AMERICAN INDIAN GRAVE DESECRATION IN YOSEMITE VALLEY

We Request that you look into the destruction that is taking place at Yosemite National Park through the Yosemite Vally Plan, a revitalization plan designed to enhance tourism ( especially tourism from overseas) This plan is destructive to indigenous cultures as well as the natural balance of the land , air and waterways. This plan will do nothing nore than net the US Government more money and destroy one of the most beautiful and pristine wilderness areas in the USA.
at http://www.nps.gov you can look up Yosemite Valley Park, and go to park planning and download some of the work that is being done and see for yourself the devastation that is being done to the indigenous as well as the environment.
We can forward any documentation to you that will assist.
For many eyars now the mainstream press has only boasted this plan as a protection and preservation plan but it is quite the contrary.
Yosemite national Park has silenced us many times and the media and interpretations officers have joined forces with some of the largests corporations ( and environmental violators such as Chevron Texaco) to make sure only great press gets out and many contributions come in through corporations such as Bank Of America, URS Corporation , Chevron Texaco and others who have much power. We have been told that if we dont like what is happening , Well Sue US ... knowing full well that we as American Indian people have no way of funding such and endeavor.
It is a destruction plan which places emphasis on making a visit to a National Park only for an elite group who can afford high priced accomodations and support the concessionaires.
It also destroys the history of the Yosemite Indians, our culture as well as our sacred places and traditions.

Also very little response has come to aid us from Senators or the Govenors office.

Thank you for your time.
Below is one of our requests to the Park Superintendant, one of many over the past 4 years.

Yosemite Indian Coalition


To: Mr. Michael Tollefson,
Superintendent, Yosemite National Park
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389

Dear Mr Tollefson, Staff of Yosemite National Park, Yosemite California :

Since you assumed the position of Superintendent of Yosemite National Park, many attempts by us, The True descendants of the Yosemite Indians have gone unanswered by you and you staff.

We, the Yosemite Indian Nation have been denied consultation with you and your staff in areas of concern to us such as; The removal of artifacts from well documented areas (and statements by your archeological staff that these artifacts will be removed and housed in museums ) of the National Park which are located in the Lower Yosemite falls area known to historically be inhabited Indian areas where much archeological data retrieval has been documented by your Park Service as well as independent archeologists.

Recently your construction crews have unearthed partial remains which have been identified as indigenous to Yosemite, one of the first peoples and these remains have been dated by anthropologists as being ancient. These remains were placed in a cardboard box and taken to another city for testing as well as possible carbon dating to determine the origins, as well as other identifying factors.

The manner in which these remains have been moved from their location shows once again that no respect is being shown for our ancestors. The fact that no Yosemite Indian was involved in consultations concerning these remains shows that you and your staff have continued to ignore our existance as well as our right to protect those who have gone before us.

Your Park Service as well as staff archeologists and contractors have on many occasions told our people that no remains of our beloved ancestors can be found within the Yosemite Valley because the soil of Yosemite is to acidic to allow any such remains to be present, yet time and time again many remains identified as American Indian have been unearthed in your construction projects , some even taken and stored for long periods of time in plain cardboard boxes in closets within the research center located in El Portal.

One one occasion Kathleen Hull, Ph.D. UC Berkley) had admitted that she, herself, removed objects (funerary and beads ) unearthed and took them for storage to her apartment in Chico California. No one has ever looked into this matter and we believe this archeologist has never returned these items . This action violates Federal Law and Ms Hull was well aware of this when she decided to remove these items.

We have requested full inventory on these items as well as inventory on basketry and other items in the National Park Services possession and have been denied any documentation we have requested.

We have also been denied FOIA requests for documents that are acceptable for release to the general public. In fact many of the general public have received these documents after a simple letter has been written to your service but you have denied the Yosemite Indians the same documents we have requested after making formal FOIA requests. We feel this is your way, once again of ignoring us , yet you claim to have a working relationship with us, the first people of Yosemite Valley.

For years now we have asked only that you stop the removal of our ancestors from their final resting places. We have respectfully requested that our traditional areas be left for our use as well as many sacred areas of Yosemite be left alone so we can continue to use these areas for traditional ceremonies.

In these same years your Park Service has denied the existence of our ancestors, as well as the descendants of those laid to rest in the Yosemite Valley. We have asked that you stop the destruction of burial areas for those who lived and died in Yosemite Valley and we have also asked that you show the same respect to our ancestors that you do those pioneers such as Galen Clark and John Muir and others who are not part of the the first nations and original people of Yosemite Valley.
Your Park Service has refused to do this and still to this day demoralize the deceased by continuing to remove and unearth remains of those who have gone before us for what you refer to as "continued research" to learn more about our past.
This is blatant desecration as well as perpetuating genocide on an indigenous culture by removal of all sacred to the Yosemite Indian.
By continuing to remove our deceased ancestors, disturb sacred shrines as well as areas which we gather and pray, you are removing our traditional practices as well as removing our culture with each shovel of dirt and rewriting the history of the Yosemite Indians purposely for nothing more than monetary gain.
You and you staff continue to attempt to belittle us by not responding and refusing to conference so we can voice our grievances face to face.
You sell our history in your bookstores and also sell items supposedly crafted by the Yosemite Indians which come from factories and are not authentic Indian made goods in order to appease and satisfy your tourist population.
You do this with only monetary gain in mind for your park service .

