• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Sogorea Te Land Trust

The Sogorea Te Land Trust

An urban Indigenous women-led land trust that facilitates the return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people

  • About
    • Purpose and Vision
    • Our History
    • Partnerships & Alliances
    • Staff & Board
    • Contact Us
  • Projects
    • Caring for the Land
      • Lisjan
      • Rammay
      • Gill Tract
      • ‘Ookwe
    • Cultural Revitalization
    • Himmetka: In One Place, Together
    • Public Education
    • Indigenous Led Youth Program!
  • Lisjan (Ohlone)
    • Lisjan History & Territory
    • Mak Noono Tiirinikma
  • Media
    • Blog
    • For the Press
  • Engage
    • Donate
    • Get E-mail Updates
    • Request a Speaker
    • The Land
      • Rematriate the Land Fund
      • Return Land / Land Return
      • Land Acknowledgements
    • Resource Library
    • How to Come Correct
    • Other Ways to Engage
  • Pay Shuumi
    • Shuumi Land Tax
    • Institutional Shuumi Land Tax
    • Shuumi Land Tax FAQs
    • Testimonials

Return Land / Land Return

 We are founded on stolen land and Indigenous people are still here.  

If you have access to land and wealth, consider your place in the lineage of this theft and how you might contribute to its healing, how you might reimagine your relationship to the land you are on.  

From creating a cultural easement for gathering rights, offering access to a space or writing us into your will or nonprofits dissolution documents,  we are dreaming with our supporters to build many paths of radical reciprocity that are a part of rematriation and land return. 

“As long time racial justice activists, we are choosing not to perpetuate the unearned privilege of passing on our home within our White families…”

From A LETTER about the intention to will a home to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust.

Creative collaborations with our allies have opened up gardens to grow our food in, neighborhood projects have cultivated plants for us to make medicine with, and allies have opened their access to privatized land  allowing us to create Lisjan and build ceremonial spaces including the first Ohlone arbor in territory for more than 200 years.  But we still dont “own” land we can live on.

If you have more than you need, consider how you can shift resources towards returning land to Indigenous people.

Rematriate the Land Fund
Vick and Bernadette at Quail Creek

Rematriation Resources

Resource Guide

All land carries Indigenous knowledges and stories, and is home to Indigenous peoples. What can we do to honor this? This Resource Guide offers a variety of questions, prompts and ideas for how to engage this history a variety of questions, prompts and ideas for how to engage the history and reality of the land we are on.

Recommended Readings

Check out our in progress Recommended Reading List.

Read one of these pieces and talk to someone about it!

Start a study group with your family, friends, collective, business, coop, nonprofit. Go on walk and talks with your neighbors, organize your  community, penpal with your grandma. Talk about the land you are on and how you got here. How has your family benefitted or been impacted by legacies of colonization?  What does it mean to you to be on stolen land?   What does it mean to recognize this history? How can allies we go beyond acknowledgement? How can we rematriate?  Learn about how other communities are healing the history of the land our relationships to it. 

Questions About Home for Reflection

These are Questions About Home is an for exercise is for non-native people to learn and reflect on the history and current struggles of Indigenous people, and to begin thinking about our role in colonization and decolonization. By Qwul’sih’yah’maht, Robina Thomas (Lyackson of the Coast Salish Nation) with input from our founders Corrina Gould (Chochenyo and Johnella LaRose (Shoshone-Bannock), Nick Tilsen (Oglala-Lakota), Annie Morgan Banks and Chanelle Gallant.

Tips for Difficult Conversations

Check out these tips for talking about Settle Colonialism and other difficult conversations from Showing Up for Racial Justice Albuquerque.

Resource Guide for Indigenous Solidarity Funding Projects

This is a Resource Guide for Indigenous Solidarity Funding Projects compiled by the Indigenous Solidarity Network and representatives from Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, Real Rent Duwamish, and the Manna-hatta Fund.

