You Are On Ohloneland Collaboration
By Ishmael Ali Khan Elias
Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each November, but honoring Indigenous people should happen every day. A vibrant reminder to do so can be seen at Children’s Fairyland where the iconic theme park sign along Lake Merrit now reads “Children’s Ohloneland.”
“The whole thing actually started with a social media post, when we altered an image of the famous Fairyland sign to read Ohlone Land,” said Inés Ixierda, creative director of women-led Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, in an email comment. “The post started a conversation around a deeper collaboration between Fairyland, Sogorea Te’ and the Lisjan Nation tribe to create an actual sign to uplift the Ohlone history of the land as part of a deeper effort to indigenize some of the story offerings for youth at the park. We knew we wanted a special shirt to commemorate this moment and immediately thought of Urban Native Era who has Bay Area ties and have been contributing to Native visibility and educating guests about the land they are on through their work for years now. Together we created this very special, very limited edition!”
Kymberly Miller, executive director of Children’s Fairyland, said in a statement that the Ohloneland sign adds new meaning to “a beloved Oakland symbol.” She continued, “This is more than just a sign. We are celebrating the land, uplifting the voices and living history of the Ohlone people, bringing stories to life at the park, and inviting every visitor to connect with the cultural heritage of the Lisjan Nation.”
Ohlone is an umbrella term that refers to around 50 separate tribes across eight regions of the greater Bay Area, each with its own languages and origins stories. Oakland is in the ancestral territory of The Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation.
Corrina Gould, co-founder of Sogorea Te’ Land Trust and tribal chairperson of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation, said in a statement that the collaboration provides visibility to the fist people of the Bay Area. “In altering this well-known sign, we are uplifting Ohlone presence and inviting Oakland to reflect on the history of this place and its original people. We are still here. What can you do to recognize the Native people of where you are?”
The reimagined sign was unveiled in October in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and will remain on display through year’s end. Sales of “You Are on Ohloneland” apparel will benefit the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, Rematriate The Land Fund.
