SEVERAL OHLONE VILLAGES IN AND AROUND HUNTERS POINT NAVAL SHIPYARD (06/14/10)

At Hunters Point Naval Shipyard once two large hills and early photographs in many of the California museums, some within the City and County of San Francisco and the San Francisco Main Library depict these large hills clearly. So what happened to the hills at Hunters Point? The hills were destroyed and the Serpentinite Rock that was the make up of these hills used to in-fill much of Hunters Point Naval Shipyard which was covered by large wet-lands - teeming with life. Wet-lands provide a unique mechanism and encourage the growth of an eco-system that existed for thousands of years. In the early 1850s Chinese fishermen and some White Settlers in and around Hunters Point enjoyed in abundance Herring, Abalone, eels, and many other fish. Earlier the Ohlone clans numbering in hundreds and perhaps thousands spread from San Bruno Mountain to San Francisco's Mountain Lake, what is today's Presidio of San Francisco and El Polin spring - enjoyed respite and peace of mind and soul. There was an abundance of everything but then came the Stranger and with him came devastation and with the Missionary an extraordinary zeal to convert the indigenous people to Catholicism. Many of the indigenous people, the First People, the Ohlone died. One can visit Mission Dolores and read some of the well researched history books to fully comprehend the damage done not only to nature, the First People, but to the entire pristine world that existed intact for thousands of years before the Stranger with his vile mannerism stepped on the soil and polluted most everything every since. At the Presidio of San Francisco there are documented Shellmounds. I saved one at Crissy Field. There was a hue and cry when I told the then General Manager Barbara Jo Griffin better know as BJ Griffin about Shellmounds at Crissy Field. "If we find one we will shut down the project" she said. But, silently the National Park Service and the archeologist at that time Leo Baker did find Ohlone remains and kept them in a garage that burned downed very near Crissy Field and not far from the present Archeological Laboratory at the Presidio of San Francisco. I have an Incident Report about this crime and the culprits know what I speak of. The project at Crissy Field was to restore the Marsh Land and in doing so no one cared about the many Ohlone remains. But then a trench was dug and hundreds of remains found. The work was stopped but there was no wide publicity and today there is a mock shellmound by Crissy Field by the Mason Gate. Many ask what the mound is all about, but few know the true history. The National Park Service is in the business of Preservation and Protection but when it came to the First People it screwed them left, right, and center. At Crissy Field the Muwekma Ohlone established Patrimonial Jurisdiction - that will restore justice and bring about a jurisdiction that is not written in the books of fake law practiced by those that steal in broad daylight and then years later want those that owned all that is here today - to prove that they owned it. This method has been used to keep the Native American on Reservations and bring ill-wealth to those that steal and have no qualms about decency, ethics, and morals. To insult the Muwekma Ohlone pacts were made with other so called Indians who had nothing to do with the Ohlone to act as monitors at Crissy Field. These Indians were paid huge sums of money to do as the Archeologists and the Projects Managers at Crissy Field deemed fit. One of them was Ann-Marie Sayers who hails from the American Canyon not far from Oakland in the East Bay. For sure at the El Polin Springs history from the mid 1770s records the Ohlone receiving the Spanish and offering them fresh food and drink. However, the entities that took jurisdiction of the Presidio of San Francisco and killed the Ohlone with their religion and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) cared not to respect the El Polin spring or the many good things they strangers learned from the Ohlone. Aho. At the edge of the Presidio ran and today runs the Lobos Creek the only running fresh water creek in all of San Francisco. Near by is Mountain Lake by the 15th Avenue Gate. At one time it was so clean and fresh - today, it is polluted by the stranger and more from particulates and dog waste from the many folks that let their dogs run and defecate. Of course the strangers have no history that this Lake, Mountain Lake provided succor to thousands of human beings when the Ohlone roamed freely and after the invasion of the strangers and the evil habits the strangers brought with them; all that was pristine was polluted. The Sea Cliff is known to many by San Franciscans and others. Here too are Shellmounds for the entire world to see. In recent years the National Park Service has chosen to mention about the Shellmounds not only at Crissy Field, at El Polin Springs but at Sea Cliff with an exhibit that does some justice but does not fully to justice to the years of nonchalant behavior by the National Park Service and its past Superintendent who recently passed away Brian O'Neil. Brian could talk from both sides of his mouth and chose many times to adversely impact the Ohlone and most importantly the Muwekma Ohlone. There are hundreds of Shellmounds that some of us have documented but