Ventura County Star
Published March 31, 2004

Rebuilding the bridge to our natural world

By Mati Waiya

Don't allow more drilling in forest

From an early age, we are taught to fear and respect our natural world. But somehow, as we grow older, that respect begins to fade.

Similarly, California's Central Coast residents received a rude awakening 35 years ago with the Santa Barbara Channel oil spill. That horrendous event reminded us once again to respect our environment. But now, that respect is again beginning to fade.

In a matter of weeks, the Forest Service is expected to announce its final plan for oil and gas drilling in the Los Padres National Forest. Will the Forest Service's respect for the land also fade?

The Chumash people of central California have always had a connection to our land, water and air and the wildlife that depends on these resources, including the Los Padres National Forest. There is an unbreakable bond and perpetual interdependency; our relationship and understanding of how to coexist with nature have always been and will continue to be practiced with sustainability as the goal.

Just as the endangered California condor today flies over 150 miles in search of food, so, too, did my ancestors cross hundreds of miles of California coastal land and waters in search of food.

Just as my ancestors used the entire forest for shelter, so do the condors, including several areas targeted for drilling. And just as we depend on our natural surroundings for survival, our environment depends on us to treat it with respect and protect it so future generations will be able to rely on it.

Noise, light and pollution caused by drilling impact nature's lifeways, which are as critical for our children's future as for the innocent animals whose lives depend upon our treatment of their environment.

This was my ancestors' home, and evidence of their connection remains etched in sandstone. Yet, this record of history and this spiritual connection to the land could be wiped out by oil rigs, pumps and wells. Three-quarters of the planned drilling area in the Los Padres is roadless and formerly would have been protected by the popular "Roadless Rule." That's akin to placing oil rigs on every surface inch of the world's oceans, but not drilling the rest of our planet. That is not balance. That is not reverence for our great cathedral of nature.

Some of California's most spectacular wild places would be spoiled for little gain if this plan moves forward. No company is standing in line to drill one day's worth of oil for the country. No elected representative is actively seeking the exploitation of this sensitive land. Quite the opposite is true, as several leaders in Congress have introduced legislation to prevent new oil and gas drilling along our coast.

These leaders have paved a path of rebuilding the bridge -- the connection -- to our environment. By joining them and uniting to protect the Los Padres, we can demonstrate the respect our great Earth deserves.

There is a reason why the Chumash pass on stories, songs and dances to our children. We recognize the importance of learning from history. We pass on these traditions from generation to generation so mistakes are not repeated, so that our culture will endure.

The natural world is our teacher; it has been for thousands of years. If our forests are to endure, if the condor is to be sustained, now more than ever we must rekindle and remember our connection to nature so these lessons are not lost to irreversible destruction. It's a long journey, but the first step is respect.

-- Mati Waiya, of Newbury Park, is a ceremonial leader and Dolphin Dancer with the Chumash Tribe. He is also executive director of the Wishtoyo Foundation, in Oxnard, which links people to their environment.

© Copyright 2004 by Ventura County Star