EXPO III

Leah Mata Fragua is an artist, educator, and member of the yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini (Northern Chumash) tribe located on the Central California Coast. As a place-based artist, Leah’s kincentric approach seamlessly blends shared iconography with personal imagery, highlighting the impact each has on the other. She uses a diverse range of materials, from place-based to recycled, to explore the interconnectedness and dependence between land, kinships, and self. She understands that her art reflects how she prioritizes the protection of traditional materials and the continuation of art forms that are important to her community, which intersect with her individual practice. Leah holds a BA in anthropology, an MA in Cultural Sustainability, and an MFA from The Institute of American Indian Arts in the Studio Arts program. Leah's work is held in the collections of the Autry Museum, Tia Collection, Denver Art Museum, The Hood Museum, and private collections. 

YTT NORTHERN CHUMASH TRIBE

"We are yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini (ytt)

We are the documented descendant Indigenous Tribe of San Luis Obispo. Our membership is comprised of families whose ancestry dates back to this one region for well over 10,000 years. We represent an unbroken chain of lineage, kinship and culture.

Our membership is comprised of families whose ancestry dates back to this one region for well over 10,000 years. We represent an unbroken chain of lineage, kinship, and culture.

The land commonly called Diablo Lands, or the Pecho Coast, is in our ancestral homeland. This nearly pristine 12,000 acres was taken from us in the 1700s without agreement or compensation. We are trying to purchase about 9,000 acres. We are asking for you to help yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe of San Luis Obispo County and Region (YTT Tribe), with obtaining Ancestral Home Land Back on the coast of San Luis Obispo County."

I have chosen to highlight the yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe, my community, due to its profound commitment to upholding our cultural, ecological knowledge, and collective well-being in the face of significant sociopolitical challenges. As a non-federally recognized tribal community, we operate within constrained resources in our unceded territories yet remain dedicated to preserving our land, language, and cultural practices.

Each act of support, whether through research, sharing, or donation, contributes to our ability to sustain yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini practices for future generations while asserting our place within our homelands.