Did YOU know?
The third of the series on the Coastal Miwok Indians.
This is an example of a man who transformed his life by searching for his true identity. I believe that Marin residents can also become more active in their community through events by learning the story of this man, and how by finding his roots; he has become an active person in the community, bringing awareness to the environment and pursing a community-based lifestyle.
Greg Sarris is a living descendant and now modern-day chief and
spokesperson for the Miwok people. His long journey to finding his Miwok
roots and uncovering his true heritage were attributed to the falsification of
his real identity. His childhood was ideologically painful.
Assimilating into a suburban lifestyle as an adopted kid was hard enough but
the prejudice he received from his looks caused him to turn to harmful
ways. It took Sarris a near-death experience to wake up to his addiction
and move towards a better life for himself. He excelled in high school
and made his way through college obtaining a Ph.D. in English from Stanford
University. His quest to uncover his true identity came about in 1977
while attended Santa Rosa community college. His first informer was his
doctor, telling him the sad news about his accidental assistance in the death
of his biological mother. The heart-aching truth was consuming him yet
his journey did not end there. He made his way to his paternal
grandfather who enlightened him on his father and proclaimed Sarris as his
own. This pivotal moment in Sarris life story brought tears and joy to
his Miwok community who accepted him with open arms. This touching story
goes to show how European ways can shape natives positively through education
yet; community and identity are what need to be re-established in western
belief systems.
Here is a Youtube video of Greg Sarris himself in a lecture series talking about his family history. Some people have discredited his native background however; his story is fascinating and up to interpretation.
A quest to uncover the messages that these natives knew, a
stronger connection to our land, and the inter-connection they shared with
their neighbors; will help us, westerners, see how far we have drifted from
the nature we were once enveloped in. I believe that we need to be more self-sufficient,
community oriented and nature driven people in order to achieve a stronger continuity here in Marin County. Looking back at cultures, such as the Miwoks, who shared the same interests
and survived on the basis of collective-self, us westerners can model our lifestyles to be more in tune with these beliefs systems, thus creating a more community based society focused more on communal interests rather than individual interests. Marin county residents can achieve a higher level of happiness by helping out in the community through social events, charity work or clean-up crews. These are just a few ways that locals can join in their community which I hope will help bring about a stronger positive environment for everyone.
Here is a website called Marin.org which gives a list of events that are happening in Marin County which YOU could become involved in!
By Sarah Jochumson, Collections Intern.
BIBLIOGRAPHY (of all three series)
Schneider, Tsim D. 2007.
"Shellmounds and Colonial Encounters in the San Francisco Bay Area."
News From Native California 21, no. 2: 14-36.
Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed March 13, 2013).
Schindehette, Susan, and Danelle
Morton. "Native Son." People 50, no. 22 (December 14, 1998): 83.
Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed March 13, 2013).
Slaymaker, Charles. The
Material Culture of Cotomkota: A Coast Miwok Tribelet in Marin County,
California. San Rafael, CA: Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin, 1977.
Lescohier, Ruth. The
Coast Miwok People. San Rafael, CA: Poco Presidio Press, 1979.
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