Dear Relatives and Allies,
On Sunday May 14th, 2023, along the route of the historic forced march and attempted relocation of Owens Valley Paiute, an emergency rally was held after bulldozers working on the Highway 395 expansion threatened to rip through sacred burial sites, unearthing our beloved ancestors. Thank you to those who answered the call to rally and gather with us to honor those that were disturbed and to protect the ancestors who remain in their resting place. Many graves of our ancestors are directly in the path of the Highway expansion route and even though Caltrans is aware of this, they plan to continue digging up these burial sites for the purpose of creating a “safer highway”.
We are putting out an official CALL TO ACTION to stop the Highway 395 expansion from desecrating our ancestor burial sites! Tribal Historic Preservation Officers have voiced their concerns to Caltrans regarding burial sites and artifacts along the proposed route of the new Highway 395 for years. There have also been numerous opportunities to reroute or otherwise minimize the disturbance of burials, yet each time, Caltrans planners and decision makers have claimed to be out of options, leaving only the option to disgracefully desecrate the graves of local native families. There are known tribal histories in this area, along the great Patsiata (Owens Lake) and the edge of the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, where our ancestors commonly camped, lived and traveled through.
As tribal citizens of Payahuunadü we hope you hear us when we say that this shameful event has brought us deep grief. Stand with us against the erasure and desecration of our ancestors. Help us build a world where our future generations will no longer experience this kind of injustice.
The road as currently planned can not go on, unless there are real efforts to protect the tribal cultural history currently on the chopping block.
Now is the time, we need you more than ever! Help us protect our history!
We are mobilizing our communities and allies and have many roles to be filled.
Please reach out and contact us if you are willing and able to support in the following ways:
Legal:
Frontline Blockade:
Media:
Other:
Unique skill sets welcome! Just let us know how you think you could help
Important Details to Keep in Mind:
Contact:
Email: info@payahuunadu.com
We also ask that you take the time to send a petition or write an email to the contacts listed below AND those in your circle of influence, share the attached fact sheet and let them know that you are in opposition to the HWY 395 road expansion, without complete Tribal consultation and consent. Demand that they STOP desecrating sacred burial sites and destroying cultural history.
1.Governor Gavin Newsom: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact Tel: 1 916 445 2841
2.Shawn Oliver, Federal Highway Administration, Senior Environmental Specialist. [email protected]
3.Christina MacDonald,Senior Archaeologist and Native American Coordinator. Cal transDistrict 9 [email protected]
Tel: 1 442 359 9498
Manahobü,
The Payahuunadü Alliance
On Sunday May 14th, 2023, along the route of the historic forced march and attempted relocation of Owens Valley Paiute, an emergency rally was held after bulldozers working on the Highway 395 expansion threatened to rip through sacred burial sites, unearthing our beloved ancestors. Thank you to those who answered the call to rally and gather with us to honor those that were disturbed and to protect the ancestors who remain in their resting place. Many graves of our ancestors are directly in the path of the Highway expansion route and even though Caltrans is aware of this, they plan to continue digging up these burial sites for the purpose of creating a “safer highway”.
We are putting out an official CALL TO ACTION to stop the Highway 395 expansion from desecrating our ancestor burial sites! Tribal Historic Preservation Officers have voiced their concerns to Caltrans regarding burial sites and artifacts along the proposed route of the new Highway 395 for years. There have also been numerous opportunities to reroute or otherwise minimize the disturbance of burials, yet each time, Caltrans planners and decision makers have claimed to be out of options, leaving only the option to disgracefully desecrate the graves of local native families. There are known tribal histories in this area, along the great Patsiata (Owens Lake) and the edge of the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, where our ancestors commonly camped, lived and traveled through.
As tribal citizens of Payahuunadü we hope you hear us when we say that this shameful event has brought us deep grief. Stand with us against the erasure and desecration of our ancestors. Help us build a world where our future generations will no longer experience this kind of injustice.
The road as currently planned can not go on, unless there are real efforts to protect the tribal cultural history currently on the chopping block.
Now is the time, we need you more than ever! Help us protect our history!
We are mobilizing our communities and allies and have many roles to be filled.
Please reach out and contact us if you are willing and able to support in the following ways:
Legal:
- Attorney(s) well versed in NAGPRA, Tribal Rights and CA laws.
- Funds for Legal Team
- On-call with very little notice to be present on the ground at construction/burial sites
Frontline Blockade:
- Frontline arrestee to stop bulldozers (must be willing and prepared to be arrested)
- medical support for frontline arrestees
- runners/water hydration-food support for arrestees
Media:
- Contacts for strategic publications, both local and non-local
- Sharing of relationships, connects who can help amplify the cause
- Writers who can help tell the story
- Photographers and Videographers, even with just a cellphone camera
- Social media posts to help bring awareness
Other:
- Camping equipment
- First aid kits and personal protective equipment (PPE)
Unique skill sets welcome! Just let us know how you think you could help
Important Details to Keep in Mind:
- You may be contacted with very short advance notice
- This call to action will go on for an undetermined number of days
- Camping is highly likely
- Minimal motel lodging available locally.
Contact:
Email: info@payahuunadu.com
We also ask that you take the time to send a petition or write an email to the contacts listed below AND those in your circle of influence, share the attached fact sheet and let them know that you are in opposition to the HWY 395 road expansion, without complete Tribal consultation and consent. Demand that they STOP desecrating sacred burial sites and destroying cultural history.
1.Governor Gavin Newsom: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact Tel: 1 916 445 2841
2.Shawn Oliver, Federal Highway Administration, Senior Environmental Specialist. [email protected]
3.Christina MacDonald,Senior Archaeologist and Native American Coordinator. Cal transDistrict 9 [email protected]
Tel: 1 442 359 9498
Manahobü,
The Payahuunadü Alliance