Unpacking History

What looks like unpacked boxes in an unruly mess is actually the seeds of our Tribal library. Library content ranging from gold rush history to California Indigenous Tribes to Federal recognition to the nation’s treatment of the Native American. Unique and hard-to-find books as well as a full collection of News From Native California reflect years of thoughtful curation by Judith Lowry, gifted to CHIRP to further education and address erasure, as always.

What’s missing? The archive of oral histories that pre-date the written record. Another important CHIRP program yet to be funded and realized.

In the cubby currently inhabited by boxes is the Tribe’s workspace. High on the list of “Tribal needs” is a space where they can come and “do abalone”, beading, hide work and other Native Arts that are so dear to their hearts.