HOME JAndersonPhoto.comHOME JAndersonPhoto.com
Page 10 VOICE Discovery Of Chumash Artifacts September 13, 2002 (Published Aug. 30, 2002 OVV - OVVOICE@OJAI.NET)
|
"......and I heard that they found a shoulder bone and burial stones..." as I was pouring my coffee in a local coffee shop I could hear the excited whispering about the new discoveries at the Los Arbolas Townhouse Project on South Montgomery. I smiled to myself at the thought, "The Chumash ancestors will stop that development even though the citizens of Ojai haven't been able to." How perfect that the onslought of building be delayed by forces of nature beyond their control. I picked up the Ojai Valley News that Saturday expecting to see full coverage of the Burial Ground Discovery and was somewhat dumbfounded to find nothing ... not a word on the subject. I wondered if the news had been true or just a rumour, until later that day I heard that the County Coroner had indeed been called out and had mistakenly knocked on a North Montgomery Street door, instead of the South Montomery Street address where Los Arboles is located. So it's true, I thought. I wonder why there's no news coverage? I had long been opposed to the "high density" building on South Montgomery Street and I had felt heartbroken to see the devastration of what had been a sheltered woodsy refuge and one of the last areas of Ojai to retain some of the early cottages. I had also been involved in trying to save the cats that had been living in the ravine behind Libbey Park, and I was keenly aware of the pressure being put on the elderly residents living in the tiny houses adjacent to the development to sell and move on. Saturday night I sat in my office pondering the information and feeling that if indeed this was a notable discovery then certainly the Chumash population at large should have a say in how this is handled and also that the citizens of Ojai should be notified that their City's history is being bulldozed over. A quick e-mail was fired off to KEYT News to see if they would be interested. Much to my surprise they quickly responded with a request to contact C.J. Ward (anchor KEYT News) with details. (KEYT News interviewed Pat Tumamait on Monday, August 19th, and "broke" the story on their newscasts of Tuesday, August 20th. The Los Angeles Times and Ventura County Star, jumped on it and printed stories in their Wednesday, August 21st editions. National Public Radio mentioned the major archaeological find on their Wednesday, August 21st broadcasts.) I also typed "Chumash Burial Sites" into my search engine and came up with several links pertaining to the legal struggles of the Chumash Elders to halt the disturbance of their burial gounds. One group that seemed particularly active in these preservation efforts was the San Luis Obispo Chumash Group, so I left a message on the answering machine of their representative Mark Vigil. His wife called me back that night for information and I was surprised again that the Chumash population was not even aware of the discovery. The next morning I got a call from a Paul Pommier identifying himself as the head of the Santa Barbara Chumash Elder Group and expressing his concern with how well Los Arboles had been researched; and whether there were attempts to keep news of this discovery "under wraps" to facilitate the builder's construction schedule. He suggested that I notify the Native American Heritage Commission in Sacramento. I left a message for the Commission and received a call back the next day from a Rob Wood who told me that they already knew about the project. He told me there was a bill pending that would stop construction on "Sacred Grounds", but that, for now, they were complying with current regulations. He informed me that two Chumash monitors were present at the Los Arboles Project and that their names were Julie and Pat Tumamait. Picking up the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday, August 21st, I saw the lead sory in the Ventura Section was on the South Montgomery discovery calling it: "The most important archeological site ever found in Ojai." How wonderful I thought, now surely that area will become a cultural center or an extension of the Libbey Park for everyone to enjoy. The next evening I came home to a message on my answering machine from Chumash monitor Julie Tumamait informing me that she had been given my name and number by the Native American Heritage Commission and that she wanted to "talk " to me. She seemed upset that I had "called the Media out" and stearnly informed me, "We don't like doing that." Then I got another call from her brother Pat Tumamait upset that I had informed the Elders of the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Chapters of the Chumash Community about the discovery of the Chumash Burial Ground. I was puzzled since the only reason that I had been given so far for keeping the news under wraps was to avoid attracting "grave snatchers". What possible objection could he have to his fellow tribesmen being involved in the preservation of the Southern Californian archeological sites? Why the objections ??? I feel wistfully for the Old Ojai, a sleepy little rural town full of rock walls, orange orchards and horse corrals..... A small town with a reputation for spiritual sensitivity, set with churches, meditation centers and schools and I wonder again if the "soul" of Ojai has been lost ....... Mary Long, Ojai |
Early February, 2002: Chumash Indian artifacts discovered at Los Arboles Townhouse project site. Kept "quiet" by developers, city council, Chumash "monitor-construction worker", the CA state governmental appointed body, Native American Heritage Commission, and who knows who else had an interest in squelching the story... until Aug. 2002 print and broadcast media stories/expose, (KEYT-TV). Thursday, August 1, 2002, 10:30 a.m.: Ventura Medical Examiner's Office notified of discovery of human bones at 300 South Montgomery Street. Between Monday, August 6, 2002 and Wednesday, August 8, 2002: Ojai Velley News managing editor Lenny Roberts visits project site. (Mr. Roberts did not return an email requesting verification of exact date.) After receiving this information I decide not to pursue story for August 16th edition of VOICE, until further confirmation. Friday, August 16, 2002: Ojai and Ventura VOICE receives anonymous call about discovery of Chumash bones at Los Arboles project site. Caller indicates he is associated with City of Ojai, although relationship is not clear. Monday, August 19, 2002: KEYT-TV reporter CJ Ward visits project site. Project owner Lois Rice refuses to be interviewed on camera. Tuesday, August 20, 2002: KEYT runs story throughout the day. They note they were not allowed to photograph artifacts "because they're considered sacred". Wednesday, August 21, 2002: LA Times runs story calling find "one of the largest burial sites in the Ojai area, dating as far back as 10,000 years" according to archaeologists and tribal members. Times runs photo of Chumash consultant (monitor) Pat Tumamait standing "with artifacts". Tumamait indicates the bodies were not "intact" and rates archaeological significance as "an 8 or 9". Article refers to "cremated" remains of two to five people". Wednesday, August 21, 2002: Ventura County Star runs story. Refers to "two cremated remains" and "1,000 Chumash artifacts scattered throughout the site". Wednesday, August 21, 2002: National Public Radio (NPR) runs the story. Thursday, August 22, 2002: Julie Tumamait (brother Pat is a construction worker/monitor on site) leaves message on Mary Long's answering machine: "This message I'm hoping will reach the person Mary Long Horse. My name is Julie Tumamait. I'm here in the Ojai Valley. I would like to talk to her about the site of the Los Arboles project. My phone number ...And about possibly her calling out the media out to tell people where this burial is. We don't like doing that. I just got off the phone with the Native American Heritage Commission and they're the ones who gave me this phone number. So I would like to speak to her. Thank you, bye-bye." Friday, August 23, 2002: Pat Tumamait leaves message on Mary Long's answering machine: "Hello this is Pat Tumamait. This message is for Mary Long Horse. My understanding is that Mary called Mark Vigil and also the Heritage Commission about the project that I'm monitoring here in Ojai and I would like to know what her purpose was about that situation. I'd like to hear from her. I feel that I deserve that kind of respect. My number here is ... Thank you." Jeffrey. San Marchi, Editor
|
Recent Developments:
Wednesday, October 16, 2002: Superior Court Order Halts all Construction on Los Arboles Site !
Tuesday, September 10, 2002: LA Times runs story Tribes Flex Power on Sacred Sites outlining Senate Bill 1828 on California Gov. Gray Davis' desk.
