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1) I made two crafts during my time at Wishtoyo. First, I made an abalone necklace with string from dog-bane bark. Some may see the process as very time consuming but I found it very relaxing and fun in a subtle way. Secondly, I made a clapper-stick. That was much funner for me because I really enjoy wood crafting. I also really enjoy musical instruments, and to make my own cultural instrument was very appealing to me.

2) What resonated to me most of the teachings of the elders on Wishtoyo was the guidance that the elders gave us on creating the crafts that we worked on. This is important because usually most people think of wisdom and such things when it comes to elders, but for me what stood out was the knowledge on how to live and survive in a spiritual and cultural way.

3) My favorite cultural experience of the trip was our time around the fire at night when the elders and some students sang and danced and shared stories and wisdom. Those moments where special and there was a very special vibe to the entire experience.

1. I decided to make clapper sticks. Making clapper sticks was super easy but also super fun. Mati was kind enough to help me split my stick and from there on I finished the rest. I shaved it down and sanded it to make it smooth. I also hallowed it to give it a great clapping noise. The most difficult part was adding design to the clapper stick. The way Mati does his design was by burning it with a magnifying glass. That takes a stupendous amount of patience. Patience that I truly do not have, so I just decided to paint on the clapper stick.

2. I resonated with mati’s teachings the most. His teachings pertained more toward us becoming the future. The future that we must embrace and use to protect those lands and to give back to the community. I can relate to this because I really hope to give back to my community using all my information gained from these sorts of teachings.

3. My favorite cultural experience was definitely the crafting. I believe that 1 day at Wishtoyo made more than all the days here at Pitzer. Making the crafts allowed me to connect with the Chumash culture and be able to include a piece of my cultural into the craft, in this case the clapper stick.

1. When I was at Wishtoyo I made a clapper but I dropped it and it split all the way down the middle D: so it was good while it lasted. I had a great time making it I sat next to bingo while I made it and he made his so I had a great time. 2. The teachings I related to most is that are cultures are kind of similar but different and our things we make our different we have 2 clappers and theirs is just one stick so I really enjoyed that. I love the songs. I think it’s weird I can easily catch on to a new song but I have a hard time singing our own cultural songs. 3. My favorite part about the village was getting to talk to Mati and Luhui and little more than I did I could not quit laughing when Luhui told me that Mati crochet! 😀 It’s like you can’t imagine a big scary looking guy like him crocheting 😀 Oh my god my stomach was cramping so bad from laughing and I thought I was gonna have an asthma attack from laughing so hard !! :,D Sorry Mati you said not to tell anyone but oh my god! When Luhui told me I just could not quit laughing I was almost crying :D… 4. One thing I don’t like is when I get so close to people I suddenly have to leave and I cry and I’m just a big cry baby but I felt like crying so hard after I left Wishtoyo today. I got a to take a selfie with Mati and Luhui and Alyssa so we all got a picture together and I will cherish it forever and I miss them so much already!! I hope they get to make it Sunday before we leave because I really want to see them off before I have to go back home. I’m kind of excited to go back home and I don’t know why? Probably just because I haven’t been away from my little sister Kadejah for 2 weeks and she’s only 2 an half years old and I’m going crazy without her!!

A craft I made during Wishtoyo was an anklet made out of dog bane, and it included a whale bone from the Makah Reservation. It was an amazing experience for me because I felt more cultural and it turned out great. My anklet will always be wiht me because I mamde it with a little help from the Chumash people. Teachings that resonated with me during my stay at Wishtoyo was the respect for other peoples traditionsz. I can relate to that teaching because many people at my school don’t respect our traditions and I would love for people to respect our traditions just as the Chumash people wanted us to do. My favorite cultural experience from the entire trip was singing their songs with them and dancing traditional a little with them. When we first got there we had a ceremony right away, sang songs along with them, and we were shown a little bit of their traditional dances as well.

Some fun experiences that will always make me smile was how this morning a few of my friends and I didn’t plan on swimming we=hen we went to the beach. But we soon jumped into the waves and had an amazing memory together, it was totally worth getting my clothes drenched. Also after the sun rise ceremony, we all hugged each person in the circle and that was heart warming.

Reflect on your entire experience at the Wishtoyo Village.

1. Did you make any of the crafts? Which ones and how was that experience?
2. What teachings resonated with you during your stay (what teachings/lessons did you relate to the most)?
3. What was your favorite cultural experience of the entire trip?
4. Post a picture of your visit.

200 words minimum

Pipeline at Malibu

heading to Wishtoyo!❤️ I’m so excited!!!!!  Happy I finally get to see Mati and Luhui❤️ and everyone else!

1) It is important for native youth to tell their stories so that others see what it’s like to live in poverty, and racism, and to see how drugs and alcohol affect the native american communities and home life.

2) I have experienced seeing my family being addicted to drugs and alcohol, and it really took a piece of them even after they recovered. It also hurt my sober family and I as well. It was and still is hard to see the ones I love hurt themselves. I think the ones that take it day by day, are making the biggest difference in our community. It is one step closer to healing us as a whole, so we can continue our ways and traditions, and keep our reservation safe and clean, so that future children will be able to play in the neighborhood without worrying about accidents, or their parents worrying about child abduction.

3) ‘Smoke Signals’ really captured my attention when I saw that it had a lot of similarities to what life on the reservation is really like, and how it can affect native american children. The movie really shows how drugs and alcohol can really tear families apart, and damage childhood for the children of the parents witnessing the domestic violence and self harm. It also shows that we can learn from our parents’ choices, and addictions. A really big part of addictions is losing loved ones, and really learning how to cope with loss, and accepting things that we can not change. All we know is that in order to heal and inspire the people around us, that we have to be healthy, and to be leaders