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Alameda Native History Project
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What is Tribal Recognition, Who is a Descendant, How does the NAGPRA Notification List Work?
This article will be a very brief primer, touching on three important topics: What is Tribal Recognition? Federal Recognition When the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Federal Acknowledgment, formally recognizes a group (“tribal entity”) as being a separate sovereign government from the United States. This recognition “establishes” a government-to-government […]
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Shuumi Does Not Benefit Ohlone Tribe
Most people are familiar with the Confederated Villages of the Lisjan Nation, INC.; and their fundraising (“trust”) corporation known as Sogorea Te Land Trust, INC. Both are fronted by Corrina Gould, an Ohlone woman, who has managed to command the attention and monies from thousands of people in the San Francisco Bay Area, and beyond. […]
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SF Bay Area Shellmounds Are Some of the Most Endangered Cultural Resources in the World
The San Francisco Bay Area had well over 425 shellmounds. Gabriel Duncan, from the Alameda Native History Project, estimates the true number of shellmounds around the S.F. Bay Area’s shoreline is closer to seven or eight-hundred shellmounds, which existed before European invasion and colonization. Shellmounds are ancient burial grounds used by the First People of […]
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Save Shellmounds Not Parking Lots
While these places may be on our traditional homelands, and within our tribal territories: Brownfields properties and Supferfund sites are neither appropriate, nor respectful gifts of atonement to the Indigenous People the entire Western Hemisphere was stolen from. It is a waste of resources for indigenous non-profiteers, like Corrina Gould, to focus primarily on post-industrial […]
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Toxic Land Is Not Land Back : Proper Remediation Must Be Performed First
Just to be clear: eating food grown in contaminated soil may not result in contaminated food… Even though petrochemical aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are largely unstudied “likely” carcinogens–some of which have been found to move through the soil easily into water; and that contamination can move from soil to food to animals. Petrochemical Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) […]
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Finding the Alameda Shellmounds: Part One
The Plaque at Lincoln Park It’s hard to say exactly what this plaque meant to me, growing up, adopted, in Alameda. This was a tangible symbol of my Native American heritage; something connected to my identity. Proof that my people actually existed somewhere. Even though I couldn’t see them, or be with them. It was […]
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Alameda City Council Extends Special Invitation to Muwekma Ohlone Tribe
On December 6, 2022, at 5:00 PM, Alameda City Council will hold a special meeting to conduct a “Listening Session“, and discuss partnership opportunities with Local Indigenous People and Ohlone Tribes. Three tribal organizations have been invited to attend: Ohlone Tribe, INC., headed by Andrew Galvan; the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay […]
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More Alternatives to Shuumi
Here at the Alameda Native History Project, we value organizations and movements which focus on measurable, outcome-based strategies and planning. We value transparency, accountability, and regular reporting on the progress toward those goals. And while organizations associated with Corrina Gould talk a good game: it would behoove you to take notice of the fact that […]
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One More Reason Why Land Acknowledgment is Important: Letter to Museum of San Ramon Valley
The following is an email sent to John Keenan, volunteer at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, in reply to his request for topics for Zoom Lectures at the museum: Land Acknowledgement is an important step in naming and acknowledging the people who actually belong to this land. It’s a proclamation that has no […]
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Coyote Hills Translates All 35 Trail Markers to Chochenyo: Honoring the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area
On Sunday, November 27, 2022, we gathered at Máyyan Šáatošikma (aka Coyote Hills Regional Park, in Fremont) to witness the unveiling of the first of 35 trail markers, redesigned, and translated into Čočeño (Chochenyo). Čočeño is the official language of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area, once recognized as the Verona […]