Sacred Fire Died Out at Closing Ceremony on Saturday at Sogorea Te

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

Fire Dies Out

VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA - By late Sunday the serenity of Sogorea Te had returned. Little evidence remained of the spiritual encampment that had been in place since mid-April.

After eighteen weeks and two days, the sacred fire at Sogorea Te, commonly known as Glen Cove, was allowed to die out to mere ambers. The ashes were buried for safety reasons.

This past Saturday, a crowd that was estimated as high as 500 American Indians and non-Indians was on hand to hear the various speakers talk about the purpose and victory won by the group of protesters, who opposed the desecration of the land.

The protesters had been there with a sacred fire since mid-April to oppose the Greater Vallejo Recreation District's plan to spend $1.5 million on the proposed park that, if I had been constructed, would have had 15 parking spaces and two toilets at the Sogorea Te sacred burial site, which is 25 miles from San Francisco.

The protest came to an end after the City of Vallejo agreed not to construct two bathrooms and put in a 15-space parking lot. Instead the city officials agreed to put an easement so that hikers, walkers and joggers could walk on a yet to be constructed trail, while keeping the sacred burial sites undisturbed and intact.

“This is a major victory for indigenous peoples everywhere,”

commented Fred Short, Chippewa, long-time spiritual leader of the American Indian Movement. "People now will be able to see we were here for over 100 days and know we settled this by an easement."

Norman "Wounded Knee" DeOcampo
Miwok

Also commenting was Norman "Wounded Knee" DeOcampo, Miwok, who for twelve years kept the fight going with the City of Vallejo on the principle: You don't bulldoze over sacred burial land.

"I going to take my wife somewhere on vacation," said a gleeful Wounded Knee. "Before, she divorces me."

“But, the message is we have to fight for what we believe in,”

he continued.

By Sunday, the crew took down the teepee and all evidence of the spiritual encampment.

posted August 2, 2011 7:00 pm edt

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