Members of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe recently visited DC and made progress with congressional representatives.

Visibility for the tribe

One year later — what has changed for the Muwekma tribe?

April 18, 2023

In May 2022, the Muwekma Ohlone tribe was engaged in an ongoing fight for federal recognition. Although the tribe has resided in the Bay Area for 12,000 years and still has 600 living members, it still lacks the status of being federally acknowledged as a sovereign state. A year later, although progress with political support has been made, there is still a long way to go.

The tribe has been pushing for congressional action to reinstate its federal recognition. This status would make the tribe eligible for government funding and protections, which are especially important in times of crisis. Moreover, the Muwekma would have the inherent right to self-government.

Aside from the ongoing DNA research that proves the Muwekma have been residents of the Bay Area for thousands of years and petitions that the tribe have been using to promote awareness about their fight against the injustice of not being federally recognized, the Muwekma have also made advances in the political sphere.

At the beginning of January, Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh was in Washington D.C. for two weeks and met with both members of the California delegation and the national delegation.

“She gained bipartisan support from people across the country and from Speaker Pelosi and from Congressman Obernolte,” according to Jonathan Michelangelo Lockwood, the tribe’s spokesperson.

Federal recognition has been a drawn-out process. While other tribes have achieved recognition from the Interior Department, the Department was unwilling to help the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, according to Lockwood.

The lack of federal recognition has had substantial impacts on the tribe.

“Because the tribe didn’t have a federal recognition, they were not able to access the same services that other people were able to during COVID,” Lockwood said. “In terms of moving forward with federal recognition, the tribe will have more economic security and economic freedom to exist.”

The Muwekma Ohlone tribe believes that this fight demonstrates the resilience and perseverance of the tribe as they continue fighting for justice.

“Justice for Muwekma is not just an idea, it’s a mandate,” Lockwood said. “Members of the Bay Area delegation need to listen to the Bay Area communities and do everything in their power to right the wrongs of the past.”

Editors note: This updated version of this story makes clear that the push to pass Senate Joint Resolution 13, which would call for federal recognition, not establish it, was a past effort by the tribe not to be confused with the tribe’s current efforts. Anthro Magazine apologizes for not making this clear in the previous version.