Native Americans do not believe anyone owns the earth. However, that idea does not diminish the significance of the Esselen tribe being awarded ownership of Big Sur in California. It’s a long time coming, protecting an indigenous group’s culture and heritage, as well as preserving the environment for many endangered species.
The Esselen Tribe is a small group of indigenous people who have lived in California– specifically the area Big Sur is located– for 6000 years. But that changed when European explorers and settlers from Spain began arriving in the 1600s. (1) Eventually, the Esselen were removed from their ancestral lands and sent to missions. For 250 years, the ownership of Big Sur was in the hands of Spanish settlers and other private owners. (2)
New Ownership For Old Sacred Land
Big Sur is a 100-mile stretch along the California coast. The beauty of the redwood forests and ocean landscape has drawn visitors and tourists for decades. To preserve the grandeur of Big Sur, inhabitants strive to protect biodiversity. (3)
In 2015, Western Rivers Conservancy gained ownership of a portion in Big Sur. While the environmental group works to conserve habitat, the area residents raised concern over the potential increased use of the land and WRC’s ability to maintain the land from their Portland, Oregon home base. (2,3)
To help preserve the land, WRC worked with the Esselen Tribe, securing a $4.5 million deal to purchase nearly 1,200 acres which would be managed by the small native group.
Tom Little Bear Nason, chairman of the tribe, stated “The land is the most important thing to us. It is our homeland, the creation story of our lives.” (2) Now the Esselen Tribe, one of the least known tribes in California, can build a village to conduct traditional ceremonies. After 250 years of being landless, they can begin rebuilding their cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations. (1)
Protecting the Future
There are more benefits to this new ownership of Big Sur than returning Native Americans to their homeland. Western River Conservancy’s main objective is to conserve critical habitats for endangered species. And Big Sur holds an abundance of animals receiving special attention, including California condors and South-Central California Coast Steelhead. In fact, the new land acquisition holds spawning ground for the threatened species. (3)
Many conservationists recognize returning ancestral lands to indigenous people as a vital act for the preservation of the planet. Endangered species and threatened habitats both benefit when native groups maintain the autonomy of their ancestral lands. (4)
Around the globe, there is a high correlation between indigenous people and conservation efforts. Regions, where native people are forced from their land due to development, are more highly affected by climate change and other environmental challenges. However, lands truly thrive when placed in the care of communities originating from the region. (4)
Ownership of Big Sur is A Win-Win
Chief Seattle once said “The earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to the earth.” (5) With this idea, Native Americans show us how to be stewards of the earth, rather than dominant exploiters. While it is considered “ownership” by the state government, the return of Big Sur ancestral land is actually giving stewardship of a place in need of care and respect.
Conservation depends on people working to protect and preserve it. The Esselen Tribe needed a place to call home. Society needs a way to protect the environment and preserve the earth’s history, and retain all cultures. Placing ownership of Big Sur in the care of the Esselen Tribe reflects a promise to restore the lands to where they belong. It is also a promise to the future to maintain the beauty and splendor the land possesses. For the people, the endangered species, and the environment, this acquisition is a win-win-win.
