Post by Okwes on Jan 26, 2006 14:18:46 GMT -5
To save sacred sites, tribes told to unite
WORKSHOP: Indians want to open a dialogue with developers to protect
what they treasure.
11:32 PM PST on Tuesday, January 24, 2006
By HERBERT ATIENZA / The Press-Enterprise
www.pe.com/localnews/hemet/stories/PE_News_Local_S_tribe25.12f5
781a.html
Whether they be Soboba, Pechanga, San Manuel or Cahuilla, American
Indian tribes must unite to protect and preserve historic and
culturally important sites, a panel of tribal elders said Tuesday.
Herbert Atienza / Special to The Press-Enterprise
Alvino Siva, an elder of the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla Indians,
sings a native song during a workshop on the importance of preserving
sacred sites. David Soza, an elder of the Soboba tribe, center, and
Nella Heredia, an elder of the Cahuilla Band of Indians, also
contributed to the discussion.
The discussion kicked off a workshop in San Jacinto on monitoring and
protecting American Indian cultural resources. The elders said tribes
have a better shot at preserving their sacred sites if tribal members
were to look after each other.
"We all know this was Indian country at one time," said Alvino Siva,
82, an elder of the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla Indians in Northern
San Diego County, who recounted how ancient trails allowed native
people to roam from what is now the Inland region to the High Desert
to the peaks of the San Jacinto Mountains.
"Pretty soon when (developers) get done here, people are not going to
know that we were here at one time," he said.
The three-day workshop aims to build a dialogue between cities and
developers on the importance of preserving sacred sites.
The workshop, organized by the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, the
Cahuilla Band of Indians and Ramona Band of Cahuilla Indians, also
seeks to train people who could serve as cultural monitors for
development sites, organizers say.
Organizers said a catalyst for the discussion is passage of Senate
Bill 18, legislation signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in 2004 that
requires cities and local governments to consult with local tribes
before changing their general plans and rezoning land for
development. The law requires steps to preserve or minimize the
effect of development on sacred sites.
In the past, it was largely left to local governments to decide
whether to get input from tribes.
"Fortunately, we now have a trump card and they have to deal with
us," said David Soza, 55, an elder of the Soboba tribe. "If you show
a united front, it's harder for them to fight us. That can't happen
if we're all fragmented."
As growth marches rapidly into the Inland region, the unearthing of
Indian cultural sites is becoming more common.
Almost 8,000 archaeological sites are recorded in Riverside County,
said Daniel McCarthy, a panelist and an archaeologist for the San
Bernardino National Forest.
"We need to call for mitigation measures and make sure that things
are done right," said Anthony Madrigal, vice chairman of the Cahuilla
Band of Indians, who sat in the audience.
Soboba Chairman Robert Salgado, who welcomed participants to the
workshop, said it's past time for Indians to assert protection of
their heritage.
"We can't stop development but we can be instrumental in how they
develop," he said.
Some elders said tribes should seek to preserve not just their
archaeological treasures, but other intangible resources, such as
languages, songs, dances and social practices such as wakes after
someone dies.
Nella Heredia, 78, an elder of the Cahuilla Band of Indians near
Anza, said wakes are rarely done, and when wakes are performed, many
people often do not follow tradition, including waiting until they
are invited to eat.
Pauline Murillo, 71, an elder of the San Manuel Band of Mission
Indians near Highland, lamented the slow loss of knowledge of the
medicinal uses of plants, including the sycamore and cottonwood.
"It's true this younger generation needs to learn, some of them do
and some of them learn, but not all of them," she said.
WORKSHOP: Indians want to open a dialogue with developers to protect
what they treasure.
11:32 PM PST on Tuesday, January 24, 2006
By HERBERT ATIENZA / The Press-Enterprise
www.pe.com/localnews/hemet/stories/PE_News_Local_S_tribe25.12f5
781a.html
Whether they be Soboba, Pechanga, San Manuel or Cahuilla, American
Indian tribes must unite to protect and preserve historic and
culturally important sites, a panel of tribal elders said Tuesday.
Herbert Atienza / Special to The Press-Enterprise
Alvino Siva, an elder of the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla Indians,
sings a native song during a workshop on the importance of preserving
sacred sites. David Soza, an elder of the Soboba tribe, center, and
Nella Heredia, an elder of the Cahuilla Band of Indians, also
contributed to the discussion.
The discussion kicked off a workshop in San Jacinto on monitoring and
protecting American Indian cultural resources. The elders said tribes
have a better shot at preserving their sacred sites if tribal members
were to look after each other.
"We all know this was Indian country at one time," said Alvino Siva,
82, an elder of the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla Indians in Northern
San Diego County, who recounted how ancient trails allowed native
people to roam from what is now the Inland region to the High Desert
to the peaks of the San Jacinto Mountains.
"Pretty soon when (developers) get done here, people are not going to
know that we were here at one time," he said.
The three-day workshop aims to build a dialogue between cities and
developers on the importance of preserving sacred sites.
The workshop, organized by the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, the
Cahuilla Band of Indians and Ramona Band of Cahuilla Indians, also
seeks to train people who could serve as cultural monitors for
development sites, organizers say.
Organizers said a catalyst for the discussion is passage of Senate
Bill 18, legislation signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in 2004 that
requires cities and local governments to consult with local tribes
before changing their general plans and rezoning land for
development. The law requires steps to preserve or minimize the
effect of development on sacred sites.
In the past, it was largely left to local governments to decide
whether to get input from tribes.
"Fortunately, we now have a trump card and they have to deal with
us," said David Soza, 55, an elder of the Soboba tribe. "If you show
a united front, it's harder for them to fight us. That can't happen
if we're all fragmented."
As growth marches rapidly into the Inland region, the unearthing of
Indian cultural sites is becoming more common.
Almost 8,000 archaeological sites are recorded in Riverside County,
said Daniel McCarthy, a panelist and an archaeologist for the San
Bernardino National Forest.
"We need to call for mitigation measures and make sure that things
are done right," said Anthony Madrigal, vice chairman of the Cahuilla
Band of Indians, who sat in the audience.
Soboba Chairman Robert Salgado, who welcomed participants to the
workshop, said it's past time for Indians to assert protection of
their heritage.
"We can't stop development but we can be instrumental in how they
develop," he said.
Some elders said tribes should seek to preserve not just their
archaeological treasures, but other intangible resources, such as
languages, songs, dances and social practices such as wakes after
someone dies.
Nella Heredia, 78, an elder of the Cahuilla Band of Indians near
Anza, said wakes are rarely done, and when wakes are performed, many
people often do not follow tradition, including waiting until they
are invited to eat.
Pauline Murillo, 71, an elder of the San Manuel Band of Mission
Indians near Highland, lamented the slow loss of knowledge of the
medicinal uses of plants, including the sycamore and cottonwood.
"It's true this younger generation needs to learn, some of them do
and some of them learn, but not all of them," she said.