Resource-Guide-for-Indigenous-Solidarity-Funding-Projects-with-linksDownload
Maps

Understand your relation to the land on which you live, work, and stand.

Native Land Map
East Bay Native Peoples Map
Bay Area Native Languages
Bay Area Tribes
Maps by East Bay Regional Park District

Black and Indigenous Reparations

Reparations Map for Black and Indigenous farmers and land projects from SoulFire Farm.


Land Returns and Rematriation Examples

Passamaquoddy Tribe, Maine (2021)

Passamaquoddy tribe reacquires island stolen more than 150 years ago

Press Herald, May 17th

Lower Sioux Indian Community To Get Ancestral Land Back (2021)

Lower Sioux Indian Community To Get Ancestral Land Back From Minnesota, MN Historical Society

CBS4 Local News Minnesota, February 4th

Lower Sioux Indian Community lands to be returned from the state, MHS

Redwood Falls Gazette, February 11th

Churches Return Land to Indigenous Groups (2020)

Churches Return Land to Indigenous Groups

Religious News Wire, December

Yale Union Art Center in Portland, OR (2020)

YALE UNION ART CENTER CEDES PROPERTY RIGHTS TO NATIVE ARTS AND CULTURES FOUNDATION
Artform, July

Penobscot Nation, Maine (2020)

More than 700 Acres of Ancestral Land Returned to Penobscot Nation

Press Herald, October

Esselen Tribe Land Return, Big Sur CA (2020)

Northern California Esselen tribe regains ancestral land after 250 years
The Guardian, July

Alma de Mujer outside Austin, Texas (2019)

Alma de Mujer Center for Social Change

Woman gives money from farm land sale back to tribe who once hunted there (2019, Kansas)
The Wichitah Eagle, February

Ute Indian Tribe, Colorado (2018)

Colorado Land Returned to the Ute Indian Tribe
Ute Indian Tribe Political Action Committee, October 30th

Ponca Land Return, Nebraska (2018)

In Historic First, Nebraska Farmer Returns Land to Ponca Tribe Along “Trail of Tears
Bold Nebraska, June

Sierra stewards listen to the trees, and a California tribe regains an ancestral land
The Sacramento Bee, June

Tuluwat returned to Wiyot Tribe in Eureka, California (2018)

Tuluwat Project
Wiyot.Us

The Coming Home Song: Wiyot People Joyous as Eureka City Council Takes Another Step Towards Returning Indian Island
Redheaded Blackbelt, December

The Wiyot Tribe’s Long Path to Renewing Indian Island
KHSU Diverse Public Radio, August

Richardson Ranch in Sonoma, CA (2017)

How This Tribe Got Their Coastal California Lands Returned
Yes Magazine, April

Sonoma Coast’s Stewarts Point becomes part of historic agreement for coastal ranch
The Press Democrat, February

Professor gives $250K to Ute Indian Tribe to compensate for great-grandparents profiting off tribal land sales
The Salt Lake Tribune, September

Return of the Sinkyone- Land & People

Return of the Sinkyone—Land&People
The Trust for Public Land, 1998

The InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness: Ten Tribes Reclaiming, Stewarding, and Restoring Ancestral Lands By Hawk Rosales
Wild.org

International

South Africa Confronts a Legacy of Apartheid
The Atlantic, May 2019

New Zealand to pay colonial compensation
Al Jazeera, May 2013

Australia Aboriginals win right to sue for colonial land loss
Al Jazeera, March 2014

Please contact us for more information

Primary Sidebar

Our work of rematriation, returning Indigenous land to Indigenous people, is only possible with your support.

Donate Now

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

The Shuumi Land Tax is a voluntary annual contribution that non-Indigenous people living on traditional Lisjan Ohlone territory make to support the critical work of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust.

