The local ytt (yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini) Northern Chumash Tribe of San Luis Obispo County and Region has been awarded a grant toward reclaiming a historic piece of land.
“Our brothers and sisters, whether they are in the sky, or in the water, they come and they greet us and they say welcome back,” said Wendy Lucas, ytt Northern Chumash Tribe member.
The privately owned Alexander Ranch sits just a few miles north of Cayucos. The house and abalone farm on it were built in the late 60s, but everything else has remained undeveloped.
It is land the tribe is working to obtain.
The tribe already received a $7.06 million grant and raised about another $1 million more toward the $18 million price tag.
“We still have a couple of different grants that we’re waiting for from the state, but for the rest of that we are looking for philanthropy and other donors and partners who want to help make this dream a reality for us,” said Lucas Thomas, ytt Northern Chumash nonprofit executive director.
Lucas Thomas tells KSBY News that until now, the tribe has never owned land.
She adds that plans for the 357-acre property, they will be focused on conservation, such as restoring the riparian corridor, steelhead habitat, and starting up the abalone farm once again.
“So they need a lot of care and some space, you know, initially, so they can get up to three or four years when you can put them out in the ocean to try to restore the populations that are in the ocean, that really need a lot of help,” Lucas Thomas said.
She added that the 19-acre aquaculture area hosts the second-largest seawater intake pipe in the state, adding that it can pump in 7,000 gallons a minute and return that water to the ocean.
One tribe member says having access to the area would allow for larger gatherings and be a place to host language and song classes.
“On these lands again would just be the greatest gift in bringing, doing the cultural gathering,” Lucas said. “We also have a word in our language that we do not say goodbye, but what we say is 'sumo kini,' which means always, and I think that speaks a lot to we’ve always been here. We continue to be here.”
Lucas Thomas said they are aiming to secure the property by October.
