ecological wisdom.
The first offering of $25,000 will go to the Northern Chumash Tribal Council (NCTC), which is leading a major campaign to purchase and reclaim ancestral Chumash land at Dos Pueblos Ranch—a sacred coastal site along the Gaviota Coast. This once-in-a-generation opportunity represents not only the return of land to Indigenous stewardship but the restoration of cultural, educational, and ecological relationships that have long sustained this region. Whether this offering supports that campaign or other community needs, the decision rests solely with NCTC.
“I am honored to receive this generous offering to support the acquisition, protection, and restoration of our ancestral lands. In a time like this, the steadfast stewards for social and environmental justice rise up to help calm the storm,” said Violet Sage Walker, Chairwoman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council. “We are sincerely grateful for The FUND for Santa Barbara and their strength and dedication to Indigenous People and causes.”
As this initiative evolves, The FUND will work with partners and an advisory committee to establish a clear funding strategy and collaborative process, ensuring future offerings are thoughtful, transparent, and aligned with Chumash community priorities.
The FUND for Santa Barbara is calling on its philanthropic partners, foundations, and donors to join in this effort:
- Give directly to the Northern Chumash Tribal Council to support the return of ancestral land at Dos Pueblos Ranch.
- Establish parallel funds or initiatives that support this broader reparative vision.
About the Fund for Santa Barbara
The FUND for Santa Barbara is a local 501c3 foundation that provides grants and support to organizations that advance progressive change by strengthening movements for Economic, Environmental, Political, Racial, and Social Justice. More information about The FUND can be found at fundforsantabarbara.org.
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Alex – it is within the Naples State Marine Conservation Area, where it is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource, EXCEPT:
Recreational take of white seabass and pelagic finfish (northern anchovy, barracudas, billfishes, dorado (dolphinfish), Pacific herring, jack mackerel, Pacific mackerel, salmon, Pacific sardine, blue shark, salmon shark, shortfin mako shark, thresher shark, swordfish, tunas, Pacific bonito, and yellowtail) by spearfishing is allowed. Commercial take of giant kelp is allowed. Includes take exemptions for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. So if the free divers you mention are taking anything other than the above or are not Chumash, then they are breaking the law. Fishing is definitely not allowed.
The folks I know that spearfish that area, where I have spent a great deal of time, are typically getting white sea bass. I’m not a fisherman and I don’t claim knowledge other than my firsthand experience of friends spear fishing there.
I am under the impression that the Chumash make millions off of their casino operations each year. The whole Indian gambling set up was for reparation. Can giving them $25K be at all meaningful?
That’s what I was just thinking. Uuhhh…they’ve got a lot of casino money! 25k is chump change. Probably a PR move from the donors here. Look at us!
Once again, BASIC proving to the world he/she doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
You don’t seem to be aware that there are multiple branches of Chumash, not all casino wealthy.
But, it’s part of your pattern of being blissfully unaware of most anything not WASP or anything environmental.
Well here is an idea — The Chumash with the casino wealth should share with the other branches, as they seem to have a lot of money.
Also you can open your wallet and donate your money.
Gee CITIZEN, yeah…. it’s so simple! Just share the wealth with everyone!
You clearly have no understanding of the issues within the various Chumash groups.
I addressed your mistaken assumption above, learn to ask questions before you speak.
Musk and Bezos are white billionaires, so you have no reason to complain about the price of anything, right?
Maybe be a bit less crass and obvious in your racism.
Logical fallacies seem to elude you.
Projection as always.
Are there really people so dim that they don’t grasp the sarcasm of my comment? And don’t grasp the point — that racists view everyone *except white men* as interchangeable members of a group?
The SY Band are not getting this money, and also the SY Band donates millions of dollars to other Chumash organizations as well as non Chumash organizations. You should try and learn a little bit about people in our community and the rich history that exists.
Oh and by the way, wtf are you talking about “set up for reparation.”? No one gave them anything they worked within the law to start a successful business. I’m sure you are a fan of that, right?
Worked within the law? They are exempt from the law.
Most forms of gambling are illegal in California, including online sports betting and casino gaming. Moreover, gambling at land-based venues is only permitted at tribal casinos.
And, therefore, within the law. Why would you post something self-contradictory? Just to be angry?
