Ernestine De Soto is a Chumash Native American whose mother, Mary Yee, was the last speaker of her native Barbareño Chumash language. 

In 6 Generations, her family reaches back to the days the Spanish arrived in Santa Barbara and made first contact.  Ernestine tells this history from the perspective of her female ancestors, making her a unique link with the past.

“This is history as autobiography, foregrounding the power of language and telling a checkered tale of cultural survival in the extreme. The time depth is simply astonishing, and the narrative is frank and true and sometimes stark.  6 Generations is a home run.  I cannot recommend it highly enough” – David Hurst Thomas, Current Anthropology