Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Land Acknowledgment for

The City of San Jose and

Surrounding Cities of Santa Clara County

Thámien Ancestral Muwekma Ohlone Territory (shortened version follows)

We would like to recognize that while we come together in the City of San Jose, we are gathered on the ethno-historic tribal territory of the Thámien (thah-me-in) Ohlone (oh-loh-knee)-speaking tribal groups of the greater Santa Clara Valley, which includes the lands of the Thámiens (thah-me-in), Alsons (all-sohns), Matalans (mah-tah-lahns), and the Paleños (pah-leh-nohs) –whose tribal region was named after their powerful chief Capitan Pala (pah-lah), and the two Mexican land grants located in the East Hills above San Jose – and who were intermarried with the direct ancestors (an-ses-tors) of some of the lineages enrolled in the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area, whom were missionized into Missions San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Jose.

The present-day Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, with an enrolled Bureau of Indian Affairs documented membership of over 600 members, is comprised of all of the known surviving Indian lineages aboriginal to the San Francisco Bay region who trace the Tribe’s ancestry through the Mísyóonikma (mish-yohn-nikmah) ~ Missions Santa Clara de Thámien, San Jose, and San Francisco, during the expansion of the Hispano-European empire into Alta California beginning in AD 1769. Mak Muwekma suyyakma (mahk muh-wehk-mah suu-yahk-mah) ~ The Muwekma families are the successors and living members of the sovereign, historic, previously Federally Recognized Verona Band of Alameda County, now formally recognized as the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. Muwékma (muh-wehk-mah) means La Gente (hen-theh) – The People-in the Chochenyo-Ohlone language.

The lands on which the City of San Jose has been established was and continues to be of great spiritual significance and historical importance for the Muwekma Ohlone Tribal People. This region extends to surrounding areas that held several Túupentaks (too-pen-tahks), traditional semi-subterranean spiritual round houses. 

Túupentaks were places of celebrations, healing, spiritual cleansing, rituals, dances, intertribal feasts, and religious ceremonies which were once located on the historic Lopé Yñigo’s Landgrant - Rancho Posolmi (poh-sol-me) y Pozitas (poh-zi-tas) de las Animas (ah-knee-mahs) (Little Wells of Souls), and also at Marcello (mar-cell-o), Pio, and Cristobal’s (cree-stoh-balls) Land Grant - Rancho Ulistac (oo-lees-tahk) as well as the historic 19th and 20th century Alisal/Pleasanton, Niles, Sunol, Livermore, and San Leandro/San Lorenzo Rancherias.  The many nearby ancestral heritage, “shellmound sites” had served as the ancestral Muwekma Ohlone Tribe’s territorial monuments and traditional cemetery sites for high lineage families, craft specialists, and fallen warriors. The region surrounding the City of San Jose, is where many of the Tribe’s ancestral heritage cemetery and village sites are located, especially adjacent to freshwater corridors such as Los Gatos Creek and the Guadalupe River, where many have been destroyed because of unbridled development. These localities are viewed as historic and sacred places, and it is acknowledged that these lands had been previously settled, harvested, and controlled by our ancestral Muwekma Tribal groups for many thousands of years.

Today, - the Muwekma Ohlone Tribal leadership and members work as stewards addressing and protecting many of the, up-to 10,000-year-old ancestral heritage village and cemetery sites, such as the old Holiday Inn Site located downtown along Thámien Rúmmey (thah-me-in roo-may) (the Guadalupe River) - to the 9,900-year-old Metcalfe Road Site, located along Máyyan Rúmmey (my-yahn roo-may) ~ Coyote Creek and Highway 101.  The City of San Jose and Santa Clara County are established within the tribe’s ancestral Thámien (thah-me-in) Ohlone Tribal ethnohistoric territory, which, based upon the 18 unratified federal treaties of 1851-1852, includes the unceded ancestral lands of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area Region. Some of the enrolled Muwekma lineages are directly descended from ancestors aboriginal to the Thámien (thah-me-in) Ohlone tribal territory whose families had affiliation with Mission Santa Clara de Thámien. Also, some of the enrolled Muwekma lineages are descended from direct ancestors from neighboring Ohlone tribes who were intermarried with Mission Santa Clara Clareño (clah-ren-yo), Mission San Francisco, and Mission San Jose Indians. It is important that we pause, and recognize, the history of the land of the Thámien (thah-me-in) Ohlone on which we gather to participate, enjoy, learn, and honor, but also acknowledge that the First People of this region – The Muwekma Ohlone People, are alive and thriving members of the San Jose and broader Bay Area communities today.