Pay Shuumi

Footer

Sogorea Te Land Trust
✨Rematriated ✨

These Abalone shells were returned by a student group who had collected them at a community garden over many years.  When they started learning more about the Indigenous people whose land they are on and the history of the territory they decided to return more than 30 shells to @villages_of_lisjan through Sogorea Te’. 

Abalone used to exist in abundance and were integral to many different Indigenous Lifeways.  Now they are nearly gone.  Returns like these bring them back into relation with their relatives and lift our spirits. ❤️

To rematriate any stolen, plundered, or otherwise misappropriated cultural items,  artifacts, inheritances, trustfunds, houses, or land hit us up. 

#rematriate #reflect #reciprocate #return #abaloneshells #sogoreatelandtrust #urbanindigenous #womenled #landtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
✨Rematriated ✨ These Abalone shells were returned by a student group who had collected them at a community garden over many years. When they started learning more about the Indigenous people whose land they are on and the history of the territory they decided to return more than 30 shells to @villages_of_lisjan through Sogorea Te’. Abalone used to exist in abundance and were integral to many different Indigenous Lifeways. Now they are nearly gone. Returns like these bring them back into relation with their relatives and lift our spirits. ❤️ To rematriate any stolen, plundered, or otherwise misappropriated cultural items, artifacts, inheritances, trustfunds, houses, or land hit us up. #rematriate #reflect #reciprocate #return #abaloneshells #sogoreatelandtrust #urbanindigenous #womenled #landtrust
17 hours ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
Tule time 🌾

STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨

#tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
Tule time 🌾 STLT crew gathering and bundling tule with the “Tule Lady,” traditional knowledge keeper Diana Almendariz, next step - a boat! ✨ #tuletime #traditionalgathering #culturalrevitalization #nativeland #cultivatingtradition #landback #rematriatetheland
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Indigenous people are still here. 

Include and center Indigenous voices in curricula.

Learn about your local Sacred Site struggle.

Learn about your local Indigenous led environmental struggle.

Change the names of parks, school, and other monuments to colonial violence and harm. 

Take Action! Support your local Indigenous led land work today!

Hot tips from your favorite Indigenous women led land trust.  Feel free to share!  Check out our Rematriation Resource Guide to learn more. 


#gobeyondacknowledgement #SupportIndigenousLed #sogoreatelandtrust #stillhere #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation #resources
Indigenous people are still here. 

Include and center Indigenous voices in curricula.

Learn about your local Sacred Site struggle.

Learn about your local Indigenous led environmental struggle.

Change the names of parks, school, and other monuments to colonial violence and harm. 

Take Action! Support your local Indigenous led land work today!

Hot tips from your favorite Indigenous women led land trust.  Feel free to share!  Check out our Rematriation Resource Guide to learn more. 


#gobeyondacknowledgement #SupportIndigenousLed #sogoreatelandtrust #stillhere #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation #resources
Indigenous people are still here. 

Include and center Indigenous voices in curricula.

Learn about your local Sacred Site struggle.

Learn about your local Indigenous led environmental struggle.

Change the names of parks, school, and other monuments to colonial violence and harm. 

Take Action! Support your local Indigenous led land work today!

Hot tips from your favorite Indigenous women led land trust.  Feel free to share!  Check out our Rematriation Resource Guide to learn more. 


#gobeyondacknowledgement #SupportIndigenousLed #sogoreatelandtrust #stillhere #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation #resources
Indigenous people are still here. 

Include and center Indigenous voices in curricula.

Learn about your local Sacred Site struggle.

Learn about your local Indigenous led environmental struggle.

Change the names of parks, school, and other monuments to colonial violence and harm. 

Take Action! Support your local Indigenous led land work today!

Hot tips from your favorite Indigenous women led land trust.  Feel free to share!  Check out our Rematriation Resource Guide to learn more. 


#gobeyondacknowledgement #SupportIndigenousLed #sogoreatelandtrust #stillhere #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation #resources
Indigenous people are still here. 

Include and center Indigenous voices in curricula.

