As we prepared to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sacred Land Film Project, we reflected on the generosity and wisdom of four indigenous elders, now revered ancestors, who trusted us to tell their story. Thomas Banyacya (Hopi), Vine Deloria, Jr. (Lakota), Florence Jones (Winnemem Wintu) and Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli (Kānaka Maoli) shared their thoughts, values and stories with us and we thank them with this short film of remembrance to honor our collaboration.
On April 30, 2024, escrow closed on the purchase of the West Berkeley Shellmound site at 1900 Fourth Street in Berkeley. Title to the 2.2-acre sacred site transferred immediately to the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, a women-led indigenous land trust, making this the biggest urban Land Back victory in California history.
Remembering, with deep sadness, the brilliant Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli, who passed away in 2022. Emmett helped us tell the story of the Protect Kaho`olawe Ohana’s 50-year campaign to stop the bombing of a sacred Hawaiian island and to restore both the island and Native Hawaiian cultural practices.
Berkeley was the first city in the Bay Area to recognize that its citizens live on Ohlone land by revising street signs to read “Welcome to Berkeley, Ohlone Territory.” On May 22, 2022, Ohlone activists and their allies painted an Ohlone Territory mural on Center St. next to City Hall and touched up “Black Lives Matter” on nearby Allston St. We bring you highlights from a beautiful spring day.
Heyday books gave Lisjan Ohlone leader Corrina Gould their 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award in October. We created this video for the Heyday Harvest online event to illustrate Corrina’s lifelong commitment to preserving the culture and sacred sites of the Ohlone people, and in recognition of her activism and leadership among California Indians and beyond.
For the last five years, Lisjan Ohlone leader Corrina Gould has been protecting one of her people’s sacred places, the West Berkeley Shellmound and Village Site, from development. A judge ruled against the developer’s plans in October 2019 but the two sides are now battling it out in appeals court.
Animator Chris Walker and Ohlone leader Corrina Gould of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan have collaborated with the Sacred Land Film Project to take you back in time 5,000 years to imagine the West Berkeley Shellmound and Village site, where Corrina’s ancestors built the first settlement along San Francisco Bay.
On April 7, 2018, artifacts from the West Berkeley Shellmound and Emeryville Shellmound, some of them thousands of years old, were removed from storage at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum and, for the first time ever, shown to the general public at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive. More than 300 people joined the California Institute for Community Arts and Culture and friends to view these remarkable objects and hear a panel of contemporary Native California artists.
As messenger and translator for Hopi elders since 1948, Thomas Banyacya, Sr. (1909-1999) traversed the globe trying to help people understand the warnings revealed in the Hopi Prophecy. In November 1995, the Sacred Land Film Project followed Thomas to the Whole Life Expo in Las Vegas where he made two hour-long presentations over two days. Here is Part 2 of 2.
As messenger and translator for Hopi elders since 1948, Thomas Banyacya Sr. (1909-1999) traversed the globe trying to help non-Hopi people understand the warnings revealed in the Hopi Prophecy. In November 1995, the Sacred Land Film Project followed Thomas to the Whole Life Expo in Las Vegas where he made two presentations over two days. Here is part 1 of 2.