2023 EXPRESS: Exploration of Central California Coast (AUV and Mapping)
(EX2308)
At Sea, Land Acknowledgements Still Apply
During NOAA Ocean Exploration’s 2023 EXPRESS: Exploration of Central California Coast expedition, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer traveled through the waters adjacent to the ancestral lands of numerous California tribes. As a member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and the expedition’s at-sea science team, Mia Lopez felt strongly about acknowledging and honoring the traditional stewards of the waters upon which we sailed and within which we explored.
In support of this effort, the expedition team directed resources and dedicated time for Mia to conduct a series of events broadcast live over the internet via telepresence. The primary purpose of these events was to recognize the traditional caretakers of these waters. The secondary purpose was to speak with tribal representatives about what’s important to them about their ancestral waters and our shared ocean and bring a new perspective to scientific work. Recurring themes of these discussions included the importance of bringing together Indigenous knowledge and Western science to protect and sustainably manage the ocean and of getting to know and supporting our tribal neighbors.
"Just like this ship is mapping the ocean so that we can learn more about what’s beneath us that we don’t see, there’s a lot that’s around you that you don’t see, as well. So, let’s take a little tip from Okeanos Explorer and take a deeper look at where we are, too." — Mia Lopez
The map on this page shows general offshore locations associated with the tribes Mia was able to directly acknowledge during this expedition and links to video clips of her acknowledgements along with summaries of her conversations. She wasn’t able to speak with representatives from all the Indigenous communities along the central California coast, but she offered the following general acknowledgement to the other tribes, councils, clans, and bands that still remain in their territories and protect the region’s land and waters to honor them and pay respects to their elders, the people of today, and future generations.
Please join me in acknowledging these lands and waters and the people of these lands and waters that we currently sit upon.
Our elders, both past, and present as well as our youth who are the elders of our future. I stand here today to acknowledge and give voice to our unceded, stolen lands and declare our tribal sovereignty.
Please take a moment to remember that the lands and waters you seek to protect or impact were founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous peoples, including those on whose lands and waters these projects are located.
I would like to take this opportunity to ask you all to reflect on how the work you do here today, and everyday, in your chosen fields, affects these lands and waters as well as the peoples of these lands and waters where you work and live.
As you work together on these lands and waters that support not only your livelihoods, recreation, lifestyles, research, advocacy and education, please remember that the Indigenous peoples of this area have been separated from their lands, unable to maintain livelihoods as they should, unable to recreate traditionally, unable to maintain their traditional lifeways freely, and unable to have the same access to their lands that you are provided, to do their own traditional research and educate their future generations.
Many of the projects, research and advocacy done by NOAA and Okeanos Explorer here today are within traditional territory of Indigenous peoples and/or affect other Indigenous peoples in their territories, and each tribe, council, clan, and band has been working diligently for generations to restore and continue their traditional stewardship practices on these lands and heal from this historical trauma that has touched us all.
The damage that has been done and continues to be done by not sharing the true history and legacy of the original people in this place and others, and by the exploitation of the natural cultural resources of these areas, can never be erased; there is no mitigation or research project that can make our communities whole again. But together today, we can do better!
As friends and allies, together, we can acknowledge the mistakes and atrocities of the past and move forward in remembrance and relationship with the local Indigenous peoples. We can commit to advocate to ensure that our processes here, and everywhere we are, make room for Indigenous voices to be heard, value and listen to traditional ecological knowledge, and create opportunities for Indigenous people to be a part of the healing of these lands and waters, as well as ourselves.
This acknowledgment demonstrates not only a commitment by NOAA and Okeanos Explorer, but a call to action to all of you, to begin the process of creating a relationship with the local Indigenous communities around you and work to dismantle the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.
He’lo kal antikič — Water is life!
Published March 7, 2024