Learn about your local Sacred Site struggle.

Learn about your local Indigenous led environmental struggle.

Change the names of parks, school, and other monuments to colonial violence and harm. 

Take Action! Support your local Indigenous led land work today!

Hot tips from your favorite Indigenous women led land trust.  Feel free to share!  Check out our Rematriation Resource Guide to learn more. 


#gobeyondacknowledgement #SupportIndigenousLed #sogoreatelandtrust #stillhere #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation #resources
Indigenous people are still here. 

Include and center Indigenous voices in curricula.

Learn about your local Sacred Site struggle.

Learn about your local Indigenous led environmental struggle.

Change the names of parks, school, and other monuments to colonial violence and harm. 

Take Action! Support your local Indigenous led land work today!

Hot tips from your favorite Indigenous women led land trust.  Feel free to share!  Check out our Rematriation Resource Guide to learn more. 


#gobeyondacknowledgement #SupportIndigenousLed #sogoreatelandtrust #stillhere #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation #resources
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
Indigenous people are still here. Include and center Indigenous voices in curricula. Learn about your local Sacred Site struggle. Learn about your local Indigenous led environmental struggle. Change the names of parks, school, and other monuments to colonial violence and harm. Take Action! Support your local Indigenous led land work today! Hot tips from your favorite Indigenous women led land trust. Feel free to share! Check out our Rematriation Resource Guide to learn more. #gobeyondacknowledgement #SupportIndigenousLed #sogoreatelandtrust #stillhere #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation #resources
7 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
“As we raise up our dreams we carry in our hearts the struggles of our Indigenous relatives around the world.“ 

Our co-founder Johnella LaRose collecting flowers for Jakeline Caal, a 7 year old Q’eqchi /Mayan relative whose life was lost in immigration custody while we building the arbor at Lisjan in 2018. 

#jakeline #sayhername #honoringourancestors #lisjan #justiceforindigenouspeople #sogoreatelandtrust #rematriatetheland
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
“As we raise up our dreams we carry in our hearts the struggles of our Indigenous relatives around the world.“ Our co-founder Johnella LaRose collecting flowers for Jakeline Caal, a 7 year old Q’eqchi /Mayan relative whose life was lost in immigration custody while we building the arbor at Lisjan in 2018. #jakeline #sayhername #honoringourancestors #lisjan #justiceforindigenouspeople #sogoreatelandtrust #rematriatetheland
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Amaranth 💜 Huauhtli 

#amaranthus #bushgreen #loveliesbleeding #yinchoi #pigweed #amaranth ##huauhtli #ally #relative
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
Amaranth 💜 Huauhtli #amaranthus #bushgreen #loveliesbleeding #yinchoi #pigweed #amaranth ##huauhtli #ally #relative
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
Garden Party 🎉 

The crew looking cute at a recent meeting at Rammay. 

📷 @fulltimebrownkid 

#rammay #urbangarden #urbanindigenous #womenled #landtrust #community # upturned #rematriation
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
Garden Party 🎉 The crew looking cute at a recent meeting at Rammay. 📷 @fulltimebrownkid #rammay #urbangarden #urbanindigenous #womenled #landtrust #community # upturned #rematriation
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
❤️ Rematriate the Land ❤️
 
In honor of all of our mamas, in appreciation of matriarchs everywhere, and with wild hope for an Indigenous women led future returning us all to greater balance on this earth, we are delighted to reveal our gorgeous new Rematriate the Land art by the one and only Jackie Fawn. 
 
For us Rematriation is about the return of Indigenous land and lifeways and mothers are essential to our work.  We are founded by Indigenous moms. Indigenous moms are on the land and in the lead everyday. We knew we wanted to wanted to work with a Native mom for this collaboration and are so delighted with this beautiful offering.  Thank you @jackiefawn and @fishbearstudios.  And thank you to all our mamas, most especially Mother Earth. 🌎
 
Rematriate the Land!  And do something nice for a mom this weekend!

