Support the local indigenous peoples in Southern CA fight to preserve their ancestral burial grounds
Below - info on city council meetings & upcoming Pow Wow
The Juaneno Band of Mission Indians in San Juan Capistrano (Southern Orange County), of the Acjachemen Nation, have been actively fighting to save their ancestral burial grounds form developers who plan on building a PRIVATE CATHOLIC SCHOOL named after Mission Settler/Colonizer Junipero Serra High School, the Catholic High School itself will be opening across the street this coming fall, but they would like to use the sacred tribal land itself for tennis courts, a gymnasium, swimming pool and playing fields. The 29-acre spread in San Juan Capistrano is a graveyard, the resting spot of early inhabitants of a tribal village known as Putiidhem
The San Juan Capistrano City Council approved the school, on a 3-2 vote, after striking a deal that would pay the city up to $200,000 a year in a student "head tax" and cap enrollment at 2,000.
But a recent court ruling has forced the San Juan Capistrano City Council to revisit a zoning decision to allow the development of a private high school on the sacred site.
The The Juaneño Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation Tribal Council who are fighting to save their ancestral burial grounds have asked that individuals flood city council meetings and attend local events that are held to stop this 2nd colonization of their land.
The San Juan Capistrano City Council will be considering this issue at every one of their meetings that happen on the on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. The following dates are upcoming City Council Dates, June 3, 2003 and June 17, 2003 at the Council Chamber, in the City Hall on Paseo Adelanto. The Juaneno people need our support.
Directions: Take I5 south, exit Ortega Hwy, right on Ortega, left on Del Obispo, left on Paseo Adelanto (just past the train tracks). The City Hall will be on the left at the end or Paseo Adelanto. For more information call
949-488-3484, email at
info@juaneno.com of visit the Website www.juaneno.org.
The Putiidhem sacred burial site itself is located on the giant empty field at the Intersection of Junipero Serra Rd. and Camino Capistrano, one block WEST of the 5 Freeway in the city of San Juan Capistrano.
Groups who would like to help organize and stage demonstrations are asked to contact the The Juaneño Band of Mission Indians at 949-488-3484, email at
info@juaneno.com of visit the Website www.juaneno.org, because there are certain traditions that are kept when entering the land that they would like to preserve as long as possible.
An Inter-tribal Pow Wow sponsored by the Acjachemen Nation/Juaneno Band of Mission Indians will be held Saturday, May 31, from 11am-9pm and Sunday, June 1, 11am-6pm at Saddleback College. Native American dancers & musicians, food and crafts. Admission & parking free. Everyone is welcome.
Info: (949) 488-3484 or email
Saddleback College is located
28000 Marguerite Pkwy.
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
For Driving Directions:
For detailed, street-by-street directions to Saddleback College, log onto Mapquest (www.mapquest.com). From there, click on 'Driving Directions' - enter in your starting address. Enter the following address in to 'To' field:
28000 Marguerite Pkwy.
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Thank you
Chantel