Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Quiroste Tribe. Three periods of brutal colonial violence led to the removal and displacement of the Quiroste. It is important to recognize these ancestors as human beings. They were mothers and fathers, grandparents, and children. They were botanists, artists, and stewards of the plants, wildlife, waters, wind, shadows and each other. They developed their own systems for teaching and learning.  They had protocols to care for each other and to pass on their knowledge. They were scientists, educators, and spiritual leaders. Tribes maintained close contacts with other tribes.

Today there are no known survivors of the Quiroste Tribe. Currently, their neighboring tribal descendants to the south, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, continue land stewardship and maintain a  presence here, in partnership with State Parks. This work is done to honor the Quiroste peoples and to ensure they are never forgotten.

The Amah Mutsun continue to carry out their obligation given to them by Creator to care for their traditional lands, water, and forests with neighboring tribes. They recognize the need to heal from the deep trauma caused by the three periods of brutal colonization that sought to destroy their culture, spirituality, and ways of life.

Some ways to support the tribe are to visit the website of Amah Mutsun Land Trust (amahmutsunlandtrust.org). AMLT is the vehicle by which the tribe carries out work on their traditional territory, and it is the goal of AMLT to restore the Amah Mutsun traditional land stewardship practices and knowledge to better conserve and protect this land that we all share. On the website you can sign up for their email list, and make a donation to support their important work.