We Are On
Tongva Land
Robert Redford Conservancy, Talking Circle,
Murals, and Native Hosts
Making Space:
Members of the Pitzer community have worked to "make space" for American Indian and Indigenous peoples on our campus. This idea also affirms the importance of Indigenous intellectual and cultural traditions, elders, appropriate student support, and more.
Some concrete examples include:
Robert Redford Conservancy In response to Director Brinda Sarathy's invitation, and facilitated by Professors Joe Parker and Erich Steinman, Tongva elders, led by Barbara Drake and Julia Bogany, contributed to the design of Pitzer's recently-created Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability. (opened in January 2018). Tongva input informed the creation of two different talking circle spaces as well as the planting of particular Native plants. Months before it opened, in August 2017 the RRC hosted a solar eclipse event organized by Tongva members. Engaged students, faculty and staff will continue to support this relationship and the exciting potential for collaboration. Learn more about the Conservancy here.
Talking Circle: Our making space efforts have included students working for a year to secure funding and approval to create the "Julia Bogany Talking Circle" on our campus. It is located west of the Grove House / Clocktower and on the East end of the Tongva Garden (created by, among others, the efforts of Sharon Snowiss and Mark Acuna). In addition, Elder Barbara Drake worked with many students and staff to create the Mother's Garden on the Pomona College campus.
Murals: Members of the Pitzer community have worked with local Tongva community members, and especially Julia Bogany, to support their representation on campus in the form of two murals. See the image of the "Sacred Mother" below (painted by muralist Joe Galarza based on ideas from Julia; on an East wall of Scott Hall).
Native Hosts Art
In 2013 Cheyenne-Arapaho artist Edgar Heap of Birds created and installed on the Pitzer campus 20 signs drawing upon Tongva understandings shared by Julia Bogany. These signs unsettle familiar perceptions of and language used to describe the local landscape, and raise questions for viewers. Three of these "Native Hosts" signs are permanently installed on the main Pitzer campus, and one more is at the Robert Redford Conservancy. Art History Professor Bill Anthes worked to bring "Native Hosts" to Pitzer through the art+environment program at Pitzer, which was supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Learn more from Professor Anthes and Edgar Heap-of-Birds about the project in this short video: https://vimeo.com/60673043.
Sacred Mother, by Joe Galarza