Old Spanish Day
By Old Spanish Days, Fiesta
Exciting plans have been unveiled for Fiesta 2023. Officials from Old Spanish Days Fiesta, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, and the local Chumash community announced details of the historic reenactment that will take place just prior to this year’s Fiesta parade on Friday, August 4, 2023.
A Chumash tomol will greet the full-size replica of the San Salvador ship, much like the events that happened when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed into our local waters in 1542. The greeting ceremony at sea will kick off a full Friday of Fiesta events, including the historic parade, El Desfile Histórico, that will travel along Cabrillo Boulevard beginning at noon.
The historic reenactment at sea will take place just west of Stearns Wharf at 10:30 am on August 4. The idea was conceived by this year’s Fiesta El Presidente David Bolton who collaborated with the local Chumash community, and both the maritime museums of Santa Barbara and San Diego to make the reenactment possible.
“As a community as we look to the future it’s so important to remember history, and it’s important to remember all aspects of history, and all of the people that make up that history,” said El Presidente David Bolton. “It is that combined effort here in Santa Barbara, that combined community effort beginning with the Chumash and continuing all the way to today, that has allowed this town to be such a special town, and it has allowed Fiesta every year to be such a special event for the entire community.”
[The] media conference was held in front of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum that houses a full-size tomol as part of its indoor exhibits.
“When Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo came into these waters, it was the first European interaction with the local Chumash,” said Greg Gorga, SB Maritime Museum executive director. “It is so great to bring this replica ship here and especially for Fiesta. It’s a very unique ship.”
The Chumash were one of four seafaring native communities who lived in coastal communities from Alaska to Chile. The Chumash were considered very advanced, and their craftsmanship of the tomol is legendary.
“We were from the water,” said Frank Gutierrez, a member of the Quabajai Chumash who took part in the first tomol crossing reenactment to the Channel Islands in 1976. “We bring the tomol into the water, and out of the water, and we did the majority of our trading using a tomol.”
Several Quabajai Chumash members attended [the] media conference.
“I grew up as a Quabajai representing our family here,” said elder Rosie Uribe. “Our cousins will be in the parade and participating in Fiesta as we have for many years. We appreciate the thought this year, and we will be honoring our elders.”
Free, public tours of the full sized replica of the San Salvador will be held on Saturday and Sunday of the Fiesta weekend beginning at 10 am.
Photo by Fritz Olenberger
I look at the photo at the end if the story and reminded once again: No one, but NO ONE, holds the mic like The Palm. Such ease.Such grace. We are so lucky to have him in SB as one of our own. He definitely has “it” in a big way. Do NOT get me started on his mustache…yes… he has “it” all day long!!!
What a FANTASTIC idea to add this historical moment to Fiesta. I love the way this year’s El Presidente is encompassing the Chumash, the Spanish period, the Rancho period and even the Yankees who came in. We are ALL part of this amazing community.
I am sure there are some who will find this a representation moment that should be vilified rather than celebrated. Do you actually think the Americas would still just be sitting here untouched?