On this day named among the First People as Un-Thanksgiving Day - thousands of First People and supporters from a diverse back ground - that is the Bay Area and beyond - gather early in the morning and make that one memorable trip to Alcatraz Island.

There, among thousands - the sunrise ceremony takes place - and among other important issues - today the Sacred Shellmound Peace Walkers will be honored. Aho.

Among those that have been walking these many years from Shellmound to Shellmound - is my good friend Wounded Knee. Most of the leaders know him and he has done us in the Bay Area proud.

Wounded Knee has also walked clear across this Nation to bring the issues of injustice to the First People to the attention of the White House and those that make polices in Washington D.C.

On this Un-Thanksgiving Day - the general public is caught in a frenzy and it is all about eating and feasting for all the wrong reasons.

No one mentions about the scalping and how the land was stolen from the First People.

There is some talk about how the First People gave the strangers some Turkeys - well, that was not so. Some wild fowl may be - and some yams - may be - but surely not a Turkey as we know them today.

But, aside from that - there has been a tradition set - a day that suits those that stole and those that refuse to pay back - it is called restitution.

A day where the hard hearted - refuse to forgive and refuse to ask forgiveness - and this sin is serious - and this sin will come to haunt - generations to come - especially the thieves that stole that which did not belong to them.

Here in the Bay Area - for thousands of years - close to 10,000 years (proven by carbon dating) the Ohlone roamed freely. Small clans of 40 or 50 chose to live in places where there was abundant game, birds, fish, the rivers and creeks were plenty and pristine.

There was abundant fruit and the rain and even the fog - all played their part - in the nurturing of the human beings they were and the growth of their population. They were blessed by the Great Spirit.

Then one day some two hundred and fifty years ago - the Strangers came and all that was good - was destroyed.

The many trees were felled without any remorse. The fish, the animals, the many other berries and tress - were exploited until there was- none. No respect for Mother Earth.

The many creeks, streams, rivers were polluted and then filled in - and no one blinked an eye.

In the interim those that lived here for thousands of years - were killed - and if you took a Native American Scalp to the authorities - you were paid $5 or more.

Today, is a good day to think about these atrocities - and think of ways to make restitution. Rather then a mockery - that most people do when they eat and drink and make merry and forget what this day - really, is all about.

Here, is San Francisco we have politicians that think they own all the land. Folks like the Blums, the Fishers, the Pelosis, Shorensteins, Gettys - immoral folks with NO moral compass. Their actions dubious in nature and crying daily to heaven for restitution.

None of the above mentioned skunks - have lifted a finger to say a kind word to the Native Americans - more to help them and aid them as they have been suffering so much.

The Muwekma Ohlone are the first People of San Francisco - and some of you - including our corrupt politicians at City Hall - have heard me say - " you stole this land from the First People ".

San Francisco has three Resolution - stating they acknowledge the Muwekma Ohlone - but that is the extent of the fake talk - to this day SF City Hall - has not gone to the extent to deed some land, some monument to the Muwekma Ohlone.

The corrupt hear - but it does not register - no one wants to take upon themselves the guilt and mistakes made by those that came here before them - to which they are linked but want to hide under the bushel that is lit for all to see.

The present Governor has been making COMPACTS - agreements with Federally Recognized Tribes - Casino Returns - failing to understand that he and Sacramento - have to pay restitution for all the Scalps that the State Government paid for - because they took part in a crime that cries to heaven for justice.

They deprived thousands of innocent people of their lives - took away breathe that God gave and made a pact with the DEVIL. They all have blood on their hands. I repeat they all have blood on their hands.

At one time the First People of San Francisco were haunted down and those that saved themselves call themselves Mexicans and thus saved their families.

There was one exception when a Lady from the Hearst Family - gave refuge and used her influence to harbor the First People on a farm closer to San Jose - but the exceptions are very few. As few as finger on one single hand.

Up until 1924 that is not too long ago - one could kill a Native American no question asked. Think about that.

During World II many Ohlone fought for this Nation - despite of what was doled to them by the Strangers at home. Other Native Americans were treated as Second Class Citizens too - but, when it came to fighting for America - they went and laid down their lives.

On many levels Native Americans and Blacks share a common destiny. When a slave sought refuge with the First People - they were never denied refuge. Today, many Black have forgotten the common destiny and turned their backs on the First People.

