By David Blue Wolf Diaz
First, my desire is to be addressed as David Blue Wolf Diaz or Blue Wolf.
Second, I want it to be known that I am solely responsible for protecting my family’s burial site which has been experiencing desecration by various people and groups, since approximately 2004.
This desecration started with digging down into my burial family’s site on the upper perimeter to put in water pipes to feed the hedge of roses in 2004.
WOW! I have been both shocked and saddened by what I have witnessed occur at Shalawa.
Do you have any experience in dealing with Federal Law that protects “Federally Recognized “SENSITIVE ARCHAEOLOGICAL BURIAL SITES” THAT ARE STILL BEING RESOURCED BY ONE OF THE FOUR FAMILIES?
In 1957 or 1958 I was first trained by my great uncle to watch over this sacred site. My uncle built most of the sandstone walls on the streets of Montecito, the Wrigley Estate on Hidden Valley Lane, the Quirin Estate on Ashley Rd; and also assisted W.C.Fields in the building of the Montecito Inn.
I am insulted, and take great offense, to what continues to go on at Shalawa. As a Barbareno Chumash who takes my obligation to honor our ancestors seriously, land and sea, your wrong doing (editor’s note: those who desecrate this scared site) is appalling to me, as well as being illegal.
Relevant Federal Acts:
http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/cemetery-preservation/laws/federal-laws.html
Prior articles on Shalawa:
Strategic Desecration of a Local Sacred Native American Site
Response to article: “Strategic Desecration of a Local Sacred Native American Site”
David Blue Wolf Diaz is a life long monitor of Shalawa for the Barbareno Indian tribe
Editor’s Note: This is an opinion article.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal.
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SO, who is “hindering upon sacred land”? All I have seen is an attempt to protect the burial site and return it, as much as possible, to its original condition long before Blue Wolf was born.
Thank you Blue Wolf for sharing your personal story with us.
There is no excuse for hindering upon this Sacred land in any way.
It is against the law, period.
Justice shall prevail. NAGPRA