For my first day at Wishtoyo we were welcomed with a great song that made us feel like family. We got to do activities like secret geometry, beading, and learning about high tides. I thought the secret geometry was really interesting because Joe taught us how to use geometry with art which was really cool because I love art and to see how to incorporate math with art stuck out to me. The beading we did was awesome because, we got to actually make the whole necklaces from scratch and we got to learn about the traditions of the chumash people and how they made jewelry. When we learned about the high tides it really shocked me because i was unaware of how serious the high tides are in the Wishtoyo village. I thought it was helpful that the chumash people educated all of us about all the high tides so we can take that information and tell others about it so more people are aware of the situation and how serious it is. The best part of the whole Wishtoyo trip I thought was getting to go to the beach and swim and learn how to surf. The beach was just so amazing and beautiful and it was a great way to bong with everyone.
Ansels Wishtoyo recap
From the moment we got there to the moment we left everyones energy was exhilarating. Hearing our Chumash relatives sing us in with their beautiful songs made me feel right at home. Seeing elders that have so much influence on my life sing with so much pride and joy to see us, reassures just how much they truly care about the indigenous youth that come to visit their beautiful village. Aside from all the ancient knowledge that we learned at Wishtoyo the most empowering experience was participating in my first sweat with my brothers. Feeling the sweat sprint down my face like it was running a hundred meter dash along with my prayers bursting out my heart was one of the most amazing experiences I ever had. When I crawled out of the payet with mud, sweat, and honor all over at 5AM; the cold water that my brother tekpatl poured on me just brought me back to life. A couple hours later we went down to Zuma beach where we received surf lessons from some cool dudezzz. Sweating, Surfing and learning were the best parts of my trip to Wishtoyo; before I wrap up my experience at Wishtoyo I just want to say I am extremely grateful for all of the amazing things the village does for the native and environmental community, truly inspiring.
Benjamin is back Pitzer!!
Being back at Pitzer is nice but I miss Wishtoyo. We started off the morning with Hector and John, we all played the best game in the world. The game was a good way to start off the morning. I had a good time with Shelva with writing. Aztec math was once again the best activity, Vincente has so much knowledge to teach us and we love to hear his words. I had such a great day back at Pitzer.
Destiny’s back at Pitzer!
After we got back from Wishtoyo, we had a lecture about music scoring for movies and video games. It was really cool because I didn’t know that there has to be specific music at certain scenes. Today I enjoyed learning new songs from Josie Montes at the Talking Circle. I have never felt comfortable singing around people, but the songs made everything feel natural. The songs that we learned today made me feel closer to to my sisters and I’m really glad to have this opportunity to be here at Native Youth to College. 
My Time at Wishtoyo
Every time I get the privilege of going to the Wishtoyo Chumash Village I feel blessed to be there. It’s always a powerful experience when there is native people on native land. Each and every time I come back i’m learning new song new words and new teachings. I love the fact that this place always seem to be the place where every one tends to connect more with each other. This year I learned and experienced something powerful. I was taught about a women’s moon cycle. I learned how powerful a women is when she son the cycle. The words of Luhui ” If the moon above can move the waves so can a women when shes on her moon”. I was one of the young women that was on the moon cycle and we were treated with great respect from every single person there. We weren’t able to serve food nor prepare food nor walk into the kitchen or circle. It was pretty difficult adapting to these ways. I hope my mother is reading this so that when i’m on my moon I wont have to go into the kitchen. Meaning I wont have to wash dishes nor help cook yayyy.
On the second day we went to Zuma beach were we boogie boarded and swam in the water. Later on that day we had sacred geometry with Joe Clues he was a great instructor. i learned about the golden number and how it relates into almost everything it was mid blowing what i learned from him. Than we had surfing class it so much fun as of now this is the best thing I did. It sure is really difficult to get up and ride a wave the first time, but i came very close to it. Most of all the best thing about going ti Wishtoyo is the food. OOO man the food is the best and made with love by Nana and Sergio. The food made me feel like I was at home. I had the best time being here and I hope that I’ll be back soon.
Victor: Wishtoyo
We arrived to Wishtoyo and were welcomed by the Wishtoyo family. We all gave each other hugs and greeted each other. We then all had lunch together and talked to each other and enjoying the food. After that we had some free time, I decided to just gaze off into the sunset and write some things in my journal.we then had dinner which was delicious and after that, Mati talked about the Chumash culture all the way through until bedtime, which I enjoyed and took in every moment of it. Woke up the next morning, we went to the beach, didn’t do much but chill out and catch some California sun. After that I did 2 different activities before dinner which were Sacred Geometry, Which i was really into and I also made a traditional abalone necalce. We had burritos for dinner, which made me feel at home again, I was starting to grow a connection to Wishtoyo. Unfortunately I did not go to the sweat lodge due to not hydrating enough prior to it, so I just watched the stars and thought about people in my life for a bit and went to bed.I felt somewhat emotional the next morning because we were leaving Wishtoyo, but before we left, we got to surf at the beach, which for me resulted in getting a bad sunburn on my back and neck and also before we left, we had one final lunch in Wishtoyo… We said our goodbyes to everyone there and has we were going out the gate of Wishtoyo, the people we had met there sung a song and prayed for us, It made me emotional in the inside. We got back to Pitzer College and we were late for dinner… Soooo while we were in Music Scoring class, our mentors got us all In-N-Out!!! So right after an hour spent in an awesome music class, we had our food and went to bed.
My Wishtoyo experience
The village of Wishtoyo, is located between the dry and burning mountains of southern California and the cold pacific ocean. The briny ocean waves crash up and the mountainous heat bleeds down, and amalgamatein Wishtoyo, one of the most sacred places I have ever set foot on.