(These posters will be popping up at upcoming Bay Area Indigenous events,  watch our stories to snag one) 
 
 
 
#happymothersday  #matriarchylives  #Rematriatetheland #nativeland #indigenousland #stolenland  #sogoreatelandtrust #jackiefawn  #nativeart #indigenousart #indigenouswomenled #landtrust #landreturn #returntoland
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
❤️ Rematriate the Land ❤️ In honor of all of our mamas, in appreciation of matriarchs everywhere, and with wild hope for an Indigenous women led future returning us all to greater balance on this earth, we are delighted to reveal our gorgeous new Rematriate the Land art by the one and only Jackie Fawn. For us Rematriation is about the return of Indigenous land and lifeways and mothers are essential to our work. We are founded by Indigenous moms. Indigenous moms are on the land and in the lead everyday. We knew we wanted to wanted to work with a Native mom for this collaboration and are so delighted with this beautiful offering. Thank you @jackiefawn and @fishbearstudios. And thank you to all our mamas, most especially Mother Earth. 🌎 Rematriate the Land! And do something nice for a mom this weekend! (These posters will be popping up at upcoming Bay Area Indigenous events, watch our stories to snag one) #happymothersday #matriarchylives #Rematriatetheland #nativeland #indigenousland #stolenland #sogoreatelandtrust #jackiefawn #nativeart #indigenousart #indigenouswomenled #landtrust #landreturn #returntoland
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
The Sogorea Te’s Land Team would like to invite you to come work with us this summer! We are looking for 4 fellows to participate in a knowledge share from June 6th-August 15th, with a commitment to 20hours a week. We would love to share with you and have you share with us! Let’s heal and reindigenize the land together!
#reindiginize #rematriatetheland
The Sogorea Te’s Land Team would like to invite you to come work with us this summer! We are looking for 4 fellows to participate in a knowledge share from June 6th-August 15th, with a commitment to 20hours a week. We would love to share with you and have you share with us! Let’s heal and reindigenize the land together!
#reindiginize #rematriatetheland
The Sogorea Te’s Land Team would like to invite you to come work with us this summer! We are looking for 4 fellows to participate in a knowledge share from June 6th-August 15th, with a commitment to 20hours a week. We would love to share with you and have you share with us! Let’s heal and reindigenize the land together!
#reindiginize #rematriatetheland
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
The Sogorea Te’s Land Team would like to invite you to come work with us this summer! We are looking for 4 fellows to participate in a knowledge share from June 6th-August 15th, with a commitment to 20hours a week. We would love to share with you and have you share with us! Let’s heal and reindigenize the land together! #reindiginize #rematriatetheland
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Rematriate Seeds. 

“When I look at the seeds we’ve grown for three generations, I see seeds that come with stories and lineages resting in my hands. We take care of these seeds and plants, like grandparents, and in return these Rematriated seeds connect us together "

Victoria Montano In Conversation With Bernadette Zambrano on seed lineages. 

Ya Nuunukne Spring Newsletter 

Art by @creative_mudafukah 

#rematraiteseeds #rematriateknowledge #rematriatetheland #seedsaving #seedlineages #sogoreatelandtrust #YaNuunukne #theytellastory
sogoreatelandtrust
sogoreatelandtrust
•
Follow
Rematriate Seeds. “When I look at the seeds we’ve grown for three generations, I see seeds that come with stories and lineages resting in my hands. We take care of these seeds and plants, like grandparents, and in return these Rematriated seeds connect us together " Victoria Montano In Conversation With Bernadette Zambrano on seed lineages. Ya Nuunukne Spring Newsletter Art by @creative_mudafukah #rematraiteseeds #rematriateknowledge #rematriatetheland #seedsaving #seedlineages #sogoreatelandtrust #YaNuunukne #theytellastory
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

Copyright © 2022 · Log in