An Afternoon with Ernestine Ygnacio De Soto

Please join the Goleta Valley Historical Society as we welcome Barbareño Chumash elder Ernestine Ygnacio De Soto to Rancho La Patera and Stow House for an afternoon screening of the documentary film 6 Generations: A Chumash Family’s History followed by an informal and engaging Q&A.

Ernestine Ygnacio De Soto is an authority on Chumash history, an ambassador of Chumash culture, and is actively involved in preserving and revitalizing the Barbareño language. Her mother, Mary Yee, was the last native speaker of Barbareño Chumash, and the last known native speaker of any of the Chumash languages. In 6 Generations Ernestine Ygnacio De Soto embodies and gives voice to her maternal ancestors, merging the past with the present, while highlighting the strength and longevity of Chumash culture.