Tata the Tataviam Towhee: A Tribal Story

Written by Alan Salazar (Puchuk Ya’ia’c)

is warned not to fly above the treetops, as it will put him at risk. Towhees traditionally fly low to the ground, from one chaparral bush to the next, feeding on seeds and insects. But, like all youngsters all over the world, he is convinced his parents are exaggerating the dire consequences that might befall him – “giant killer birds – hawks, falcons, and eagles that will eat you! They are fast, strong, and have sharp, sharp talons!!!” One day Tata flew to the top of a giant oak tree, where he encountered his friend Juan, the sparrow. Telling his friend about his parents’ warning, he remarked he had not encountered any killer birds. Just at that moment Juan spots a red-tailed hawk, seemingly diving straight towards them. But the hawk isn’t after them; he grabs a rattlesnake in his large talons and flies away with it. Now Tata understands his parents’ concern for his safety. And so should the children reading this tale.

Alan Salazar (Puchuk Ya’ia’c), is a tribal elder in both the Fernandeño Tataviam and Ventureño Chumash tribes. He is a traditional storyteller, native educator, and a native monitor/ consultant who resides in Southern California. He participated in the P-22 Celebration of Life, held at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on February 4th. by delivering the blessing for P-22. Salazar is the author of Tata the Tataviam Towhee: A Tribal Story, his first book, and two others. All are children’s books, specifically written to share, and preserve the heritage of the Tataviam tribe in particular, but also to encourage indigenous youngsters to respect their distinctive heritage.

Tata is a somewhat diminutive paperback, with exquisite illustrations by Mona Lewis. It tells the story of young Tata, the towhee, and the cautionary tale he hears from his parents. He

The story is brief, to be sure, but the book has some special features. There’s a short section on the history of the Tataviam tribe. In addition, the book contains suggested activities for the readers: a game, with complete instructions; an explanation of how the illustrations were created; instructions on how to make one’s own pigments, instructions on how to make charcoal, a step-by-step on how to draw a towhee, and several pages that can be colored, with traditional crayons, or otherwise. Although Tata was created for a rather circumscribed audience, it deserves to be seen by the many, not the few. Others can learn to appreciate the culture of these indigenous peoples, who maintain a kinship with, and respect for, other species, that we would do well to emulate.

To purchase this, or Salazar’s other books, click HERE