The history of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians (Samala) is a profound testament to the "7th Fire" principle of reclaiming a heritage that was nearly extinguished by the tides of colonization. For over 13,000 years, the Samala ancestors flourished as a sophisticated maritime power, utilizing the Tomol—a highly engineered plank-built sea vessel—to dominate trade and travel across the Santa Barbara Channel.