Radio Documentary: ‘The Struggle for Rattlesnake Island’

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A Free Speech Radio News holiday documentary about the struggle for Rattlesnake Island aired on the Pacifica network, which includes 100s of stations, on November 24th. In this 30 minute program members of the Elem community discuss the history and significance of the the island, and their struggle to reclaim it.

‘If there’s a home built right there it’s gone- the sacredness of it we’re going to do the best we can to prevent that. We want to preserve it as it is- without homes on it- it’s really the last sanctuary of our nation.’- Jim Brown

Listen to the documentary here.

Nady Systems closes for Indigenous Peoples day – Elem Pomo assert aboriginal title to Rattlesnake Island

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[A collection of photos from Oct. 10th can be found here.]

At Noon on October 10th, over 100 people gathered in Emeryville, CA in support of the Elem Pomo tribe’s ongoing struggle to protect and reclaim their ancestral land at Rattlesnake Island (Clear Lake, CA). Bay Area multi-millionaire John Nady is attempting to build a vacation home on top of the ceremonial grounds of the island, which has been the spiritual and political center of the Elem tribe for over 6,000 years.

Elem traditional leader Jim Brown participated in the demonstration, alongside other tribal members. “I want to thank all you souls and you strong spirits for being here and supporting our tribe. Today we are going to making a statement and we are going to present this to Mr. Nady. This statement declares that we are taking back our aboriginal rights, because the state of California did not legally extinguish our rights.”

The demonstration began at the infamous Bay Street (“Dead Street”) Mall, which is built directly on top of what was once the largest shellmound in the San Francisco Bay, an ancient burial ground and monument of the Ohlone people. Undeterred by the rain, the crowd stood at the busy intersection holding dozens of signs and banners carrying messages such as “Nady: Stop Desecrating Sacred Sites” and “Return Rattlesnake Island”.
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Protest at Nady Headquarters in Emeryville: October 10th

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Monday, October 10, 2011 (Indigenous People’s Day)
Meet at Shellmound St. & Ohlone Way, Emeryville, CA – 12:00 noon

At 12 noon on October 10th, following the annual sunrise gathering on Alcatraz Island, Elem Pomo representatives and supporters will deliver a letter to millionaire developer John Nady at the Emeryville headquarters of his electronics business, urging him to stop the desecration of Rattlesnake Island.
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County Supervisors Violate Environmental Quality Act, Elem Pomo Call for Boycott of Nady Electronics

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LAKEPORT, CA –The Lake County Board of Supervisors issued a long-awaited final decision at the County Board of Supervisor’s Hearing held last Tuesday, September 6th. The BOS voted 3-2 not to require an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which would have called for a focused study of the archaeological and cultural resources located on Rattlesnake Island.

During the hearing, the board permitted the attorneys and hired anthropologist of wealthy businessman John Nady to respond for four hours to testimony provided two weeks ago. Closing statements by Nady’s attorneys followed, with little time for any response by representatives of the Elem Pomo tribe, who seek to protect their sacred site from becoming Nady’s vacation home.
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Action Alert: Lake County Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: Sept. 6th

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Final decision on EIR Report for Rattlesnake Island to be Determined at Lake County Board of Supervisors Public Hearing

John Nady (2nd from right, in the blue shirt) and his hired team of attorneys and archeologists testify before the Lake County Board of Supervisors, August 9th, 2011

Tuesday, September 6
1:30pm – 4:30pm
Lake County Board of Supervisors Chambers: 255 North Forbes Street – Lakeport, California

LAKEPORT, CA – The final decision in whether or not to complete an (EIR) Environmental Impact Report report for Rattlesnake Island will take place on Tuesday September 6th during a public hearing. Closing statements by both parties will be allowed and The Board of Supervisors will go into deliberation and make a final decision on John Nady’s appeal of the County Planning Commission decision to complete a EIR which calls for a focused study of the archaeological and cultural resources located on the Island.

Rattlesnake Island lies a few hundred feet offshore from the Elem Indian Colony, on the eastern end of Clear Lake. It is a burial grounds, village site and ceremonial grounds that has been the spiritual center of the Elem community of Southeastern Pomo for thousands of years. The island is teeming with diverse plant, animal and bird life, including many species that continue to be utilized by the Pomo. Archeologists have identified sites on Rattlesnake Island dating back as far as 14,000 years, some the earliest documented evidence of human occupation in this hemisphere.

The island was stolen from the Pomo in 1877, when it was deeded to settlers as private property in a supposed “clerical error”. Ever since that time, the Elem Pomo have been fighting to regain traditional ownership of the land, and to halt various development projects. In 1970, Pomo people re-occupied Rattlesnake Island to prevent the Boise-Cascade Corporation from building luxury vacation houses on the ancient burial and settlement grounds – they were eventually removed by force. The entire area surrounding the Elem Indian Colony is an extremely toxic Superfund site, the location of an open-pit mercury mine that operated for over a hundred years and continues to contaminate the surrounding area, such that fish cannot be eaten and spring water cannot be
drunk.

The Elem Pomo are asking for public support in attending the hearing in an effort to help protect this sacred land.