Water is Life at Van Damme State Park

Van Damme State Park now has a display panel for visitors to learn about how the First Peoples of this area are protecting their rights to the land for cultural uses and the health of the waterways those depend on:

“You are standing in an area our people, the Pomo, know as Kalaili. Since ancient times, we have thrived on abundant food, medicines, and materials provided by the ocean, the river, and the land. Colonization threatened the resources and our subsistence gathering, but we continue to fight to protect both.

Recently, along with other Tribes in California, we demanded the state establish and define Tribal Traditional Cultural Uses that protect waterways from pollutants such as mercury and sediment. We discussed and negotiated how to define these uses that are now a part of water quality control plans throughout the state.

Indigenous peoples use traditional ecological and cultural knowledge as the basis for sustainable management. Today, we assist with the recovery of once vibrant ecosystems and always consider what must be left for others, the future, and the environment.”