Just pointing out the majority of taxpayers could not fund or make profits from this sort of business, yet they are asking for handouts? Child please.
You missed, or more likely ignored, the fact that they don’t have a casino.
Are you working on your contribution to the OED word of the year?
And they aren’t asking for anything. Again you don’t seem to understand who you are talking about. Are you aware that there are multiple bands of Chumash?
“The first offering of $25,000 will go to the Northern Chumash Tribal Council (NCTC), which is leading a major campaign to purchase and reclaim ancestral Chumash land at Dos Pueblos Ranch”
Again, why is the NCTC leading a major campaign to acquiring lands nowhere near SLO?
Does the Chumash band with a casino donate to the NCTC?
This appears to be a land grab, and a very suspicious one judging by how the casino in SY operates.
Because the tribe doesn’t fall under the county planning processes, tribal leaders are able to self-certify environmental evaluations once the land is deemed “ancestral lands”.
The citizens of SY did not want the casino, and do not feel it fits the area.
Technically it is legal, but do you want a multi-million dollar casino in your back yard?
KAPO – it’s pretty disgusting to see someone with a self-imposed “Hawaiian” moniker to speak ill of our local indigenous people. Calling it a “land grab” and using quotes on “ancestral lands” to suggest it’s not what they are when anyone with any local history knowledge knows Dos Pueblos ranch was named that because of the TWO (Chumash) VILLAGES that existed there before the Spanish came and renamed it DOS PUEBLOS.
You are anything but “Ka Pono,” haole. To call yourself that is an insult to indigenous peoples everywhere.
And really? You think they’re going to build a casino on the ranch’s land? That’s a stretch, even for racists.
I’ll answer your question because you don’t know.
1. NCTC is doing this because the land is for sale and no one else is stepping up to buy it for protection or preservation, they are concerned that it might sell to a developer. That is their stated intention and motivation, who knows how true it is our isn’t.
2. For your information, the band that owns the casino is called the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Their name is not “The Chumash band with a Casino.” Now you can feel free to thank me for educating you.
3. SYBCI does not donate to NCTC and has nothing to do with NCTC. They consider NCTC to be frauds as do many others.
IF IN FACT the SYBCI were to purchase that land, it would not not be a “land grab”, it would be a land purchase, just like if any non-Chumash person were to buy it. I’m sure you wouldn’t have a problem with some white Fakka from OC buying it.
Now get out of here with your performative BS concerns and total lack of knowledge on the issue.
“That is their stated intention and motivation, who knows how true it is our isn’t”
So you too question the intention and motivation.
Call it what you want, but there is something fishy about the NCTC going after that land.
Yeah, I said I oppose it. If there’s anything “fishy” about it, that has absolutely nothing to do with SY Band.
I corrected you. Wasn’t that nice of me. Now thank me.
Exactly, they worked within the law.
In an SB Independent article from November 19th, the founder of Justice for Chumash LLC stated that this group, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, are “Ethnic Frauds” and have never been able to provide genealogical evidence of them being Chumash. Yet they continue to move forward with what some are calling an attempted Land Grab.
Yep.
This article conveniently omits the fact the US had nothing to do with taking away their land.
The Spanish colonists, who arrived in the late 18th century, were the first to take over Chumash land through the establishment of missions and military outposts. Spain colonized the area, forcing many Chumash into missions, a process that led to a drastic population decline due to disease and harsh conditions. Later, after Mexico gained independence in 1821, the secularization of the missions and distribution of land grants to new owners by Mexican authorities further displaced the Chumash.
Spain claimed the territory in the 16th century but did not begin colonization until 1769. In 1772, the first mission was established in Chumash territory, with several more founded over the next few decades. Spanish missionaries compelled the Chumash to live and work in these missions, which led to a collapse of their traditional way of life.
A major factor in the Chumash population decline was the introduction of European diseases to which they had no immunity.
After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, it continued the Spanish mission system, but later secularized the missions and divided the land into large grants given to new landowners. This process further marginalized the Chumash, who were left with little to no land.