Only in recent years - some qualified mention is made about the First People in middle and high schools and some centers of learning.

Some of the bravest women and men that lived on this land were the First People.

Even - today there is dignity in the Native American and a decency that defies the unholy values that the White Men and his Fake Morals Principles he or she adheres to.

There is a commandment that says: " thou shalt not kill " - and they killed in the thousands. Say what!

There are hundreds of Tribes - and many California Tribes waiting to be Federally Recognized.
It is their birth right to roam freely and die free - for this is their land and has been for thousands of years. Much before some Magna Carta or some Roman Law that was born from divisiveness.

This is the land of the First People - the Native American - but they are now in the White Men's Court pleading and begging that they are indeed alive, have a culture, are a tribe, have had a continuous existence , and so on and so forth - begging for Federal Recognition.

DNA test are taken to prove that all is right, the White Men's Birth Certificates and other documents have to be provided - to show to the White Men and his corrupt Modus Operandi - that indeed the First People of yester years - lived.

Now, one must remember that all the above was too difficult to keep track of - because these same folks that demand the documents - were haunting the First People, the Native Americans without mercy.

Children were taken from their Mothers and raped and kept as slaves. There are documents in San Francisco and all over California about these children - sold as slaves and ill treated.

Women were raped and men killed. The land taken all of it - the thieves do not have a "deed" but their ancestors live on the land as if they truly own the land.

The Muwekma Ohlone were Federally Recognized until 1927 and then illegally removed from the Federal Register by one L.A. Dorington - a corrupt Bureau of Indian Affairs Agent.

What injustice - even in a system that so called prides itself that it knows what it is doing. Go figure.

Worst among the atrocities is the killing of innocent children and women. No warrior will stand that but they were outnumbered and armed with little they had to face guns and bullets.

And most of this took place less then two hundred years ago. Read your history - without any bias and fight for restitution - and call this day the day of UN-THANKSGIVING - if you are a true decent person.

Very few true First People appreciate this day. Less the May Flower landing and the fake landing and what all transpired - that is more mythical then factual.

Now, imagine the Shellmounds over 600 of them - huge mounds like accupunture needles - that healed - Mother Earth.

You could see the Shellmounds from far away and they meant more then we today can fathom what they signified.

We know the whole tribe or many clans would meet at these places - and while the one that lay at rest and passed into the other world - was celebrated. Abolone and other shell fish the main diet of the Ohlone was eaten and the shells remained as a witness - but also heaped year after year - to create these large, mostly circular mounds - over thousands of years.

At Hunters Point there were several Shellmounds - the United States Navy destroyed them and to this day - not one square inch on the land has been archeologically surveyed.

There is a large intact Shellmound on San Bruno Mountain - thanks to Mountain Watch.

Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) remains must be returned to the Tribes - but this is not done.

Why would any one - hold on to remain - willfully taken from graves - and kept in a vault - why would any one do that.Why would an institution of learning - a University do that? What would a Museum do that?

The Death Mall has been built at Emeryville ove a large Shellmound. What injustice. Tomorrow, as has been the practice for some years now - people will gather and protest - around 11 a.m.

The White Man is perhaps the only one that will venture into a grave - dig up some remains - and do it in the open, in broad daylight and not think anything of it.

Most other cultures will stay away from such practices - and those that do so in the dark - are believed - cursed.

The First People of this Land the Ohlone deserve our respect for the right reasons.

Some one - must admit that the 18 treaties are there were signed in good faith and therefore must be ratified.

Once this is done - we all can move to a better place - and perhaps dedicate another day as the true " Thanksgiving Day " - burn sage and perhaps recite a few words that the Great Spirit will receive with forgiveness and placate the harm that has been done.

The many tribes and the Hopi Tribe in particular have fore told the past and the future. Other Tribes have had leaders that have spoken and the various Tribes know within the Circle - what it means.

Mother Earth has all the time on its side - and those creatures that are NOT beholden to a moral compass - will perish.

Among men and women - we all have a conscience and the conscience at this time - is about restitution and giving back in good faith - what was stolen. Asking forgiveness for the blood spilling of innocent children, women and men.

It is wrong to put thieves on a pedestal and that is what America is doing.

The First People always respect Mother Earth - and that is not done today.

The First People always respect the land and the hosts on which they live - in San Francisco - it is the Ohlone. Aho:

http://www.muwekma.org

Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy