Appreciating the Coast Miwok people & Land Acknowledgement
The beauty of this land my home and office rest on.
A space for healing and shelter not only from the traditions I have trained in, but from the trees, animals, and energy of this space. Patients often comment when they enter my office how calmed they feel as they look out at the trees and view.
While there are now homes built up on the land my office looks out on, that land was once a very large shell mound, a ceremonial burial ground, of the Coast Miwok people dating back 4,500 years ago. You can learn more about the shell mound via the SFGate article linked below.
I would like to acknowledge that I live and work in the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok people of present-day Marin, and pay respect to the Coast Miwok elders, past, present, and future, who call this land their home. I recognize the centuries of attempted erasure, displacement, and genocide these communities have endured and that many inequities exist to this day. I honor with gratitude the land itself and celebrate the ongoing relationship the Coast Miwok people and their traditional territories.
I have found the following helpful in learning more about the land that I live on and the indigenous people who have cared for it.
RESOURCES:
The list compiled by Marin Agricultural Land Trust (see below) is an excellent starting point. Below are additional resources I found helpful.
SF Gate: “Indian artifact treasure trove paved over for Marin County homes” April 23rd, 2014. Learn about a large shell mound (but not the only) in present-day Larkspur, California.
Make a tax-deductible donation to a non-profit working to support the development of 25.9 acres of rematriated Indigenous land in Etcha Tamal, present-day Nicasio. They are “developing ideas for possible workshops, presentations, and tribal activities both onsite and off-site.”
Video: “the Marin Coastal Miwok Council made a presentation. Video includes personal family history, songs, stories, and examples of native crafts.”
“Sheltered in Whose Place?” by Jennifer Frazier, Marin mother on Medium, October 2020.
VIA MARIN AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST:
Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, formerly known as the “Federated Coast Miwok”, is a federally recognized American Indian tribe of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo Indians.
Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin
This Tribal Council is organized under federal law PL 93-638, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. They are recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as the lineal descendants of Indigenous Marin Coast Miwok people.
Native Land.ca
This web-based map is a resource to learn what indigenous land you are on or visiting. It is not a perfect resource and it is recommended to also reference individual tribe’s websites for their perspective on territories.
Bay Area Equity Access: Indigenous Populations in the Bay Area
A resource used to track the state of equity in the Bay Area and to learn about what advocacy groups are doing to advance Indigenous sovereignty.
Overview of California’s Genocide
This difficult but critically important part of our shared history is something we need to better acknowledge.
A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgments
If you’re looking to create a land acknowledgement, the Native Governance Center is a great resource.