First Phase of California Indian Heritage Center Opens in West Sacramento
During Native American Heritage Month, the administration of California Governor Gavin Newsom joined tribal leaders and members of the public in West Sacramento, Yolo County, California, on November 6 to celebrate the official opening of Phase 1 of the California Indian Heritage Center (CIHC). Once completed, the center will serve as a statewide hub for cultural preservation, education and exchange; the Phase 1 welcome center is now open to the public.
The welcome center sits on a 51-acre property at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers and features a large interpretive shade structure, seating areas, gathering spaces, trails, walkways and interpretive exhibits. The site is also where the Governor issued a formal apology in 2019 for the state's role in the historic atrocities committed against Native Americans.
"Almost eight years ago, this same land was the site of the first formal apology to tribes on behalf of the state, and since then, we have ensured that apology went deeper than just words," Newsom said. "This ribbon cutting marks a significant chapter in the long relationship between the state and California Native peoples." Anthony Roberts, Chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, said the center is an important step toward honoring the histories, cultures and living traditions of California's Native peoples, and that seeing the vision take shape on his people's ancestral Patwin homeland carries especially deep meaning. Wilton Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango and Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari also spoke at the ceremony.
California committed $100 million to the project in the Governor's 2018-19 budget and authorized an additional $100 million through fundraising. The CIHC Task Force has since conducted extensive outreach with tribal communities across California to ensure the project's vision, design and programming reflect the diverse voices, histories and traditions of California Native peoples. The center broke ground in April, and future expansion phases will follow.
Related: Newsom Proclaims November Native American Heritage Month in California
(Source: Office of the Governor of California)
Source: Office of the Governor of California
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：横跨萨克拉门托河、连接约洛县西萨克拉门托与萨克拉门托市的塔桥（资料图）。美国国会图书馆藏，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Tower Bridge across the Sacramento River, linking West Sacramento in Yolo County with Sacramento (file photo). Library of Congress, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
