This is Not About Winning or Losing: You Don’t Play with the Creator

by Native News Network Staff in Native Challenges. Discussion »

13,000 Buried

VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA - The twelve-year battle over the proposed construction of a city park on a sacred site between members of the American Indian community, the City of Vallejo and the Greater Vallejo Recreation District is slated to come to a head in a matter of days.

The Glen Cove sacred site - known as Sogorea Te by American Indians - is one of several shell mounds in the San Francisco Bay area. Sogorea Te has up to 13,000 human remains buried at the sacred site.

Glen Cove Sacred Site

Several American Indians, who oppose the Glen Cove project, are members of an organization called Sacred Sites Protection and Rights on Indigenous Tribes.

The proposed project involves the demolition of two buildings that exist on the property and the construction of restrooms, a parking lot and placement of picnic tables on the sacred site. Construction is reportedly going to commence on April 17.

Norman “Wounded Knee”
DeOcampo - Me-wuk

“American Indian opposition to the desecration of the burial site has basically been ignored by city officials. The problem is they don’t listen to us. There is no longer going to be talking,” said Norman “Wounded Knee” DeOcampo (Me-wuk), who said he and other American Indians are going to protest the construction daily and are prepared to be arrested if need be to bring attention to the situation.

“This is not about winning and losing. You don’t play with the Creator,”

said Wounded Knee.

“The city talks about compromise. You are talking about our ancestors who are buried there.”

“The last time they did construction there, they took soil from the top part of the property and put it right on top of where the burial site is,” commented Henry “Grey Eagle“ Padilla (Diné).

Henry “Grey Eagle“ Padilla - Diné

“Some of the human remains are now housed at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California at Berkley,” continued Grey Eagle.

Wounded Knee and Grey Eagle are both members of the Sacred Sites Protection and Rights of Indigenous Tribes organization. They also are Long Walkers who spent a month on the southern route. Both are back in California to lead the battle to preserve Glen Cove Sacred Site.

They are searching for an attorney who will file a court injunction to stop construction.

Requests to Vallejo city officials by the Native News Network were not answered by press time.