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Berkeley,
California (Wednesday, October 6, 2004)
– On Sunday, October 10,
2004 at noon at the Ohlone Greenway in Berkeley, California, a
dedication of the interpretive exhibit featuring the natural and
cultural history of the Ohlone peoples will be held. The
Ohlone Greenway is located just south of Gilman Street in North
Berkeley, at the intersection of Neilson Street and the Greenway,
opposite the mural. The public is invited to attend this
ceremony. Light refreshments and music will be offered in the
Peralta Community Garden after the ceremony.
The
Ohlone Peoples’ Exhibit grew out of collaborative efforts among
Native American artists and Berkeley community members. The
sculptural objects and native California plantings aspire to reflect
aspects of the world peopled by the Ohlone of the Bay Area prior to
European immigration. The “Hairpin” sculpture focuses on
communal gatherings and the fixtures of ceremonial dress.
Native California plantings show the important use of native plants
for food and implements, focusing on the oak tree, grinding rock and
acorn processing. The sculptural bench echoes patterns utilized in
basket weaving, while the animal symbols express traditional
stories. Steel grizzly bears (in the planning stage), will
represent the past abundance of wildlife. Permanent exhibit
panels (in process) will provide a brief history of the Ohlone
Peoples, acknowledging their decimation by European immigration and
stressing the resilience of the people and their culture, and their
contemporary presence in the Bay Area.
Civic
Arts Commissioner Lori Taguma, herself of American Indian descent,
will take part in the ceremony and represent the commission at this
event. There will be a blessing by Ann Marie Sayers, Tribal
Elder Costanoan/Ohlone.
Organized
by the Ohlone Greenway Working Team, the exhibit is co-sponsored by
American Indian Contemporary Arts, and is funded by the City of
Berkeley Parks and Recreation Commission, the Berkeley Civic
Arts Commission, and the Open Circle Foundation. The
exhibit has been endorsed by the Art for BART Program.
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