Sogorea Te Sacred Site Protest - Day 6

State Senator Tours Sogorea Te Promises to Encourage Dispute Resolution

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

VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA - State Senator Noreen Evans (D) toured the Sogorea Te sacred site with members of her staff. Sogorea Te is commonly known as Glen Cove, where a group of American Indians is occupying to protest a proposed park. The senator promised to encourage a resolution to the dispute.

Protesters Erect Tipi

She was there to hear from American Indian leaders who oppose the proposed park at Sogorea Te. American Indians from the San Francisco Bay area gather at the 3,500-year old site which contains ancestral human remains, several times each year to hold ceremonies and oppose any further development of the site.

Senator Evans represents the 2 nd Senate District of California of which the city of Vallejo is part. She currently is chair of the California Senate Judiciary Committee.

The protesters are holding an ongoing spiritual vigil at Sogorea Te. On Tuesday, they erected a highly-visible tipi, which organizers of the occupation are calling ceremonial in nature. The tipi was placed near the sacred fire that used as part of the spiritual vigil.

Protesters Tipi is Highly Visible at Sogorea Te - Glen Cove

The protesters remain hopeful officials of the city of Vallejo and the Greater Vallejo Recreation District will hear their pleas not to desecrate Sogorea Te sacred site by putting a parking lot and two toilets there. Protestors say local residents stop by to voice their support of their efforts to keep Sogorea Te, as it is now.

“One resident of the Glen Cove area is making dinner for us every other night or so, and many others are bringing food, water, wood for the sacred fire, and many prayers and good wishes.”

commented Walt Copenhaver, secretary of Sacred Sites Protection and Rights of Indigenous Tribes (SSP&RIT) organization, the group behind the occupation.

“SSP&RIT is very grateful for the support from not just this country, but from all over the world,”

continued Walt Copenhaver

On Monday, the protesters were threatened with arrest, but the arrests were averted after a two and half hour meeting with Carol Russo, of the US Department of Justice was held.

Officials cite an ordinance against camping at Sogorea Te. Protesters literally slept in their cars, as they took turns praying around the fire.

“This is now a spiritual encampment,”

said Henry “Grey Eagle” Padilla, a member of SSP&RIT.