October 2015


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com


‘Serra Is No Saint’ Day of Mourning in San Francisco


The Hampton Roads Messenger 5


from their hearts. They never lied. When they arrived at the mission, they were made slaves. One young boy, who survived the beatings and torture and remembered his language, came to us and warned us that these people would kill us. He told our people to run, and hide in the mountains. I cry for my ancestors. I can’t bring them home, because I don’t know where they are… all because of Serra.”


Several representatives from


different religious denominations also offered words of support. Debra Lee,


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lives. For some credit BY NANETTE DEETZ While Pope Francis was


proclaiming Junipero Serra a Saint in Washington, D.C., California Indians continued their protest in the form of a prayer ceremony in opposition to this decision. Some 200 people attended the event organized by community leader Corrina Gould (Chochenyo Ohlone), Wicahpiluta


Candelaria (Rumsen


Ohlone/Apache), and Indian People Organizing for Change, this ceremony provided a place where California’s tribal members could grieve Serra’s canonization, speak historic truth, and pray for the ancestors buried beneath the


streets surrounding Mission


Dolores in San Francisco. “We’re here to make a statement


in opposition to the canonization of Junipero Serra. We have appealed to Pope Francis not to do this. We have prayed, sent signed petitions, have tried to awaken people to the intentional


genocide committed


against us by Serra. Those few Natives today in D.C. that are supporting this action do not speak for the majority of California’s tribal people. There needs to be a revision of California indigenous


the libraries, and films, that tells the


truth.


history There


needs


education, to


be in in an


understanding about the Doctrine of Discovery and how this notion that we were ‘sub-human’ and ‘pagan’ led to genocide and colonization—5,000 people, some my direct ancestors, are buried in unmarked graves right here,” Gould said.


Spiritual leader Wounded Knee


Ocampo, Tuolumne Miwok, offered an Opening Prayer:


Grandfather, Creator, four directions, help me. I call on you, all my ancestors in the spirit world. Christians have some good words in the 10 Commandments. Thou shall not kill. What happened to our people? Thou shall not steal. Look what happened to our land. Thou shall not


lie. So many lies have been told about our people. The Pope may speak good words, but he needs to be educated about what happened to our people and to others. I ask you Creator, there should be no cover up. Tell the truth, listen to the cries of our ancestors. Thank you for this day, for the sun, for letting us take care of Mother Earth. I thank the ancestors


buried here,


without you we would not be here today.


Singer, dancer, cultural presenter,


and co-organizer of the event, Candelaria said: “The truth needs to be told. The world now has a choice, to learn the truth or continue in denial. Let’s celebrate the beauty around us. Let’s celebrate


our resilience, let’s


celebrate that we can still sing our songs, and acknowledge beauty again. No longer can we live a lie. We stand on the backs of warriors before us such as Toypurina.” He then sang a warrior song.


Speaker Rico Miranda (Rumsen Ohlone) sang a traditional song in his language and said: “It is difficult to be here today. It is hard to think about celebrating our equinox. Daily we must live in our own colonized land. My friends look at this city, and say, ‘how do you do it?’ What I do is honor my ancestors by learning my culture, language, songs, dances and teaching my children as well as other children.”


When Laura Cedillo took the


microphone, she said: “I am from San Luis Potosi, we were the first people to be contacted by Junipero Serra. I want to make sure that the only people who have a right to say whether or not this man becomes a saint, are California’s tribal people.”


Keith Turner (Table Mountain


Dumma/Cherokee) sang an eagle song in his language, and said: “Our people were marched from their


traditional


lands to mission San Juan Bautista. Some died along the way, some were buried, some left. My elders all spoke


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Nikita Hernandez and Israel Alvaron from the United Church of Christ spoke about the forgiveness the Pope should be extending to California’s tribes. The Jewish faith was represented by a couple who ask forgiveness for settling on Native land.


Candelaria


The Day of Mourning ended with leading those assembled


in singing the official AIM song in solidarity


California’s indigenous people and those struggling throughout the world.


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and friendship with


to not


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