Alex Darocy Photography

Ann Marie Sayers, Charlene Sul, Lloyd Rodriguez, Wounded Knee DeOcampo On September 19, community members marched in support of the protection of the Ohlone burial site unearthed on August 2 at the construction site operated by KB Home at Market Street Field in Santa Cruz. The march was planned to occur while the Ohlone elders were in discussions with the City of Santa Cruz and representatives of KB Home at City Hall. Beginning at Mission Plaza, near the Catholic Holy Cross Church and the half-scale replica of the Santa Cruz Mission, marchers made their way through downtown Santa Cruz and on to City Hall where they demonstrated outside during the important discussions. An intense session of drumming was held which was on the level of a prayer ceremony, and eventually Ann Marie Sayers, who was named the most likely descendant of the Ohlone remains that were unearthed, emerged from the meeting to declare to all present that, "the Knoll has been Saved!" Communi...

On September 13, community members and members of the Save the Knoll Coalition returned to the Santa Cruz City Hall for a second time since the August 2 news that 6000 year old human remains (Ohlone) were found at the KB Home construction site at the Branciforte Creek Knoll. Again, protesters used open forum time to demand that the council put the issue of the Knoll on the official council meeting agenda. Council Member Don Lane stated, however, that since there was nothing for the council to vote on, the issue of the Knoll wouldn't make it to the official agenda. Lane and a city planner spoke positively about the progress they had made with discussions between city officials, KB Home, and Anne Marie Sayers, who was named most likely descendant of the first remains recovered, but they claimed they could not comment about anything specific. Former Assembly Member Fred Keeley (right) listens in Council Chambers The Santa Cruz ...

On Friday, September 2 in the alleyway next to Tampico Kitchen in downtown Santa Cruz, I photographed officers from the SCPD searching the bass guitar case of local musician Joe Munda. When I first arrived at the scene, people on Pacific Avenue told me that "two ladies" had called the police on Munda, warning them that he was carrying a machine gun downtown. Closer to where Munda was being searched, a man I had seen playing music a few blocks down on Pacific earlier in the day was yelling at the police, saying, "It's only a bass! What are you guys doing!!!!" or words to that effect. Two Downtown Hospitality Hosts looked on from Pacific Avenue, sharing in the excitement, and I wondered if they were the "two ladies" that phoned this in, but I never found out. As I photographed the scene, the interviewing officer waved at me, and at that time I heard him politely apologizing to Munda, hoping he understood that they had to respond to the call. I ca...

Pacific Avenue On Thursday, August 25, the Save the Knoll Coalition held its second protest and march through downtown Santa Cruz. Community members started at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Laurel Street, and then made their way to City Hall where a closed session meeting of the city council was being held. Protesters gained access to the meeting, and people (including me) spoke in front of the Santa Cruz City Council, demanding protection for the Ohlone burial site at the Branciforte Creek Knoll. In addition to comments made by community members, Charlene Sul, the head of the Confederation of Ohlone Peoples spoke. Ann Marie Sayers, who was designated the most likely descendant of the first human remains unearthed at the Knoll, was present at the meeting but did not speak. Turning onto Locust Street Circling up at City Hall Charlene Sul, Ann Marie Sayers, and attorney Daniel Sheehan City Chambers Charlene Sul speaks before the council An...

Ann Marie Sayers "We are from here. There are some elders that we have that are from the direct village site that we are discussing today." --Ann Marie Sayers 　 Ann Marie Sayers, who was named the most likely descendant of the 6000 year old remains of the Ohlone child unearthed at the Knoll near Branciforte Creek on August 2, appeared Sunday at an Ohlone speaking event organized by the Save the Knoll Coalition held at Pacific Cultural Center in Santa Cruz. 200 people attended the event, which offered food, arts and crafts for sale, singing and music performances, and featured speakers Tony Cerda, Corrina Gould, Wounded Knee DeOcampo, Henry Dominguez, and Sayers. This was Ann Marie Sayers' most lengthy public discussion of the issues surrounding the burial site that is currently being disturbed by the construction by KB Home, and her comments cleared up some points that many have been curious about. She stated that there are indeed direct descend...

Patrick Orozco The 26 th annual Ohlone Day was held at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton yesterday. The event that both celebrates and educates drew another large crowd this year, and featured all of the usual fun: atlatls, Indian tacos, and amazing dancing and Ohlone performances. The main message that Ohlone Day communicates could not be any more important: that the Ohlone people are alive; the day is not a tribute to a lost people, it is a vital celebration of a living culture that flourishes in so many ways in Santa Cruz County, the Monterey Bay, and the greater Bay Area. It was Patrick Orozco who summed it up succinctly. The founder of the Ohlone dance group Amah-ka-tura , spoke during their performance about how the federal government does not recognize the Ohlone because they are not, in the government’s words, “active.” His reply, “What are we?” (Pointing to Amah-ka-tura) Amah-ka-tura Members of the Save the Knoll Coalition ...