After years of discussion, the City of Berkeley has agreed to return a 2.2-acre piece of land to the native Ohlone people.
At first glance, the site doesn’t look like much. It’s currently home to a parking lot for the Fourth Street Promenade. But this sacred land dates back 5,000 years when the Ohlone established a village there – what is believed the first human settlement in the San Francisco Bay.
The land’s return was facilitated by a unanimous city council vote on Tuesday. It was celebrated the following day with a tribal dance at the site.
"This is a historic step toward righting past wrongs and embracing a future that honors the diverse history of the entire region," Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin said in a statement.
The city will give the land to the Sogorea Te' Land Trust. There are plans to convert it back to its original use as a gathering and ceremony site, which will also include an educational facility and museum.