Welcome to the blog of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley (UUCB) Honoring Indigenous Peoples Group. We are a primarily non-Indigenous group, eager to learn about our area’s previous inhabitants and the wisdom of native peoples far and wide. A few of us know we have Indigenous ancestry, and others may very well have some, too. We are open to new participants.

For thousands of years prior to colonization by white settlers, Indigenous people held stewardship of the land on which UUCB sits. To be specific, the church is situated on a portion of what was known as Huchiun, the unceded territory of the Chochenyo-speaking Ohlone people, some of whose descendants are members of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan and/or the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. They are still here, and we want to be helpful allies.

Our posts and Resources page feature links to recommended readings and videos for all who would like to learn more about the Ohlone, about Native American life in general, and how to be an ally or accomplice in the justice-seeking activities of Indigenous groups. See the Related Events page for past and future local events about Indigenous people.

For more information about our church, visit uucb.org.

The Honoring Indigenous Peoples Group was formed in 2020 to engage in

• education and deep learning of Indigenous peoples’ history, acknowledging the harms, including genocide and land theft, done by settler colonialism
• connecting and actively partnering with Ohlone people in the community
• assuming accountability as we engage in ongoing and enduring acts of respect, including, but not limited to, land acknowledgments at church services and meetings, dedication of a plaque, and making regular financial contributions to Indigenous peoples’ organizations.

Questions?  Interested in joining the Group?  Please email Helen Tinsley-Jones at honoringindigenous@uucb.org.