Environmental Press # 210

Subj: PUTIIDHEM: 3:pm MARCH 13, 20
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 11:58:50 -0800
From: Doug Korthof <doug@seal-beach.org>
To: voiceforveterans@aol.com (via SaveTheOaks@SealBeach.org)

PROTEST MARCH TO SAVE PUTIIDHEM

Putiidhem, the "mother village" of the Juaneno band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation, is a sacred site in San Juan Capistrano. Now, a for-profit school group called "JSERRA" has proposed to build an expensive High School on top of the last portion of Putiidhem, where untold numbers of ancestors slumber in peace.

Ironically, this would be a private, Catholic-themed HS which would be named after Father Junipero Serra, who initiated the Mission System (1790-1839) which attempted
to extirpated Native American culture, language and beliefs.

Now, the story of the mission is told right down the street at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, but there is no place for those interested to find the view of the Native Americans, who are not even recognized. They are the neighbors to the south of the Los Angles-area Tongva, who are called Gabrieleno after Mission San Gabriel.

 

  

The Juanenos, with the help of allies, are proposing that the site be left alone, or, at most, that a suitable memorial and wildlife garden be dedicated.

JSERRA proposes that the "special curriculum" they would offer would draw wealthy out-of-towners from miles around, who would pay $8,500 per year tuition for the "special" nature of the exclusive program. This would cause up to 2500 new car trips per day getting off the freeway, clogging the area, and would impose massive new strains on the infrastructure in addition to the harm to one of the most sacred village and cemetary sites of the people who care for this land.

-----------------FORWARDED MESSAGE
WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO FORGET!

The Acjachemem Nation and the California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance (CCRPA) would like you to join us once again in a Protest March at the Sacred Site and Burial Grounds of Putiidhem in San Juan Capistrano.

Please bring your signs.

There will be two marches this month. The marches will be from 3:00 to 5:00 PM on:

Thursday, March 13, 2003 and Thursday, March 20, 2003

Please come to support the CCRPA, the Acjachemem Nation and supporters in the fight to save this precious spiritual place. We do not want a school built on our Sacred Site. Children should not play on burial grounds.

Directions: Take the 5 Fwy to San Juan Capistrano and get off at the Junipero Serra offramp. The site is just west of the fwy. It is a vacant field and has a chain link fence around it. It is private property so please do not enter the fence. Park along the street where you can and you will see us.

If you have any questions, please call
Pat Martz at: (949) 559-6490 or Rebecca Robles at: (949) 369-0361

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