Even though the tribe was denied a land base through the gross negligence of derelict BIA officials, after the Tribe was first federally recognized in 1906, it is because of the tenacity, strength, and legacy of their ancestors and Elders, that mak-Muwékma (mahk-muh-wehk-mah) ~The People have been able to maintain their identity and traditions, and keep the culture and mak-noono (mahk-no-no) ~ their language alive. Furthermore, the Muwekma Ohlone Indian Families have never left their aboriginal ancestral homelands of the Bay Area.

Today, we attempt to repair the sustained ecological, environmental, and cultural devastation to their Tribe wrought by over 251 years of colonial processes of disenfranchisement the Politics of Erasure.   We respectfully request that the good citizens of the City of San Jose and the surrounding towns within Santa Clara County strive to be faithful stewards on behalf of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe by maintaining the bay, freshwater creeks, native plants, animal habitats, and the air we all breathe.

Furthermore, we request that the City of San Jose and surrounding towns within Santa Clara County honor the military service of the Muwekma men and women who have honorably served overseas during World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and who are still serving in the United States Armed Forces today; and honor the tribal veterans and service members from California, North and South America who have served this country with dignity and honor.  In closing, it is of great spiritual significance to acknowledge the special relationship of this Beautiful Land to the indigenous Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of this region, as well as to all people residing in the Bay Area. We respectfully request that everyone who lives, works, or visits the City of San Jose and surrounding towns, to be respectful of our aboriginal lands and natural habitats; and consistent with our principles of community, diversity, and inclusion, strive to be good stewards on behalf of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe on whose aboriginal lands you are our guests.

Thank you.  We hope you celebrate, honor, and stand in solidarity with all Muwékmaš (muh-wehk-mah-sh) and all Indigenous People with their struggles to reverse the adverse colonial legacies affecting all people of color in the City of San Jose, the greater Bay Area, the United States, and the Americas, as we gather and reflect on the sacred lands of the Thámien (thah-me-in) Ohlone. – the Ancestors of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe.

Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Land Acknowledgment for the City of San Jose, CA –

Shortened Version:

Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Land Acknowledgment for The City of San Jose and Surrounding Cities of Santa Clara County Thámien Ancestral Muwekma Ohlone Territory

We recognize that while we come together in San Jose, we gather on the tribal territory of the Thámien Ohlone-speaking groups of the Santa Clara Valley, including the Thámiens, Alsons, Matalans, and Paleños. These groups were intermarried with the ancestors of some members of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, missionized into Missions San Francisco, Santa Clara, and San Jose.

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, with over 600 members, descends from the Indian lineages native to the San Francisco Bay region, tracing their ancestry through Missions Santa Clara, San Jose, and San Francisco since the Hispano-European expansion into Alta California in 1769. The Muwekma families are successors of the Verona Band of Alameda County, now the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. "Muwékma" means "The People" in Chochenyo-Ohlone.

The land of San Jose holds spiritual and historical significance for the Muwekma Ohlone People. This region once had several Túupentaks, traditional spiritual round houses, and ancestral heritage sites. Today, many of these sites have been destroyed by development, but they are still considered sacred and historic.

The Muwekma Ohlone leadership and members work to protect these ancestral sites, like the old Holiday Inn Site along the Guadalupe River and the Metcalfe Road Site along Coyote Creek. San Jose and Santa Clara County are within the tribe’s ancestral Thámien Ohlone territory, which includes unceded lands of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. Some enrolled lineages descend from ancestors associated with Mission Santa Clara, and others from neighboring Ohlone tribes intermarried with Mission Santa Clara, San Francisco, and San Jose Indians.

It is important to acknowledge the history of the Thámien Ohlone land and recognize that the Muwekma Ohlone People are thriving members of the San Jose and Bay Area communities today. Despite being denied a land base by the BIA, the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe has maintained their identity, traditions, and language. They strive to repair the ecological, environmental, and cultural damage caused by over 251 years of colonial disenfranchisement.

We request that the citizens of San Jose and surrounding towns be stewards of the bay, creeks, plants, animal habitats, and the air. We also honor the Muwekma men and women who have served in the military. Let us all respect the aboriginal lands and strive to be good stewards for the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, reflecting on the sacred lands of the Thámien Ohlone, ancestors of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe.