On Wednesday the 15th, a historic moment occurred when the City of Morgan Hill unanimously passed a resolution in favor of protecting Juristac as an open space with the explicit reason being (among others) to preserve the spiritual integrity of that land for the Amah Mutsun, who’ve been here for 15,000 years. Juristac is the tribe’s most sacred ceremonial village site, but today it’s land owner aims to dig an irreversibly destructive 320-acre sand hole there.
Although the City Council has no legislative power over Juristac, their resolution sends a powerful message to the County legislators who do: The cultural and spiritual rights of the bay area’s original caretakers should be given utmost respect. I believe the resolution marks a pivotal step towards a more ethical relationship with the people whose territory we are in. I hope other legislating bodies will follow the leadership of the City of Morgan Hill.
