Protecting sacred sites: Project Juristac

Panel Title

Connecting to the Past: The Indigenous Peoples of the San Francisco Bay Area

Presenter Name

Valentin Lopez, Amah Mutsun Tribal Band; Amah Mutsun Land Trust

Presenter Bio

Chair of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, President of the Amah Mutsun Land Trust,

Valentin Lopez (Amah Mutsun, Awaswas, Chumash & Yokuts)

has been the Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band since 2003, one of three historic tribes that are recognized as Ohlone. Valentin is Mutsun, Awaswas, Chumash and Yokuts. The Amah Mutsun are comprised of the documented descendants of Missions San Juan Bautista and Santa Cruz. Valentin Lopez is a Native American Advisor to the University of California, Office of the President on issues related to repatriation. He is also a Native American Advisor to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Valentin is actively involved in efforts to restore tribal indigenous knowledge and ensure our history is accurately told. Finally, Valentin is working to restore the Mutsun Language and is a traditional Mutsun singer and dancer. As Chairman, Valentin is a standing member on all Tribal committees and Boards.

Presentation Description

Val will speak about the important work being initiated by the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band at the nexus of ecological stewardship, cultural revitalization, and healing. Inspired by an obligation to be stewards of their homelands and more-than-human relatives, the Amah Mutsun are pursuing innovative means to regain connection to traditional territory to revitalize dormant cultural practices. Such practices have engendered healing from intergenerational trauma within the community as well as healing of the land itself. Val will also speak about efforts to protect Juristac, an Amah Mutsun Sacred site, from harmful extraction of a proposed gravel mine/quarry.

Link to Website(s)

Amah Mutsun Land Trust

Project Juristac

Amah Mutsun Tribal Band

Presenter Photo

Keywords

Amah Mutsun; Land trust;