Chumash history honored in Calle Cesar Chavez name change to Limuw Street

Santa Barbara City Council voted to rename Calle Cesar Chavez to Limwu Street, honoring the Chumash Native American territory the coastal street sits on with a word that means “in the sea.”

The name changes comes after sexual assault allegations against historic farmworker organizer Cesar Chavez surfaced in March, followed by state-wide calls to erase his name from public works. On May 11, the city held a public meeting and came out with three name suggestions: Calle Si Se Puede, Calle Dolores Huerta and Limuw street. Some also wanted the name Calle Salsipuedes, a call back to the street’s original name from 1851. 

City Council member Kristen Sneddon eventually led the motion to move forward with the name Limuw. It was a 6-1 vote, with Mayor Randy Rowse dissenting, offering his support for the name Calle Salsipuedes. 

Limuw is also the Chumash name for Santa Cruz Island, the birthplace of the Chumash people in traditional storytelling.

“To look out to the ocean and remind people that as you look straight from across the street, this is Limuw,” said Mia Lopez, founding director at Su’nan Protection, Art & Cultural Education. “This is our island of origin. This is the birthplace of the Chumash people who are still here today.”

Before the 1800s, the area was a salt marsh of Chumash land near the village of Syuxtun. In 1851, it was officially named Calle Salsipuedes. By the 1860s and into the 1930s, the area had grown into a working class Mexican-American neighborhood. It later became the birthplace of Le Casa de la Raza, a Mexican-American community and history organization, and a center for the United Farm Workers union. In 1997, the street was named after Chavez following his death.

The two other names City Council deliberated on were tied to the farmworkers movement. Dolores Huerta was a co-founder of the United Farm Workers. Some public commenters came to the meeting to advocate for the name.

“It’s fundamentally sound, it gives respect to women farmworkers and the plight of their families even today,” said commenter Marcus Lopez.

Other noted that Huerta survived and spoke out against sexual abuse, giving her an even more meaningful tie to the renaming.

In the end, Limuw was chosen to pay homage to the Chumash people and land. It was also a compromise. Being a short word, the choice relieved concerns of people who owned businesses along the street and were worried about the implications of changing one’s address.

“The whole point of an address is to receive mail and packages and have customers and visitors come to your office,” said commenter Dave Beaver, who was against the renaming. “Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”

For business and property owners, the staff said post offices will deliver to both street names for one year following the name change. Voter registrations will also be automatically updated by the county. City council also directed the staff to create a small grant program to provide financial support for businesses affected by the name change. 

In addition to the name change, the city council proposed a new way to honor the farmworkers movement and other activists. Michael Montenegro, a local Chicano activist, suggested during public comment to create a “heritage square” in commemoration of activists like Dolores Huerta and historic movements.

After the resolution is formally adopted next week, the city will have 90 days to notify residents of the area that the name is changing. Eventually, street signs will be replaced, and a public ceremony will take place to mark the change.

“I thank you for considering this opportunity and allowing us to participate,” Lopez said to the council. “But also to increase and continue education of our Chumash people here in Santa Barbara.”

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