On September 26th, 2017, the California Valley Miwok Tribe visited the campus of the University of the Pacific, located at 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211. The reason for the visit was at the invitation from Professor Mariela Guzman, who wanted her students to experience the culture of the area’s first peoples. Professor Guzman teaches the first semester class for foreign students at UOP and wanted her class to experience the first culture to inhabit the area in which they are now attending higher education.
The California Valley Miwok Tribe is a federally recognized Miwok tribe located in the Stockton area of San Joaquin county. It is descended from indigenous beginnings that go back eight thousand years within the valley. The valley floor was inhabited at one time by many Miwok peoples. The Miwok population in the valley though was devastated over centuries from the encroachment of Europeans, beginning with Spanish explorers and culminating with the ill effects of the gold rush.
Many valley Miwoks whom survived, not wishing to be assimilated into local society and wishing to remain within their culture, scattered to the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, which was still populated with many Miwok peoples.
The California Valley Miwok Tribe many years ago came back to re-establish its tribal presence in this historically aboriginal Miwok territory. So when Professor Mariela Guzman contacted the Tribe wanting to share the local Miwoks rich culture with her students as part of their education, the tribal officers worked with her to set aside a time in which our eldest living tribal member whom best represents our peoples would be able to attend.
We would like to thank Professor Mariela Guzman for the invitation, the University of the Pacific for allowing us to bring our diversity to their classroom, all faculty and students whom were in attendance and participated in the presentation and to our tribal elder Mildred Burley for the sharing of our culture, customs and history as the most knowledgeable representative of our tribe
The California Valley Miwok Tribal Council
For more information on the University of the Pacific and the classes’ times and curriculum, offered please click on the active link below.