I have chosen to point those sites that many folks visit and know not who lived here, there, and every where before the stranger came, who bred, and were killed just because they were Ohlone. Up until 1924 if you were Ohone or a Native American belonging to the other California Tribes - anyone could kill you and fetch a measly five dollars. This was the plight of the Miwoks, the Paiutes, and the many other California Tribes. I visit them and the Elders tell me the TRUTH not so the Stanger with his forked tongue. Few know to this very day that where now stands the West Field the former Emporium and at one time the University of San Francisco run by the Jesuits there was a Shellmound. The Shellmound Walkers make sure they stop and pray regularly when they make their yearly Shellmound Walk. I make sure I take care of the logistics at least feed by sisters and brothers when they make this annual Shellmound Walk and give praise and respect to the Ohlone. All this at Fifth and Market - lost in the hustle and bustle is history dear to the Ohlone and women and men of good faith. Today we have the Bayview Hill and most of it was saved and here too are Shellmounds. Much as you notice at San Bruno Mountain which is the largest Shellmound in the Nation. One side of Bayview Hill was cut and with the dirt that was removed, with it remains of the Ohlone removed to Candlestick Park and spread all over the place. This is desecration of the highest order. Of course Dr. John York and his son Jed York do not know about this. But, the good thing is they are moving to Santa Clara and when they are there - they can rest assure themselves they are not desecrating by playing at Candlestick Park. In the Hunters Point area the Shellmound Walkers stop and pay their homage to the ancestors at Thomas Avenue by the Pump Station. Further, at Hunters Point and more towards Cesar Chavez by Army Street and the Farmers Market where there is a running creek. Where Lowe's will be built and where before there was Goodman's Lumber there was a running river. The older San Franciscans know about this; the newly arrived know little of history and less of the topography and even less of sound ecology, even though they brag they are into recycling and green, fake minded. Mission Dolores says it all - the Ohlone are buried there many converted to Catholicism against their will and under duress. The Franciscans Friars did not know better but today you will hear one of two repent for the actions of their fellow Friars who followed the dictates of their Superiors who in turn followed the dictates of the Popes in Rome and conducted themselves shamelessly. At the Presidio of San Francisco behind the Officers Club is a Sacred Place that few know about. Here for those fine-tuned to Spirituality one can have a heavenly experience and witness the blessing that only one can imagine. The land is untouched to this day and know one knows why. I took the present Chairperson of the Muwekma Tribe and told her what I saw. She heard me loud and clear when I related to her my experience. The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe has been good to me even though I am not Ohlone. It has been 30 years that I have fought for the Ohlone and more for the Muwekma Ohlone. This fight has not been easy but it has been one where many powerful battles have been won. All over San Francisco there are Shellmounds. I have touched upon some sites and many I will not reveal except to those that are trustworthy and respect the ancestors. Once there was pristine land with tons of fauna, flora, animals, insects, trees, rivers, streams, creeks, and with it the clean air to breathe. The Bay and the rivers and creeks were full of life. The wet-lands were every where; some came in as far as Fifth and Market and on the other side Fifth and Mission. There are tell tale signs everywhere but contemporary women and men are blind. Lewis and Clark the famous explorers saw it all and I have written about this elsewhere. This was but two hundred and fifty years ago. Then came the stranger and with him - death and destruction. The entire Financial District was under water once and so the Ferry Building and the entire area that the San Francisco Port Authority calls Port Land. The SF Port Authority has yet to dedicate on single monument to the Ohlone. Recently, the SF Port Authority mocked the Muwekma Ohlone, Espanola Jackson, and Francisco Da Costa by inviting the fake Ann-Marie Sayers and conducting some ceremony without the blessing of the Muwekma Ohlone and Rosemary Cambra at Pier 98 better known to the strangers that have blood on their hands - as Heron Head's Park. This fake land Heron Head's Park is polluted and it is wrong to take our innocent children and harm them. We have warned the San Francisco Port Commission and I will make a trip to warn them again and they better pay heed to the ancestors and not divide the community at large. Dare to confront the wisdom of those that came before the evil strangers that continue to destroy most everything by their ill-thought concepts that are steeped in GREED. The Shellmounds are Sacred Healing Point that most leaned and Spiritual Leaders Recognize. To some is given this insight but surely not to those steeped in Greed, carnal pleasure, and who live and die by values that are mundane. Aho.

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