The casino now was never supposed to server alcohol or build on the land, yet it is now a 134 million dollar a year with billboards drawing people from LA and beyond without paying taxes or supporting county infrastructure (i.e. the roads being used to access the casino)
Chumash tribal members receive substantial monthly per capita payments derived from the tribe’s casino profits, with one older report from 2004 stating it was nearly $30,000 a month. More recent figures are not publicly available, but a Quora post from 2023 references a per capita payment of over $80,000 per month for another wealthy tribe, suggesting it could be similar or even higher for the Chumash, and that a household with multiple adult members could receive millions annually.
These payments are a form of revenue sharing from the profits of the Chumash Casino Resort, which is owned and operated by the tribe.
The payments are not from the U.S. government, and the income is not subject to state taxes, according to one source.
The total income for a household with multiple adult members could be millions of dollars per year, based on a recent Quora post discussing another tribe, which is not an official source but gives context to the scale of wealth.
“Reclaim ancestral Chumash land at Dos Pueblos Ranch—a sacred coastal site along the Gaviota Coast. This once-in-a-generation opportunity represents not only the return of land to Indigenous stewardship but the restoration of cultural, educational, and ecological relationships that have long sustained this region”
Yet it could also be turned into another casino – nothing our local communities could do about.
The tribe can apply to place land into “federal trust”.
In this process, the federal government holds the legal title to the land, but it is for the tribe’s benefit.
This land is removed from the county’s tax rolls.
The ‘FUND’ is ignoring the fact the Chumash are already very well off, and do not need additional funding or lands.
Ignorant.
1. The Santa Ynez Band are not under contract on DPR, the NCTC are. They are not a tribe and have no ability to build a casino anywhere.
2. Well, we can just stop right there, because you’re ascribing a bunch of stuff to SY Band and not the NCTC.
Oh, I will mention, the SY Band started a business, you know like we do in this country, and the are making money within the confines of the law.
Why would the NCTC be interested in Dos Pueblos Canyon, when it is far from San Luis Obispo county?
It’s an epic spot for fundraisers and parties, that’s for sure.
Personally I oppose the NCTC’s attempts. Beyond that, why do you even ask the question?
KAPO – please provide the citations for this information. Clearly, this wasn’t your own summary of the history of the Chumash land issues.
Let’s see if they take it over and then close access to the ocean out in front of it. Make it a big sanctuary, open to no one.
BASIC – I hope they do! It would be great to have some more coastal sanctuaries to allow for the ecosystem to bloom and prosper. There are plenty of other places for you to drown bait.
Sadly though, the predictable oil spills and leaks that will come with the new Trump mandated drilling in our pristine waters do not know or care about sanctuary boundaries.
Yeah, no. There’s already an MPA right there at Naples. You would know that if you spent time on the ocean around here. But hey, wouldn’t the Chumash appreciate the extra seepage of tar since we’ve stopped the drilling at Holly?
Hey, keep writing your checks to the Sierra Club, the Environmental Defense Center, and all the other ngo’s that want you to stay out of “their” ocean.
Good grief, BASIC. Do you even understand the words you yourself type out? Why are you crying about a sanctuary when there already is one there?
LOL you are something else man…
Hey, BI Guy, that would be a wonderful outcome! Since when have you become rational?
Access is only “closed” if you’re trying to fish there. You just can’t take away or harass (“catch and release”, if you prefer) the fish, and that MPA is the smallest one here, as measured in distance from the shoreline, so if you have a boat you don’t have to go very far offshore to fish. You can still surf there, run on the beach, or just hang out for a bit and watch another sunset.
As usual, you have no idea what you’re talking about. The waters off of DPR are already within he Chumash Heritage Marine Sanctuary. You can go fish and dive there, I know free divers who hit the kelp out there often.
Let’s throw a casino up there too.
Not surprisingly, you’re ignorant as to the legal status of the players. NCTC is not a federally recognized tribe. They can’t put a casino out there.
I guess this is low hanging fruit for the racist bigoted scum, who came out in force.
Ok, here’s the pitch. Hear me out…
A groovy feel-good SB/LA p-wealthy-elite-white folks retreat type place for those who wanna donate to the Chumash and pat themselves on the back for it, spending a day or two on the bluffs in glamping tents, getting catered, very expensive food imported from all over the world, meanwhile whiffing some major oil fumes from the natural seepage. Yes?
You’ve been whiffing something for a while now.