Posted: October 4th, 2008

My name is Sally Cruz-Wright, Vice-Chairman of the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, identified by the Office of Federal Acknowledgement, as petitioner 84B.

I stand before you today as a living testament to the existence of the Acjachemen People. A people who once occupied the village of Panhe. A village that has been estimated to be 9000 years old. The village of Panhe that is in what is now known as the real O.C., but traditionally known as the Acjachemen Nation. A village that was in existence long before America was reportedly discovered as taught in American history by Columbus in 1492. I stand before you as a living testament to the existence of a people and a village that can prove their existence prior to the birth of the United States.

When my mother was growing up her father would not allow her to wear her hair long unless she kept it curled, because uncurled she looked too Indian. It was my grandfathers attempt to shield her from a racial bias that was directed toward those of Indigenous heritage. She was shunned by the other children she went to school with, they would not hold her hands because they were stained black by the walnuts she picked to help her family survive. I also grew up feeling the shame of looking too Indian, I would not allow my mother to braid my hair…because it made me look like the Indians on TV.

I mention these things as examples of what has been taken away from the Indigenous American. Our identity, our language, our culture, our land, our heart. We have given up much to be assimilated into a society that would only accept us if we denounced who we were. A society that drove us to shame of being Indian. A society that we never really accepted, that we never really felt comfortable with. In today’s modern society there is a new found resurgence and the Indigenous Americans are proud to proclaim their ethnicity.

On Sept 19th 2008, a meeting with the TCA was held on Panhe. During the course of this meeting events unfolded that brought to the forefront the toll the continued fighting to protect our villages and sacred sites is taking on our elders. During this meeting a statement was made by an elder of this tribe, that we cannot hold back progress, progress is inevitable, the toll road will go through, and Panhe will be impacted. This elder suggested that we agree to the offer made by the TCA of 5 acres to replace Panhe, a place that we can use in perpetuity, a place that is not sacred to our people. Once this statement was made, I stated to how dare you speak of this in front of our guests, speak this way on Panhe, I am ashamed.

The emotional impact of my elder’s statements led me back to Panhe as the morning dawned Sept 20th, 2008. As I stood on the ridge at Panhe, and I listened to the wind a understanding came over me. The look of emotional detachment I saw on my elder’s face was in fact the look of pain. The words of defeat she spoke were actually words of exhaustion.

Panhe is regarded as a sacred site by the Acjachemen People. It has a cultural and religious significance to my people; this is where I come to refocus, to renew my inner spirit, to lay my problems down. This is where I come to speak with the ancient ones for guidance in the decisions I make. This is where I come to feel the wind and the comfort of my ancestors. This is where I come to honor them; this is where I call home, the home of my Indian heart, my Indian knowledge, my Indian passion, my Indian fire.

For the reasons stated above, I beseech the secretary of commerce to up hold the ruling made by the coastal commission.

Visit www.savepanhe.org and www.savesanonofre.org.