Sacred History: Researching and Preserving Native Cultural
Resources
Southern California, particularly the Inland Empire, continues
to expand. Year after year, new housing developments, commercial
centers, and industrial parks spring up in our open space.
While this expansion brings new economic opportunities to
the area, it also precipitates the degradation and loss of
Native sacred sites.
 These
sacred sites are important to our local Indian tribes. They
are ceremonial places used by several generations of their
people. They are villages once inhabited by their grandparents
and great-grandparents. They are cemeteries and burial sites,
and in many cases memories of the dead are still cherished
by living relatives. They are bound to these sites through
blood and cultural affinity.
The loss of sacred sites is a cause of concern for non-Indians
as well. The historical legacy of local Indian communities
envelops the region, making all of us inheritors of that legacy.
Native ancestors are long-time contributors to our local history
and Southern California heritage. We all have a responsibility
to preserve their voices.
Our projects have this purpose:
"Through research we fully come to understand the historical
and cultural significance of a site. We then take action to
preserve the site's integrity through the tide of development.
"At St. Boniface and Sherman Indian Schools, the purpose is
to honor those buried in the neglected cemeteries, and help
their descendants see the restoration of that honor.
It is our hope that these pages will be a resource for people
who want to see some possible avenues and challenges involved
with restoring and protecting burial and ceremonial grounds.
Links:
The St. Boniface Cemetery Project
The Importance
of Research and Preservation-Resources |
