The Sacred Shellmound Walkers
by Francisco Da Costa
Saturday Mar 31st, 2007 6:28 AM
All over the Bay Area for thousands of years stood the Sacred Shellmounds. Sacred Burial Grounds of the Ohlone people. Kudos to Wounded Knee, Corina Gould, Morning Star, Perry Matlock, many others who have continued to visit these Sacred Sites in pilgrimage over which the Ohlone have Patrimonial Jurisdiction. San Bruno Mountain very close to San Francisco is the largest intact Shellmound. Now, once again a developer wants to build homes in and around the Shellmound.
It is the year 2007 and over sixty percent of Native Americans the First People of San Francisco included are not respected by this Nation are genuine citizens and owners of this land we call - California.
Every California Tribe should be on the Federal Register - this after all is their land. This land was stolen from them - every square inch.
There are 18 treaties signed by the United States government between various Native American Tribes in California. These treaties have never been ratified.
The Shellmounds are Sacred Burial Ground - that have been in place for thousands of years. Then the strangers came - and as it like them invaded, decerated and destroyed that which is held most Sacred by the First People.
Recently, Native American tribes have been taken advantage of - most recently the closure of the Intertribal Friendship House was imminent - but like minded forces stood together and drove the evil forces away.
It is always about money and greed when it comes to those that continue to talk in forked tongues. We must be very vigilant and fight for our rights - every single second of our life.
It is critical we be educated on issues. For thousands of years all was right - so it imperative we preserve our wisdom and enjoy the blessings of the ancestors.
We are the ones that have to respect Mother Earth and do the right things.
It is just a matter of time that the polluters will have to deal with Climate Change and may be they will change their minds. So far they have not admitted they are the originators of pollution and have destroyed in California what was pristine in the last 200 years.
Our Native brothers and sisters are alive and in California sisters and brothers from all Nations must stay united. In Unity is Strength - the enemy has been defeated before and there is always another time, another place. Bottom line we have the wisdom and must not let it go.
The Great Spirit and the wise sayings especially of the Hopi Nation have laid a clear path and some of us know before hand what will transpire. Aho.
I am very proud of Wounded Knee and those that have their hearts in the right place. Kudos, you all that pray and pay the due respects to the ancestors and to the Great Spirit. Aho.
Here are some photographs:
http://www.flickr.com/phot
os/franciscodacosta/sets/7
2157600037060964/show/
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
http://www.indybay.org:80/
newsitems/2007/03/31/18386
834.php
In peace & solidarity,
Tamra
www.NDNnews.com
www.ProtectSacredSites.org
"Providing news and information about Native American Issues & Causes"
"Helping to make a difference for our people in Indian Country, one day at a time. What will you do today to help make a difference?"
"Our sacred lands are all that remain keeping us connected to our place on Mother Earth, to our spirituality, our heritage and our lands; what’s left of them. If they take it all away, what will remain except a vague memory of a past so forgotten?"
