Satwiwa (

Chumash Chumash may refer to: *Chumash (Judaism), a Hebrew word for the Pentateuch, used in Judaism *Chumash people, a Native American people of southern California *Chumashan languages, Indigenous languages of California See also

* Pentateuch (dis ...

: "the bluffs") was a former

* Pentateuch (dis ...

village in the

Santa Monica Mountains The Santa Monica Mountains are a coastal mountain range in Southern California, next to the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Transverse Ranges. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area encompasses this mountain range. Because of its p ...

Newbury Park, California Newbury Park is a populated placeReal Estate Communications, Inc. (1984). ''California Real Estate Directory''. Page 201. in Ventura County, California, United States. Most of it lies within the western Thousand Oaks, California, Thousand Oaks ...

. The current Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is operated by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

in cooperation with the Friends of Satwiwa.Kennedy, Frances H. (2008). ''American Indian Places: A Historical Guidebook''. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Page 243. . Satwiwa has been inhabited by Chumash Indians for over 10,000 years.Riedel, Del Monique and Allen (2011). ''Best Hikes Near Los Angeles. Rowman & Littlefield''. Page 102. . It is situated at the foothills of Boney Mountain, a sacred mountain for the Chumash. Bordering thousands of acres of wilderness in the Santa Monica Mountains, the fauna surrounding Satwiwa includes

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of pr ...

s, mountain lions, Valley coyotes,

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the wildcat, bay lynx, or red lynx, is one of the four extant species within the medium-sized wild cat genus '' Lynx''. Native to North America, it ranges from southern Canada through most of the c ...

fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

es,

falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distrib ...

s, and

hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica. The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and others. This ...

s. The main trail from Satwiwa is nicknamed "the backdoor to the Point Mugu State Park". Satwiwa is one of the four primary entrances to the

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is a national recreation area containing many individual parks and open space preserves, located primarily in Southern California's Santa Monica Mountains. Located in greater Los Ange ...

Etymology

''Satwiwa'' is Chumashan and directly translates to "the bluffs."Ayer, Eleanor H. (1992). ''Parks and Monuments of California: A Scenic Guide''. American Traveler Press. Page 10. .Sheer, Julie (2013). ''Moon Take a Hike Los Angeles: 86 Hikes within Two Hours of the City''. Avalon Travel. Page 33. By strict definition, the name, which also can translate to "higher places", originally referred to the neighboring mountain, known as Boney Mountain. Satwiwa (Sat-wi'wa) was also the Chumashan name used for a former village near the current culture center. The original

* Pentateuch (dis ...

village was just north of Big Sycamore Canyon in southern Newbury Park, at the foothills of Mount Boney.

Background

Satwiwa is adjacent to the

and Rancho Sierra Vista within the

. It is situated at the western end of the

and borders National Park land. Satwiwa and surrounding areas have been inhabited by the

Chumash people The Chumash are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of the central and southern coastal regions of California, in portions of what is now Kern County, California, Kern, San Luis Obispo County, California, San Luis O ...

for over 10,000 years. The site of the former Native American village has been developed as a nature center. It includes a Chumash Indian demonstration area, where Native American docents or park rangers are available for presentations during weekends. Art shows, ceremonies, and interactive exhibits also take place at Satwiwa. Hiking trails connect to the larger Point Mugu State Park, including trails to nearby waterfalls in the Santa Monica Mountains. Satwiwa (meaning "bluffs") and surrounding Point Mugu State Park (Mugu derives from the Chumashan word ''"muwu"'', meaning ''beach'') make up 16,000 acres at the northwest edge of the Santa Monica Mountains. The landscape is characterized by the dramatic backdrops of Boney Mountain, rocky canyons, coastal shrubs, creekbeds, oak and sycamore trees, rolling green slopes, and chaparral. A multitude of trails connect to open-space areas such as the

Los Robles Open Space LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to: Science and technology * Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation * Level of service (transportation), Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers * Level of significance, a ...

, Dos Vientos Open Space, Circle X Ranch, Ventu Park, and others.

History

Native Americans have lived in the area for over 10,000 years. With a hunting and gathering lifestyle based on the abundance of foods in the area, they fished in the Pacific Ocean and hunted deer and rabbits in the canyons. They also gathered acorns from the surrounding oak trees, which they ground to process for food, often combining them with roots or berries. The thriving tribes lived in the center of a commerce that extended up and down the coast, as far west as the California Channel Islands. In the mid-1500s, the Spaniards were the first Europeans to encounter the native peoples. During colonization, the Spanish established various nearby missions to claim the territory for

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. With the arrival of the Spanish, the village of Satwiwa was absorbed within Rancho El Conejo. Native Americans of

* Pentateuch (dis ...

