Tag: NAGPRA

99% of Alameda Museum’s Ohlone Artifacts Were Stolen from Native American Graves

We’ve found a pattern of reckless and careless treatment of 100% of those stolen artifacts. The Alameda Museum has roughly 186 Native American Artifacts. All of those artifacts were found in connection with Native American Graves, except for 2. So, we can’t say ALL of the artifacts are grave goods. But we can say: 99.93%… Continue reading 99% of Alameda Museum’s Ohlone Artifacts Were Stolen from Native American Graves

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… Continue reading What is Tribal Recognition, Who is a Descendant, How does the NAGPRA Notification List Work?

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… Continue reading Open Letter to City Hall: Reach out to other affected tribes before granting exclusive rights to their 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,… Continue reading Oakland City Council: Vote No on Ohlone Cultural Easement at Sequoia Point

Alameda’s Racist History: If You Won’t Share Ours, Give Back Our Artifacts

Alameda is a model colonial city. Their Victorian houses, and expansive gardens have been written about for hundreds of years. Regular Alameda Garden Tours, and Alameda Legacy Home Tours extoll the virtues of Alameda’s First Colonizers. These historical celebrations routinely leave out facts, such as, “This garden was fertilized by using human remains found in… Continue reading Alameda’s Racist History: If You Won’t Share Ours, Give Back Our Artifacts

In Defense of Native America: The People versus David Van Horn

An archaeologist is sued by the California Attorney General, and the Native American Heritage Commission for the return of stolen Native American Artifacts. People v. Van Horn (1990) The only “published” case in California where any entity is being sued by “The People”. In this case: the State of California is suing David Van Horn, and… Continue reading In Defense of Native America: The People versus David Van Horn

The Side Effects of Institutional Gatekeeping of Tribal Knowledge & Native American Sacred Sites and Cultural Assets

From the beginning of my life, I never had the opportunity to learn about my culture, or where I was from. For the first 12 years of my life, I never even saw another Paiute person. This was because I was adopted at birth. I knew that I was Native American. That I should be… Continue reading The Side Effects of Institutional Gatekeeping of Tribal Knowledge & Native American Sacred Sites and Cultural Assets