Demonstration to End Further Desecration at Housing Development

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Challenges. Discussion »

Downtown Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA - Marchers took two full lanes of city streets this past Sunday as they walked from downtown Santa Cruz to a new housing subdivision being erected on a 6,000 year old Ohlone village by KB Homes. The marchers had been in downtown protesting the further development with the sounds of American Indian drumming echoed off the downtown buildings.

KB Homes is building seven homes on the site, which is known as the Branciforte Creek site.

Protesting Development

In recent weeks, two skeletal human remains have been unearthed at what was a burial site at the historic Ohlone village. One of the human remains was of an adult and one of a child.

American Indians from the San Francisco Bay Area were on hand to lend their support to the demonstration against further development on the property by KB Homes.

Passionate speakers including Wounded Knee DeOcampo (Miwok) and Corrina Gould (Ohlone) addressed the downtown demonstration. Wounded Knee and Gould were there to lend their support, after their successful 109-day spiritual encampment at Sogorea Te, commonly known as Glen Cove, in Vallejo, 90 miles away.

The group then continued marching to the threatened Ohlone village and burial site at Branciforte Creek, currently fenced off as a construction zone. The group fearlessly gained access to the site and held a large circle in the oak trees just inside the front gate.

Marchers took two full lanes of city streets this past Sunday

A ceremony was held, prayers were put down for the ancestors and Ohlone songs were sung. Four police cars arrived at the scene. Police took photos but did not interrupt the ceremony. After about 20 minutes, the group marched back towards the park for a closing circle.

Editor's Note: The Native News Network thanks Santa Cruz Indigenous Solidarity for contributing to this article and photos of the demonstration.

posted August 19, 2011 12:30 am edt