TATAVIAM AND CHUMASH STORYTELLER

Alan Salazar

Alan Salazar is a tribal elder with the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. He is renowned as a traditional storyteller, an Indigenous educator, a consultant on Indigenous matters, a spiritual advisor, and a skilled paddler and builder of Chumash canoes, known as tomols. With a heritage tracing back to the Chumash village of Ta’apu (present-day Simi Valley, CA) and the Tataviam village of Chaguayanga near Castaic, CA, Alan is Ventureno Chumash and Fernandeno Tataviam. His ancestors were integrated into the San Fernando Mission beginning in 1799, and he actively works to preserve their village sites and tribal territories as a monitor and cultural resource advisor. A founding member of the Chumash Maritime Association, Alan plays a vital role in various Native American organizations. He contributed to the construction of the first operational traditional Chumash plank canoe in modern times and has been paddling in such canoes for over 27 years. Presently, he oversees the construction of two tomols for the Ventura Chumash community, marking the first time in over 180 years that Chumash tomols have been built in Ventura. Dedicated to preserving tribal heritage, Alan considers sharing his tribal stories and mentoring the next generation of storytellers among his most significant aspirations as a tribal elder. He has devoted much of his adult life to working with young people, drawing from his rich life experiences, which have exposed him to various cultures and peoples. Raised with a deep sense of pride in his heritage, Alan continues to honor his roots and contribute to Indigenous communities.