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It was my first time going to the island, and I was unbelievably excited. The Chumash village and the island felt like home because I also come from the coast but up north. So going on the boat to get there and camping on the island came natural to me. I am so grateful for Luhui, Ray, Uncle Johnny, and Nana. Im also so thankful that Mati, Auntie Sue, Auntie Georgie, Babe, and the rest of my Chumash family shared their culture and showed me so much love. Making a gord and a necklace to keep, was so fun. I’m going to take the love and the memory of how homie I felt at Wishtoyo. Im also gonna take the prayers and the words from the women ceremony and keep them in my heart. From Limuw, I’m going to take the image of all the ancestral sites and the image of the sun shining behind the hills and mountains. When I ran on the island with Edgar, I felt like my spirit was free and I’m going to hold that with me forever also. Wishtoyo is my second home, and the Chumash people are my family.

Well, i’ve been to Wishtoyo and Limuw and to be completely honest, i feel more at peace with myself. i don’t feel trapped in society anymore even though that’s exactly what i am. society. i feel less stressed and more powerful. it was amazing to see my aunts uncles, grandparents, cousins and mom welcoming us into the village. i say that if you forget what day it is, you’re spending your time perfectly. And that’s what happened. every day i’d hear “WHAT DAY IS IT?! SATURDAY??” i felt love and happiness and i’m so grateful to have spent it with these amazing people. we’ve honestly connected in a way that i can’t describe without crying. We’ve all been through a lot together, as one, that’s what makes us special. So at Wishtoyo, my take-away would be seeing the world with a third eye. A way of learning and living that no one else would understand. i still feel like i’m there.for Limuw, probably how it’s not bad to show your culture. NEVER! because “From the moment we are born and out of the womb, we scream and cry. and that is the sound of freedom.” Matt has a beautiful way with words. my god…sometimes it shocks me to know that i can call him family. I’m grateful… so with that, good night. and remember, i will always pledge allegiance to my culture!

My third and last time at Wishtoyo was very different this year than the last two years. I learned more stuff and their culture. I’m gonna miss all the people because they treated me like their own family. Something that I liked was the women ceremony it really open my heart to the people. It was my first time experience something like this and I really liked it. I’m gonna everyone over there and going to the island. That was the highlight of my trip because I celebrated my birthday which made 10x better. Hopefully next year I’ll be able to come back and visit everyone!

-jess

Something that I took from our trip to the island of Limu was how deep of a connection I realized I have with people I would of considered strangers a couple days before. Something about the Island just brought us all much closer and really started up the fun for the rest of our time in this program. My biggest take away from our stay at Wishtoyo was something that uncle Johnny shared with me while we were in our mens ceremony. My biggest take away from being at the island of Limu was being able to discuss really important issues and being able to work on the youth declaration. Learning from both places felt very similar because everywhere that we stayed whether it was Wishtoyo or Limu I felt open to express myself and discussing issues one a very critical level with like minded individuals that I don’t think I would be able to do anywhere else.

I was so happy and excited to go to Wishtoyo and Limu, my homes away from home. I was ecstatic to see Mati, Luhui, my elders, and one of my favorite cousins, Sarah. They mean so much to me and I would do anything for them. My biggest “take away” from Wishtoyo is that I’m always loved and that I will return that love in whatever way I can. The amount of respect I have for them is endless. My “take away” from Limuw isn’t really a take away. It’s what I left. I left all of my prayers for my family and my ancestors on the island. Being able to see areas of the island I thought I’d never see was more than an honor. The things I learned from the island and Wishtoyo is that we all got to connect on a deeper level. They allowed us to form deeper bonds.

Returning to Wishtoyo for my third year it really opened my heart and mind to continue my adventure. I learned to clean abalone, make rattles with gourds, and information about everyones presentations. The group I was in presented the water cycle and the problem we want to show and introduce to the world.

My take away is the memories! I love-making new memories with new people and all my close friends.

At limuw I want to take the knowledge of the history of the island and the differences from the mainland. That water is important and is limited on the island.

These experiences with continue to be with me through memories and laughter. Both places have opened my spirt to express myself the way as if it is a first impression.

While I was away I saw a few new things such as a Blue Whale, Dolphins, traveling long distances on a boat, snorkeling, and even being sea sick. At Wishtoyo I enjoyed being there and making happy memories with everyone. When we traveled to Limuw Island I enjoyed going for a run with a few friends while everyone else drove. During that run I really enjoyed how everything seemed peace full. On the island we also went hiking to a beach that was amazing it was a lot of fun for everyone. 

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   I learned a lot at Wishtoyo and Limu, I was able to open up to people and learn to meditate. I liked that everyone there was welcoming and I learned to embrace my indian heritage

2. My biggest take away at Wishtoyo was the Men’s Ceremony, everyone was able to speak their minds and not be judged. All the guys connected students, mentors, and elders.
3. My take away from Limu Island was the activities we did to bond with each other. Snorkeling, kayaking, horse shoe, and pool. It was really cool to learn from people.
4. I felt it was the perfect combination with each other. They complimented each other giving us knowledge of our heritage.

My second time at Wishtoyo was yet again another amazing trip. I learned more about my culture and how important it is to keep traditions. A first time experience I did was go snorkeling at the island. At first I was scared, but it was wonderful to see the sea critters with my own eyes instead of through pictures. My biggest take-away from Wishtoyo is learning how strong and powerful women are. I learned this through our Women’s ceremony, and felt honored to be apart of it. My biggest take-away from Limu Island is that there is land out here that is still very sacred and fresh. What I mean by this is that at Limu Island there’s native plants and Native Artifacts still on the Island from a long time ago.