Alameda Native History Project

Latest Articles

Open Letter to City Hall: Reach out to other affected tribes before granting exclusive rights to their land
We sent out numerous letters to City of Oakland Officials, today. [Here’s the contact list we used.] This is what the letter said: Alameda Native History Project2201 Shoreline Drive #6334Alameda, California 94501(510) 747-8423info@alamedanativehistoryproject.com October 31, 2022 Oakland City CouncilOakland City Hall1 Frank H. Ogawa PlazaOakland, CA 94612 -VIA EMAIL- Re: Proposed Cultural Conservation Easement at […]
Self-Dealing or Ineptitude? – Sogorea Te Land Trust Easement Moves Forward Without Tribal Consultations
Now that initial excitement over the announcement of a proposed cultural easement for Ohlone people at Sequoia Point (5-acres in Joaquin Miller Park) has died down, it’s time to do the actual work of looking at the legislation proposed to Oakland City Council Members, and deciding if this really is a just, and equitable “Land […]
Oakland City Council: Vote No on Ohlone Cultural Easement at Sequoia Point
It’s not the fact that Sogorea Te Land Trust may be receiving a Cultural Conservation Easement grant of 5-acres of land, called Seqouia Point, in Oakland’s Joaquin Miller Park that bothers me. Or that this is the product of Libby Schaaf’s (Mayor of Oakland) unilateral dealings with Corrina Gould (Spokesperson for Sogorea Te Land Trust, […]
Help Restore the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe’s Federal Recognition
In this year’s California legislative session, a joint resolution between the California Senate, and California House has been introduced to restore recognition to the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is Senate Joint Resolution #13. If you didn’t know, the present day Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area […]
Text of CA Senate Joint Resolution re: Muwekma Ohlone Tribe Federal Recognition
Amended in Senate June 08, 2022 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION Senate Joint ResolutionNo. 13 Introduced by Senator Cortese(Coauthor: Senator Wieckowski)(Coauthors: Assembly Members Kalra, Lee, and Low) March 07, 2022 Relative to the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST SJR 13, as amended, Cortese. Muwekma Ohlone Tribe: federal recognition. This measure would urge the United […]
Christian Prayers at Powwow: How Praying to Your Oppressor’s God Colonizes Your Soul
This past week, we remembered the children who were forced into Boarding Schools, and never left. As we wore orange shirts, and declared “never again”; “never forgotten”; and “bring them home”… there’s an even larger group of contemporary Native Americans who asked for all of these things in the name of Jesus Christ. But, is […]

Decolonize

History

Mission

The mission of the Alameda Native History Project is to decolonize history by presenting historically accurate information about the First Alamedans, and the Shellmounds of Alameda, without the use of paywalls, advertising, or compromising editorial control of what is a Native American led and created project.

Methods

  1. Present accurate, unambiguous information about the Native History of Alameda.
  2. Combat the misinformation, and omissions, of the white-washed narrative presented by Alameda’s historians.
  3. Hold public institutions accountable for their role in the continued erasure and marginalization of the First Alamedans; specifically, the City of Alameda, and the Alameda Museum.

Goals

To elevate the discussion of Native American history and life in (what’s known as) the City of Alameda, beyond the basic Western Colonial Fairytale of white people finding a lush, abandoned paradise, ripe for the taking–and asking, “Where did they all go?” [In spite of the fact such events as the “Indian Wars”, and “Trail of Tears”, were happening at the same time.]


To illuminate the fact that there were over 425 shellmounds in the San Francisco Bay Area; and at least 4 of those mounds existed in Alameda, and Bay Farm.


To achieve recognition for the shellmounds by the installation of monuments, memorials, and public art, where members of the public, can come and learn about the First Alamedans, and the importance, and sanctimony, of shellmounds.


To embolden the City of Alameda to apologize for the destruction of the Alameda Shellmounds, and take actions to ensure the survival and prosperity of Ohlone People, the repatriation of their ancestors and artifacts, and recompense for damage by atrocities committed in the City of Alameda’s name; and to recognize the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area as the true and sovereign Tribal Nation, and First Peoples, of what is now known as the City of Alameda.


To uplift the voices, prayers and efforts of other impacted, and marginalized communities; to stand up in solidarity with them, to value their lives, freedom, and self-determination, above profit and self-interest.

Alameda Shellmounds Map

The first, and original, Alameda Shellmound Map, by Gabriel Duncan. This map aggregates the pre-existing work by N.C. Nelson (on the Shellmounds of the San Francisco Bay Region); and Alameda’s own Imelda Merlin (from “Alameda: A Geological History”); and expounds on them, by tying in historical newspaper articles, and City of Alameda records, to create the most detailed, and complete picture of the Alameda Shellmounds to date.

Map of the Shellmounds of the San Francisco Bay Area

The larger sequel to the Alameda Shellmounds Map. This map was hand-plotted using a specially reprojected version of the N.C. Nelson map showing the distribution of shellmounds in the San Francisco Bay Region. While not all points are completely plotted, this interactive map helps to illustrate the density and prevalence of shellmounds in the Bay Area; and illuminate the concept of “Native Land” in a way which is more immediate, and tangible to contemporary learners.


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Get In Touch

info@alamedanativehistoryproject.com

ADDRESS:

2201 Shoreline Drive #6334

Alameda, California 94501

PHONE NUMBER:

(510) 747-8423