In California’s backwoods, far from the clamors for social justice in America’s streets, longstanding cultural unrest is bringing change to the landscape. Native Americans are quietly repossessing their ancestral lands.
Sacred peaks overlooking the Pacific, boulder-strewn salmon streams and lush alpine meadows are returning to the people who have always claimed them. In the last year six different tribal groups have negotiated six separate transactions transferring a combined total of 56,453 acres of mostly private land. All are committed to conserving the natural resources that sustained their ancestors and, they believe, will heal their children and grandchildren.
“This is a time to restore balance – to our people and to Mother Earth,” said Tom Little Bear Nason, chairman of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County.
Last month the Esselen regained ownership of 1,199 acres of scenic coastland 25 miles south of Monterey.
It’s not surprising that this surge of land repatriations is occurring in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s apology to Native Americans and creation of a Truth and Healing Council followed action by former Gov. Jerry Brown, establishing a tribal adviser within the governor’s office to strengthen communication and collaboration between state government and Native American tribes.
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