Project Clearinghouse

Sustaining the Culture and Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

Due to the effects of colonization during the Mission Period, the members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band have lost much of their traditional ecological knowledge, as well as their sense of unity as a tribe. In order to bring back and sustain this knowledge and way of life, it is essential to communicate and practice as many of these traditions as possible, ensuring that they are passed onto future generations.

Jump to: Contact | Project Description | Funding Sources | How to Join | Metrics for Success | Results
Project Categories: 
Land, Habitat, Watershed
Awareness, Education & Engagement
Social Justice
Project Status: 
Completed
Campus Organization: 
Provost's Sustainability Internship Program
Project Location: 
Both on and off campus

UCSC Arboretum


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressDepartment
Rick Flores
rflores@ucsc.edu
ENVS
Flora Lu
floralu@ucsc.edu
ENVS, C9/C10
Alejandra Zeiger
aazeiger@ucsc.edu
How to Join: 
Become involved at the Arboretum or with the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program by referring to the links at the bottom of this page, or by stopping by and talking to a staff member. Feel free to email me with any questions about the program or what being an intern entails (aazeiger@ucsc.edu).
Funding Sources: 
UCSC Arboretum
Sustainability Office

Project Description: 

My goal, with the help of Rick Flores, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and the staff at the UCSC Arboretum, was to further improve the quality and accessibility of the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program. The primary ways in which this was accomplished included increasing the visibility of the Relearning Program by means of social media outreach, and enhancing the awareness of the history and present day status of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band through a cultural and environmental context. Social media platforms were created and will continue to be updated in the future, events involving the Santa Cruz community as well as the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band were put on, and a movie linking the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to the Waorani people of the Ecuadorian Amazon has been produced.

Metrics for Success: 

Category #1: Amah Mutsun-Waorani Movie
-Over 20 interviews translated and transcribed
-100 hours completing all components (transcriptions, analysis, editing footage over a two year span since this has been an ongoing project)
-Over 50 tribal members (both Amah Mutsun and Waorani) have viewed this video, in addition to various Ecuadorian organizations and researchers

Category #2: Social Media Outreach and Networking
-# of likes on the Facebook page TBD, once the page goes live
-5 events were either put on by or involved the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program
-Over 100 people attended these events

Category #3: Outside Research and Publications
-50 research hours this current academic year and last academic year
-1 publication acknowledges my contributions to this project ("Oil, Revolution, and Indigenous Citizenship in Ecuadorian Amazonia" by Flora Lu, Gabriela Valdivia, and Nestor Silva) in addition to my acknowledgments in the movie itself

Next Steps: 
Two major components of this internship project have been outreach (including by means of social media) and the creation of a movie that is being used as a dialogue between two indigenous communities, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and the Waorani of the Ecuadorian Amazon. The outreach and networking portion will continue to be carried out with my help and that of incoming interns. Additionally, more versions of the movie as well as adaptations of the original will continue to be shown to indigenous tribes and environmental organizations in both California and Ecuador.
Result Categories: 
Technology
Education/Outreach
Data Collection & Analysis
Results: 

Category #1: The Amah Mutsun-Waorani Movie

Due to IRB, the completed movie cannot be shown to the general public. As of now, only the researchers, participants, and a select group of individuals involved (tribal members and Ecuadorian organizations) are able to access it. Additionally, the components of the movie cannot be shown either, meaning the interviews, transcriptions, translations and scripts. However, by referring to the attached documents, there are more in depth explanations of this project, as well as the introductory narrative of the movie itself. Photographs are also included. Perhaps in the near future a wider audience will be able to gain access to this dialogue that was created.

Category #2: Social Media Outreach and Networking

The majority of the outreach that took place this past year involved the immediate Santa Cruz community, including UCSC students, as well as Amah Mutsun Tribal Band members. By attending events and talks, and attending a gathering with the tribe, networking took place and relationships were established. Furthermore, a larger scope of people learned more about the history and current lifestyles of Native Americans in California, as well as about the Relearning Program.

Category #3: Outside Research and Publications

Extensive research on the Amah Mutsun and the Waorani was conducted (by me) between 2015 and 2017 in preparation for the development of the movie and other aspects of this internship. This research took place under Dr. Flora Lu and her team, and portions of it/its results were included in her most recent publication titled "Oil, Revolution, and Indigenous Citizenship in Ecuadorian Amazonia."

Resources
AttachmentSize
PDF icon RETURN OF TRADITIONAL WAYS.pdf409.66 KB
PDF icon Healing Historical Trauma.pdf8.27 MB
PDF icon Introductory_Narrative.pdf22.82 KB
PDF icon Zeiger_PSI Final Paper.pdf1.96 MB
Related Websites: 
UCSC Arboretum
Amah Mutsun Relearning Program
Amah Mutsun Land Trust