You have also refused to take into consideration our oral history which has been carried with us for thousands of years.

Our oral history tells us of the areas where we pray and where our ancestors have fallen and found their eternal resting areas. Your museum curators, and archeologists have also taken our history and changed it to suit the needs of your Park Service so that you can cleanly implement the Yosemite Valley Plan and all the destruction that will occur to our sacred sites and ethnographic areas which we still rely on and use to this day.
We also know that these areas where our ancestors rest are being dug into and disturbing the spirit as well as unbalancing the medicine.
We believe this is taking place so that the Yosemite Valley Plan can be implemented quickly and without more controversy than has already taken place.

We also know that this Valley Plan is not for protection of our sacred valley as your service has stated in press and in Congress, but for expansion for tourism and the dollars it will bring for the National Park Service as well as the concessionaires in the Valley today.
We also know in our hearts because of your lack of responsive to us the true blood descendants of our ancestor, Great Chief Tenaya of the Yosemite Indian Nation you have shown a lack of respect to us as well as a total disregard to promises made by your own government service those being: To preserve history and protect the traditions and culture as well as the environment, animals and waterways of our sacred homeland: The Yosemite Valley.
You have even gone as far as to violate your own written law" The Organic Act"

Yosemite is where we began, the place we were created. Yosemite holds a sacred history for us, it is the very core of who we are.
We are the Yosemite Indian.
Our love of Yosemite and what it means to us lives in our hearts and is in our blood.
Creator gives us this place to care for and to cherish.
The Federal Government has given this job as Superintendent to someone to enact their mission statement as well as their policies on protection and preservation.

We had hoped that you would see in our ancestral homeland all the wonders and promise that has been entrusted to you by your higher authority and would respect and protect it in the same manner that we have for thousands of years.
To walk in the shadow of El Capitan or Half Dome and to witness the changing of seasons, one cannot help but walk in reverence and appreciate the miracles that surround us, a new one each day, from the winged ones who pursue their daily flight over head and move on to their roosting places to the Bear that makes its journey full circle each year, time and time again.
As of late our mother has cried out against the destruction in the Yosemite Valley. The destruction has a name: "The Yosemite Valley Plan"
Our ancestors have suffered and have also been disturbed by this plan. Our mother asks us "When will this stop?"
We pray daily that this will cease and that once again the Valley, the ancestors and spirits will be at rest and in peace. We pray that the winged ones will forever be able to find their rightful place at Eagle Rock or other roosting areas. This is their entitlement given to them by the Creator. We pray that the four legged ones will forever be able to find, once again, the peace and harmony that they have had for centuries.
We pray that the medicine returns to balance. We pray that all living beings in the valley whether they be plant, animal or unseen species be allowed to return to balance.
We pray that you understand that all things are related. We pray that the natural balance returns soon and that we can put the Mother at rest once again and restore balance to her, the ancestors, and creation.
We pray that you understand this cycle, and that you also understand your responsibility and the role you play in all that is the Yosemite Valley.
We carry with us the history of our ancestors, which teaches us our people came into being through the hands of our Creator to care for our Mother. Our ancestors honored the gift of the Creator for thousands of years. We, the children of the ancient ones, accept our loyalty to the teachings and go forward to protect what has been given.
We acknowledge, as we walk upon our ancient land our hearts become open as we feel the presence of our ancient ones. Our ears begin to hear the words of those laying beneath. We gather knowledge of the plant and rock medicine, of the four legged and winged ones buried with our people.
We know that there is so little left. We pray for preservation for the future generations so that we will carry on.
We concede that the United States Government holds illegal title to our ancestral lands and are using the Mother for the purpose of government/corporate advancements for financial interests.
We recognize with protest, the United States Government, through its entity known as the National Park Service, has violently contracted much of our ancestral land, unearthed many of our ancestors, built lodges, restaurants, concessions, museums and housing over our ancestral villages destroying the sacred history of our people who lay underneath for eternity.
We further recognize, today the National Park Service is unearthing what remains of our history and the history of those that shared the ancient land with our People. These present actions are directly connected to "The Yosemite Valley Plan."
We seek to gather those who would strengthen our path to the protection of our mother and all connected. These prayers, we trust will be soon answered.

Once again we ask that you stop these violations.

THE DESCENDANTS OF CHIEF TENAYA
Yosemite Indian Nation
Joseph A Rhoan , representing the above
3054 E Brown Ave
Fresno CA 93703
559-221-7759

CC:
Senator Dianne Feinstein: CA
Senator Barbara Boxer, CA
Gail Norton , Department of Interior
Congressman George Radonovich
KWIA, Belgium