Reso. No. _____
RESOLUTION NO. ______
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND,
CALIFORNIA, URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, THE WHITE
HOUSE, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE BUREAU OF
INDIAN AFFAIRS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND FEDERALLY RECOGNIZE ALL
OF THE CHOCHENYO SPEAKING TRIBES OF THE EAST BAY, INCLUDING
MUWEKMA, CONFEDERATED VILLAGES OF LISJAN NATION AND OHLONE
TRIBE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
WHEREAS, the Verona Band is the only Bureau of Indian Affairs’ documented and historic Ohlone Tribe from the San Francisco Bay Area, who have maintained their distinct culture, social and political identity for the past 230 years despite genocide and political erasure; and
WHEAREAS, there have always been multiple Tribes within the territories of the East Bay that share a language, (Chochenyo) and there has never had one overarching tribe, but multiple Tribes that do not share the same ethics, values or political belief systems; and
WHEREAS, the Ohlone have had a presence in the San Francisco Bay Area sin ce time immemorial; and
WHEREAS, the direct ancestors of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation and the Ohlone Tribe were missionized into the three Bay Area Missions: Santa Clara, San Jose, and San Francisco during the expansion of the Spanish Empire into Alta California from 1769 to secularization in 1836; and
WHEREAS, the United States Government maintained a “trust” relationship with the Verona Band as historically identified by agents and superintendents from the Burea u of Indian Affairs, from 1906-1927; and
WHEREAS, the Verona Band has never been legally or illegally terminated by an act of Congress, but were bureaucratically politically removed from the list of landless tribes and bands identified and eligible for land/homesites purchase via the Congressional Appropriation Acts of 1906, 1908, and later years, without any due process in 1927 despite its “trust’ relationship and its previous status as a federally recognized tribe; and
WHEREAS, the Verona Band enrolled (1928-32, 1948-57, and 1968-71) with and was approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Secretary of Interior, and Federal Courts under the 1928 California Jurisdictional Act and later Acts, and have consistently organized themselves under the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act, and also attended Indian Boarding Schools in the 1930s and 40s, still must obtain reaffirmation by the Secretary of the Interior or U. S. Congress; and
WHEREAS, there are 3 Tribes currently within the East Bay Tribal Territories that are all acknowledged by the Native American Heritage Commission, a State Agency, that recognizes each Tribe with the ability to speak on behalf of our Sacred Landscapes, Sacred Sites and waterways in the San Francisco Bay Area; and
WHEREAS, justice and equal treatment under the law demands that the Department of the Interior and the federal government officially recognize the historical, social, military and political history of all three of the current Tribes within the East Bay Territory.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Richmond that:
1. We urge the United States Congress, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to acknowledge the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation, the Muwekma Tribe and the Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area as federally recognized, sovereign tribes as defined un 25 C.F.R. 1.2 (the Secretary retains the power to waive or make exceptions to his regulations as found in chapter I of title 25 CFR in all cas es where permitted by law and the Secretary finds that such waiver or exception is in the best interest of the Indians); and
2. We direct the City Manager to draft and execute a letter transmitting this resolution to the Bay Area Congressional delegation and the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, with
Reso. No. _____
instructions that all actions be taken to support and ensure the immediate recognition of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation, Muwekma Tribe and Ohlone Tribe’s federal status, and include them with the federal registry of recognized tribes under the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
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I certify that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting thereof held on Mmmm dd, yyyy, by the following vote:
AYES: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
Mayor
Approved as to form:
City Attorney
State of California }
County of Contra Costa : ss.
City of Richmond }
I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Resolution No. _____, finally passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting held on Mmmm dd, yyyy.
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Pamela Christian, Clerk of the City of Richmond