When we arrived I was welcomed by the amiable and smiling Chumash people. the keepers of Wishtoyo. We greeted and then entered this circular structure, partially submerged in the earth. The place was incredibly traditional, and when I entered, it felt like I was back in the past, and all that existed outside of this erection was miles and miles of wilderness, that expanded to the boundaries of all of turtle island. I camped at Wishtoyo for 3 days and 2 nights and during this time Mati, a wise chumash elder, and his people treated us to their enthralling stories and congenial ceremonies; all of which profoundly affected me. However, the sweat we had is of particular significance. The sweat consisted of all us men, and the reasoning for this, was for us to be completely comfortable and open. We all stayed up until midnight, and then prepared the grandfather rocks to be heated. In this process we had to be meticulous, because there was only a certain way in which we could set up the rocks. After they were lit, we sat and talked with one another, for a few hours. Here everything was realized, and in the lodge everything was manifested. At that fire I thought about my mother, my culture, and my relationships. Ar the lodge I sang for my mother, the person whom I owe my existence and everything to, and my culture, the crucial part of me which I finally began to truly reconnect with, all singing surrounded by my brothers and the spirits of my grandfathers. I am so grateful for my Wishtoyo experience, it will not be forgotten.
-Zaryn Prussia
A trip to the Place of the Rainbow
In the Chumash language, Wishtoyo means Rainbow. When arriving to the place of the Rainbow, I heard such beautiful voices coming from the entrance way. I seen Mati, Luhui, Sarah and the rest of their family with such big and wide smiles. I felt like crying when seeing such wonderful people once more. After getting off the van, I witness such positive energy and a great aura emanating from them. Once they sang to us, I went up to every single person and hugged them with so much joy, that it was overwhelming. Then we had a ceremony for our arrival to Wishtoyo that gave such a good feeling and positive energy. Hearing the voice of Mati and sharing his teachings, made me feel at home. Wishtoyo does feel like a second home.
Throughout the day of arrival, spent a lot of time settling into our tents and the feel of the place. That same day, Joe Clues showed us Sacred Geometry that interested me to be involved in. He taught me how to the Geometry is involved and connected to patterns and things in the universe. Since I have such a great love for mathematics and the universe, I was one hundred percent focused on his words and what he was teaching me. I spent the first night of sleep outside looking at the stars with my friend Cuauhtli and opening up to each other like I’ve never done before. The sound of the ocean was so soothing and beautiful that it made the even better.
The next day, I made a necklace using a plant called Yaka. I hit the plant with a rock until the strands of fibers started to show and part. Then, I pulled the strands of fiber apart in half and began to time the strands of fibers into a necklace. I was unable to decorate the necklace, but I did finish and let it dry. Again, we had another class of Sacred Geometry that taught even more. At the end of day, I went to the bottom of Wishtoyo where we created a fire with rocks for sweat ceremony. It took about two to three hours for the rocks to get fully heated. We entered the area for the sweat ceremony. The first round began and it felt good but very hot at the same time. We sang and had prayers which made me feel united with everyone in there. I excited after the first round but I felt like I could’ve lasted more. The ceremony did not end until around six the next morning. I only had about two hours of which made me feel tired and exhausted throughout the rest of the day. When we left, I felt so sad but so happy to have gone to Wishtoyo and been around the elders and everyone else.
Benjamin’s first time at Wishtoyo
1st day
My very first day at Wishtoyo was very awesome! The people there greeted us, as we came in, with songs and hugs. I felt very welcomed to be there. The view of everything was very beautiful. We all went to the beach after 2 hours of settling into our tents. The beach was nice, the water felt good to my feet and legs. A hour went by and we all came back to camp all wet. We celebrated Auntie Julia’s birthday, it was nice. I saw some new faces but didn’t get to talk to them. As we ate dinner, we listened to Kat’s amazing song. Her song/voice gave everyone chills. After all of this my friends and I took a group picture, it came out really nice. I made some new memories thereat Wishtoyo.
2nd and 3rd day
The two days combined was very fun, we basically did the same thing. Woke up at 7:30 for the morning ceremony, ate Nana’s delicious food, and did the best activities. We went to the beach and surfed, it was the best time. I had so much fun at Wishtoyo, can’t wait to go there next year again!!
Wishtoyo!!! – Jarrod
On the first day at Wishtoyo, we were greeted with a song by the Chumash people when we arrived. We hugged and introduced ourselves to each other. But right as i got out of the car I felt the energy of Wishtoyo and it felt so great. Later, we had some of the best food i have ever had in such a long time. After lunch, we had a little group that went to go learn some traditional archery, which was easy to pick up if you did it enough times. The traditional archery was way different than the type of archery we know today, you actually throw the arrow with some type of stick. I kind of sucked at aiming it but all i was good at was throwing it far.
On the second day at Wishtoyo, we woke up and we did the sunrise ceremony, which was something different than most things i have done. The thing i liked most, was the fact that we had a blessing for every meal. And again, the food was just great. Then the beach was great also, i went swimming and the waves just took me so many times, so much salt was in my nose and sand was everywhere. I was even turned into a beautiful sand mermaid. Later on that day, the men went to a sweat. I was one of the men who hasn’t done a sweat before, and that sweat took about three hours all together.
On the third day at Wishtoyo, our last day, we went to the beach. The waves at the beach were more common than the day before. Most of the group went surfing, while i stayed on the sand for most of the time. After we were done at the beach, we went back to the village to have lunch. We said how we felt about the last few days. And then had lunch, but after lunch we said our goodbyes. And we all got Wishtoyo shirts!! and we took a bunch of photos together. I am so glad that i was able to experience this program that has been teaching me so much.
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