Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated with resolutions at Santa Barbara City Hall

SANTA BARBARA , Calif. – On Indigenous Peoples Day two proclamations where presented at Santa Barbara City Hall.

One of the proclamations spoke of the commitment of Santa Barbara to its indigenous people and the rich history Indian bands and tribes have had on the South Coast. The tribes locally say in addition to the immediate area, their overall reach went from Malibu to Morro Bay and inland to Bakersfield.

The second proclamation honored the annual tomal canoe crossing from the local shores to Santa Cruz Island.  The annual trip in the Santa Barbara Channel celebrated 20 years this past August. Many canoe paddlers were present and part of the team.

There was also a message to the community at large. Marcus Lopez with the Barbareno Chumash Tribal Council said, "what's the responsibility of our citizenship to recognize what does healing mean for all our community, what does healing mean for our peopled and the true nature of this particular day, not just Chumash but all indigenous people of the world."    

The proclamations also came with a certificate of recognition from State Senator Monique Limon. The city honors came from Mayor Randy Rowse and Councilman Oscar Gutierrez on the steps of City Hall.

The State of California put out a news release from Governor Gavin Newsom saying, for the fifth year in a row, the State of California proclaims today as Indigenous Peoples' Day, recognizing the integral role of Indigenous peoples in the origins, evolution and future of this state.

Indigenous Peoples Day is also Columbus Day, which is still exclusively celebrated in 16 states.