Under Threat, Desecration, and Protecting Shalawa in the Chumash Nation

American Indian Airwaves

Today on American Indian Airwaves we go to the Barbareño band of the Chumash Nation in the Santa Barbara County area to a Chumash sacred site respectfully known as Shalawa. Approximately three-acres of Shalawa remains and to non-Native American peoples, the place is commonly referred to as “Hammonds Meadow” and “Sea Meadow”. Since Spanish colonialization beginning, Shalawa has always been threatened by settler colonial violence. However, in 1985 the United Chumash Council, the Barbareño Chumash Tribal Council, the Board of Supervisors in Santa Barbara, CA, to name just a few parties, executed an agreement to protect Shalawa. In addition, several documents were produced by various parties re-stating the laws and commitments to protecting this sacred site. Today on American Indian Airwaves listeners are joined by David Bluewolf Diaz (Chumash Nation) and Marcus Lopez (Barbareño band of the Chumash Nation), co-host and executive producer of American Indian Airwaves. Both individuals have been tirelessly working to protect Shalawa for more than 35 years and on today’s program listeners will hear how both Indigenous community activists clearly demonstrate how the current Hammond Meadow – Shalawa Preservation and Restoration Plan, is rife with government malfeasance – from the local to national levels -, gross negligence, and if the restoration plan is fully executed, it will result in the ultimate desecration of Shalawa. Tune in, to learn the history of land, the historical and contemporary struggles to protect Shalawa, and what people can do to stop this settler colonial violence. Guest: • David Bluewolf Diaz (Chumash Nation) and Marcus Lopez (Chumash Nation and the Barbareño Chumash Tribal Council of Santa Barbara, https://bctcsb.com/). Archived AIA programs are on Soundcloud at: https://soundcloud.com/burntswamp American Indian Airwaves streams on over ten podcasting platforms such as Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, Audible, Backtracks.fm, Gaana, Google Podcast, Fyyd, iHeart Media, Mixcloud, Player.fm, Podbay.fm, Podcast Republic, SoundCloud, Spotify, Tunein, YouTube, and more.