The site is safe. The development permit was denied and the land is protected. Thank you for holding the line.
February 15, 2017
Final supporters
From Huichin, Ohlone Territories, in what is now also called Berkeley, California, we ask for your help. The oldest of the San Francisco/Bay Area Shellmounds- the West Berkeley Shellmound and village site- is threatened with destruction. Native people lived in this sacred place for over five thousand years and it continues to be an important landmark for the Ohlone, the Indigenous people of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Shellmounds are the monuments that the Native inhabitants created by piling shells, bones, ashes, stones, and earth several stories high; most shellmounds were 300 to 400 feet horizontally and could be seen for miles. Around them people lived, ate, held ceremonies, raised families, buried their loved ones, and spoke to their ancestors for thousands of years.
The shellmounds have been leveled by a few hundred years of occupation on Ohlone lands by non-native peoples. But as recent burials found across the street attest, remains of the West Berkeley Shellmound and site are still buried in the earth.
A real estate developer currently wants to excavate this sacred land to build a shopping mall and five-story apartment complex. Despite its adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples last year, the City of Berkeley is poised to accept the developers’ Environmental Impact Report that completely failed to include adequate consultation with concerned members of the Ohlone community. Please join us to demand that the voices of local Indigenous people be respected when it comes to the protection of their sacred sites!
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
December 17, 2016
December 15, 2016
The momentum behind this is undeniable. Seeing so many people recognize the sanctity of this site changes everything.
Reached 100 supporters
December 6, 2016
193 Comments
I am a longtime Berkeley resident and I support the protection of sacred ancestral land for the Ohlone people over the protection of real estate development for speculators. Sincerely, Wendy Lukas
Shellmounds are sacred to the people who cultivated the land way before the technology we have today. It is sad how people only know Shellmound as a street name. We need to learn more about the history where we live.
The City of Berkeley must reject the developer's Environmental Impact Report since there was not adequate consultation with the Ohlone community. Sacred sites are important to everyone's well-being and need special protection and considerations.
the first city in the country to adopt indigenous peoples day needs to start honoring the native people of its own land not just the romanticized indians of the plains and the south west. without honoring the ohlone burials everything else you do in the name of honoring native people is a sham
Too much has already been taken away from Native Americans. Destroying sacred ground is something that should NEVER be considered, even more so for something as trivial as more parking. Respect the native culture, PROTECT SACRED GROUND.
I am a citizen of the Meherrin Nation ( Meherrin Indian Tribe of NC). All over the Turtle Island/ USA we as Indigenous people have suffered and endured so much. Please people stand with us to protect this sacred site and respect our land that we have allowed you to coexist with us. We are still here! Please be apart of the solution. In the Spirit World our ancestors will prevail in protection of their sacred sites trust me you don't want any parts of that. Just as the developers who had unexplained delays and illness in NC for attempting several grave removals. As our people say it is bad medicine we are really trying to protect you from the ancestors whose spirits dwells all around us. Do what is right leave this site alone.
Local voting resident since Berkeley stood for free-speech, tennant and indigenous rights. You know dang well what's right and wrong here. Drop the developer and stand by the people you're supposed to represent.
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The site is safe. The development permit was denied and the land is protected. Thank you for holding the line.
February 15, 2017
Final supporters
From Huichin, Ohlone Territories, in what is now also called Berkeley, California, we ask for your help. The oldest of the San Francisco/Bay Area Shellmounds- the West Berkeley Shellmound and village site- is threatened with destruction. Native people lived in this sacred place for over five thousand years and it continues to be an important landmark for the Ohlone, the Indigenous people of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Shellmounds are the monuments that the Native inhabitants created by piling shells, bones, ashes, stones, and earth several stories high; most shellmounds were 300 to 400 feet horizontally and could be seen for miles. Around them people lived, ate, held ceremonies, raised families, buried their loved ones, and spoke to their ancestors for thousands of years.
The shellmounds have been leveled by a few hundred years of occupation on Ohlone lands by non-native peoples. But as recent burials found across the street attest, remains of the West Berkeley Shellmound and site are still buried in the earth.
A real estate developer currently wants to excavate this sacred land to build a shopping mall and five-story apartment complex. Despite its adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples last year, the City of Berkeley is poised to accept the developers’ Environmental Impact Report that completely failed to include adequate consultation with concerned members of the Ohlone community. Please join us to demand that the voices of local Indigenous people be respected when it comes to the protection of their sacred sites!
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
December 17, 2016
December 15, 2016
The momentum behind this is undeniable. Seeing so many people recognize the sanctity of this site changes everything.
Reached 100 supporters
December 6, 2016
193 Comments
Honoring this sacred space fits the character of Berkeley. If we are a sanctuary city for immigrants, we should also be a sanctuary city for the hallowed memories and people of the land that has been immigrated to.
I am a longtime Berkeley resident and I support the protection of sacred ancestral land for the Ohlone people over the protection of real estate development for speculators. Sincerely, Wendy Lukas
Shellmounds are sacred to the people who cultivated the land way before the technology we have today. It is sad how people only know Shellmound as a street name. We need to learn more about the history where we live.
The City of Berkeley must reject the developer's Environmental Impact Report since there was not adequate consultation with the Ohlone community. Sacred sites are important to everyone's well-being and need special protection and considerations.
the first city in the country to adopt indigenous peoples day needs to start honoring the native people of its own land not just the romanticized indians of the plains and the south west. without honoring the ohlone burials everything else you do in the name of honoring native people is a sham
Too much has already been taken away from Native Americans. Destroying sacred ground is something that should NEVER be considered, even more so for something as trivial as more parking. Respect the native culture, PROTECT SACRED GROUND.
I am a citizen of the Meherrin Nation ( Meherrin Indian Tribe of NC). All over the Turtle Island/ USA we as Indigenous people have suffered and endured so much. Please people stand with us to protect this sacred site and respect our land that we have allowed you to coexist with us. We are still here! Please be apart of the solution. In the Spirit World our ancestors will prevail in protection of their sacred sites trust me you don't want any parts of that. Just as the developers who had unexplained delays and illness in NC for attempting several grave removals. As our people say it is bad medicine we are really trying to protect you from the ancestors whose spirits dwells all around us. Do what is right leave this site alone.
Local voting resident since Berkeley stood for free-speech, tennant and indigenous rights. You know dang well what's right and wrong here. Drop the developer and stand by the people you're supposed to represent.
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Honoring this sacred space fits the character of Berkeley. If we are a sanctuary city for immigrants, we should also be a sanctuary city for the hallowed memories and people of the land that has been immigrated to.