Ohlone Reconnection Stories
This body of work aims to reach new audiences and educate them about the struggles of the indigenous first peoples of the San Francisco Bay area to maintain their culture, and to highlight their varied narratives. My focus is on the contemporary Ohlone people, especially the youth, their identity and their strong determination to retain and relearn their culture, customs, language and arts that have been lost through colonization.
Using powerful photography videography, I am documenting their experiences and stories of reconnection with their culture, taking pride and building strength as a united community, especially around:
- rebuilding and maintaining their culture for future generations
- facilitating solutions for personal relationships, agriculture & climate change
- perspectives on the practices of their ancestors and how these are incorporated into day-to-day lives
The project is a collaboration, highlighting the ongoing story of the Ohlone people, with Ann-Marie Sayers and her daughter Kanyon Sayers-Roods of the Indian Canyon Mutsun Band of Costanoan Ohlone People, California.
Photography in this gallery was taken at The Ohlone Gathering in Fremont, California, in October 2018, of some of the Ohlone elders and youth that are excited and want to share and take part in our project. They are candid shots, and our final creative process will evolve as the project progesses.
