Haku.
(Hello.)
Our reservation in the Santa Ynez Valley is the home to tribal families, our tribal government, and the Chumash Casino Resort. But our reservation also is home to a dream that started many years ago with our ancestors. Their spirit will continue far into the future because of the actions we are taking in the present.
The information in this website presents an opportunity to get to know us a little better — to learn some of our history and culture, and see the progress we’ve made in our government and economic development.
A Living History
Through historical narrative, “The Chumash People — A Living History” illustrates the rich living history of the Chumash people and their strength to sustain life, overcome hardship, revitalize cultural traditions and pass their customs on from generation to generation.
About
Learn about the long and distinguished history of the Chumash tribe — a 9,000-year-old story rich with culture, generosity, and pride.
Our Government →
Our History →
Our History in Gaming →
Our Sovereignty →
Our Economic Impact →
Our Home →
Departments
Get to know the philosophy, mission, and successes of each department within the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
Health Clinic
The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic provides comprehensive medical, dental, and mental health services to all tribal members and the community at-large.
Foundation
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation honors our ancestors by reaching out to our neighbors and caring for our community, with more than $25 million donated to date.
SANTA YNEZ, Calif. – The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians raised $135,000 through its annual golf classic with proceeds going to People Helping People, Hillside House and the Cabrillo High School Aquarium.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians inaugural car show, dubbed "Wheels and Wansaqs," takes place Saturday at the Santa Ynez Reservation in an effort to raise funds and awareness about missing and murdered indigenous women.
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that NOAA is designating 4,543 square miles of coastal and offshore waters along 116 miles of California’s central coast as America’s 17th national marine sanctuary. Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will conserve the area’s diverse range of marine life and celebrate Indigenous peoples’ connections to the region. It is the third largest sanctuary in the National Marine Sanctuary System.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians will host California-style Native American singing, dancing, food and games at the 18th annual Santa Ynez Chumash Culture Day from noon to 9:00pm, Saturday, October 19, at the corner of Highway 246 and Meadowvale Road in Santa Ynez. The free event is open to the public and all ages are welcome. Native vendors, food booths and basket-weaving demonstrations will also be hosted.
The Chumash Casino Resort launched its annual Project Pink campaign Tuesday in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in an effort to raise funds for a local nonprofit organization by selling pink-colored sweets, snacks and drinks at eateries throughout the resort.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has announced that its upcoming 2024 Chumash Charity Golf Classic will raise funds for three local beneficiaries whose programs are making a difference in Santa Barbara County.
Native American tribes from throughout North America will celebrate their heritage during the 27th annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow in Santa Ynez where singing, dancing and drumming will be on full display.
The designation process for the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary took a major step forward today as NOAA announced the release of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS), which outlines the environmental impacts of the proposed sanctuary and is a necessary step toward this final designation.
The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic (SYTHC) is celebrating 50 years since opening its doors in 1974.
The Chumash Casino Resort has unveiled its new third-floor food and beverage experience, The Sports Bar at Chumash, featuring an expansive wraparound bar with built-in countertop gaming units, marketplace-style food options, over 20 TV screens and two state-of-the-art LED walls showing the day’s top games.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians collaborated with Medicine Wheel Ride to host Thursday's event which featured welcoming celebrations, a film screening, and dinner.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has appointed its first chairwoman — Kathleen Marshall — to head up the tribe's gaming commission replacing former chairman Ted Ortega, who has termed out.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has informational resources for the Lake fire and free N95 masks available to reservation residents and residents of the Valley at large at the Tribal Hall on the Santa Ynez reservation.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians partnered with UCSB Thursday for a free, one-day NAGPRA/CALNAGPRA workshop in the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom to help California Native American tribes, museums, institutions and universities navigate recent updates to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
The California Nature Art Museum of Solvang has named the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and Community Environmental Council as 2024 honorees at the 18th annual Wilderness Spirit awards brunch, marking the first time two honorees will be awarded.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation is accepting grant applications for its Technology in Schools Program, which supports Santa Barbara County schools seeking funds to increase access to technology in the classroom.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ environmental department will host its annual Chumash Earth Day event Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kitiyepumu’ Park, located on the reservation at 100 Via Juana Road in Santa Ynez.
The Chumash Fire Department recently hosted a group of young students to learn about fire preparedness at the tribe’s fire station on the Santa Ynez Reservation. The fire crew hosted 17 children from the Santa Ynez Valley Christian Academy, teaching the first graders about everything from firefighting tools to forest management.
The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic (SYTHC) will hold its fourth annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) event from 8:00am to 5:00pm on Tuesday, February 13. The event provides children, ages 1-12, with free dental work, including exams, cleanings and more.
The Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center, slated to open in 2024, has been honored for its water conservation design and efforts during the 13th Annual Sustainable Innovation Awards, presented by the U.S. Green Building Council – Los Angeles (USGBC-LA).
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians recently presented a check for over $10,000 to Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, to help the nonprofit deliver superior care to its patients through breast cancer treatment and research. The donation is part of the Chumash Casino Resort’s annual Project Pink campaign, which showcases expertly crafted pink food and beverage creations, all in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has reached $500,000 in donations to the local Toys for Tots campaign after a $25,000 check was presented onstage before the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas show at the Chumash Casino Resort. This is the 20th consecutive year that the tribe has helped fund the non-profit’s efforts to supply toys to economically disadvantaged children during the holiday season.
A Santa Maria man took home the top prize Sunday night at the Chumash Casino Resort’s “See & Believe” grand-prize giveaway – a one-of-a-kind Winnebago Revel Bigfoot Edition valued at $150,000.
For more than 50 years, Vandenberg Space Force Base has embraced the rich history of the local Native American Chumash people through base access, cultural learning opportunities and a cultural liaison.
Locals gathered Saturday to honor and celebrate native history during the 17th annual Santa Ynez Chumash Culture Day.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians invites the public to come enjoy California-style Native American singing, dancing, food and games at the 17th annual Santa Ynez Chumash Culture Day from noon – 9 p.m., Saturday, October 21, at the corner of Highway 246 and Meadowvale Road in Santa Ynez.
The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic (SYTHC) has added optometry services to its current offerings of medical, dental, chiropractic, behavioral health and community and social services for Chumash Community Members and the greater community.
Hundreds of dancers and singers from tribal nations throughout the U.S. and Canada gathered over the weekend to celebrate the coalescence of native heritage at the 26th annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow in Santa Ynez.
The 18th annual Chumash Charity Golf Classic held at the River Course at the Alisal in Solvang raised $135,000 to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association California Central Coast Chapter, Sansum Diabetes Research Institute in Santa Barbara and Savie Health in Lompoc.
The Chumash Casino Resort's annual Project Pink campaign kicks off Sunday as part of a nationwide effort to raise funds and awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.