A shellmound is a graveyard, a mortuary complex, an ancient structure. It’s a place where the first peoples who live along the coasts and rivers of California, used to bury their dead. This article briefly explores why that is. Spanish Influence on Indigenous Use of Shellmounds This changed when Spain Conquistador’s invaded the San Francisco… Continue reading Shellmounds: Spanish and American Influence on Indigenous Burial Practices and Shellmound Use
Category: The Urban Reservation
BART Decolonized: Travel the Indigenous Bay
It’s The Bay The Indigenous Bay, that is. Alameda Native History Project has remixed the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) System Map to show: Travel the Indigenous Bay with Native Pride! A small run of prints are available now on our fundraiser page. Get yours before they run out!
Foreword to A Land Defender’s Guide, Vol. 1
The following is the Foreword to A Land Defender’s Guide to: Making the Exploitation of Land Expensive & Unappealing To Would-Be Colonizers, Volume I: Work-Site Blues. Foreword You told them this was Native Land, Indigenous Territory, A Sacred Site, or even the place where your great-grandparents are buried. But they laughed in your face, and… Continue reading Foreword to A Land Defender’s Guide, Vol. 1
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?
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.… Continue reading Shuumi Does Not Benefit Ohlone Tribe
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… Continue reading SF Bay Area Shellmounds Are Some of the Most Endangered Cultural Resources in the World
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… Continue reading Save Shellmounds Not Parking Lots
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)… Continue reading Toxic Land Is Not Land Back : Proper Remediation Must Be Performed First
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… Continue reading Finding the Alameda Shellmounds: Part One
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… Continue reading Alameda City Council Extends Special Invitation to Muwekma Ohlone Tribe