Tataviam The Tataviam (Kitanemuk: ''people on the south slope'') are a Native American group in Southern California. The ancestral land of the Tataviam people includes northwest present-day Los Angeles County and southern Ventura County, primarily in ...

Tongva The Tongva ( ) are an Indigenous peoples of California, Indigenous people of California from the Los Angeles Basin and the Channel Islands of California, Southern Channel Islands, an area covering approximately . In the precolonial era, the peop ...

and

Vanyume The Vanyume or Desert Serrano are an Indigenous people of Southern California. Traditional Vanyume territory extended along the Mojave River from the Eastern Mojave Desert to present day Victorville and may have included portions of southern ...

ancestries now organize programs at Satwiwa Center in order to keep traditions alive. There they showcase their culture through a variety of contemporary programs, arts and displays. Traditional and religious ceremonies and dances are still held at Satwiwa Center. The site of Satwiwa was purchased by the U.S. National Park Service in 1980 and a cultural center was developed there. Situated in the Santa Monica Mountains of

, the Satwiwa Native-American Indian Culture Center is operated in partnership between the Chumash and the U.S. National Park Service. The center offers a diverse range of educational lectures and workshops, Native American art displays, and more.

Chumash Indians

The Ventureño Chumash Indians first settled in Satwiwa 13,000 years ago, and lived in the village as recently as 2,000 years ago. The village served as a post for travelers and traders who crossed the Santa Monica Mountains through the Sycamore Canyon in order to get from the

Conejo Valley The Conejo Valley (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Valle del Conejo'', meaning "Valley of the Rabbit") is a region spanning both southeastern Ventura County, California, Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles C ...

to the

Mugu Lagoon Mugu Lagoon (; Chumash: ''Muwu'', meaning "Beach") is a salt marsh located within the Naval Base Ventura County at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains in Ventura County, California. The lagoon extends for 4.3 miles parallel to a narrow barrier ...

and the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

. The Chumash traded with the Gabrieleño-Tongva Indians, who mostly lived in areas of Los Angeles County. Numerous Chumash artifacts and

petroglyphs A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

have been discovered in the surrounding area, particularly along the Arroyo Conejo on its way to its

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...

in the Mugu Lagoon. Satwiwa is situated at the foothills of Boney Mountain, which is a sacred mountain for the Chumash people. Many of the artifacts are for display at the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center and the Chumash exhibit at the Stagecoach Inn Museum in Newbury Park, as well as at the Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks. Satwiwa is still regularly used by Native-American groups, particularly by the Chumash Barbareño-Ventureño Band of Mission Indians for events such as community dancing and celebrations of various ceremonies, e.g.

summer solstice The summer solstice or estival solstice occurs when one of Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere ( Northern and Southern). The summer solstice is the day with the longest peri ...

and the Hutash ceremony. The original inhabitants of the village of Satwiwa recognized Boney Mountain as the sacred home of all of creation. The peak remains

sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...

to the Chumash people today. The cultural center houses a

* Pentateuch (dis ...

demonstration village which sits across the path from the center. This reconstructed Chumash village houses the traditionally made ‘ap (houses). It is particularly visited during weekends when Native-American teachers and National Park rangers are present.Riedel, Allen (2006). ''Best Hikes With Dogs: Southern California''. The Mountaineers Books. Pages 80-81. .

Recreation

Over 100 miles of trails can be found within Point Mugu State Park, which is one of California's largest state parks. Almost half the state park's total area make up Boney Mountain State Wilderness Area, a natural wilderness surrounding Mount Boney, a sacred mountain to the

. Several trails lead to a series of cascades, mountain overlooks, and some cross the

leading to the coast of Point Mugu. While Old Boney Loop leads from Satwiwa to the heart of the Boney Mountain State Wilderness, the shorter hike to Sycamore Canyon Waterfall is 3.5 miles roundtrip from the Satwiwa Native American Culture Center. Sycamore Canyon Waterfall consists of a 70-foot series of cascades near a tree-covered creek bed. There are numerous overlapping trails throughout the surrounding area, and trails are utilized by both runners, hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers, and others.

Wildlife

Adjacent to national park land –

– wildlife is in abundance near Satwiwa. Commonly encountered species include rabbits, coyotes, deer, prairie falcons, roadrunners, hawks, golden eagles, foxes, and raccoons. The surrounding area is home of a variety of wildlife, including rattlesnakes and mountain lions.

Mammals

The surrounding Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is home to more than 45 species of mammals. List of mammals found in SMMNRA:

References

External links

Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center
– National Park Service {{Newbury Park, California Former Native American populated places in California Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Protected areas of Ventura County, California Newbury Park, California Museums in Ventura County, California Native American museums in California Chumash