From everywhere the deceptively gentle wafting of the evening breeze brings with it the unmistakable sickly sweet smell of Bud. Outsiders shudder and recoil at the mention of "South Sac", "Meadowview", or "Mack Road". The names conjure up images of drugs and gang activity, crime and violence. Is it any wonder? We live, work and play here atop the bones and artifacts of the Plains Miwok. We disturb the spirits of the Grandfathers with our loud voices and endless chatter, denying them the peace and restfulmmess of death, tying them to this plane by our refusal to live in a right way as we hurt the land and each other. And so perhaps some of these angry spirits join in the melee we call day to day living; the crime, the misery, the tears, so that now, after taking their lands we are aftaid to venture out and set foot on the earth. Instead, afraid of face to face contact with each other, we live in our heads as we inhabit cyberspace via the social network.
Some 9000 years before the present, long before the invasions by Spaniards, Mexicans, Californios and Americanos, long before the arrival of the guns and germs and steel of civilization, long before I emmigrated east to Sacramento, the Gualcomne, Hupulmne and many other Miwok people thrived here in what has come to be called South Sacramento. They hunted and gathered and fished in South Sacramento, Freeport, Elk Grove, Sheldon,Wilton and beyond, along the Sacramento, Cosumnes and Mokulumne rivers as well as Elder, Laguna, Deer and Elk Grove creeks,. The Miwok are still here. It is just harder to see them now. Unless you look and listen very carefully.
...to be continued