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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
    • Staff & Board
    • Partnerships & Alliances
    • Contact Us
  • Lisjan (Ohlone)
    • Lisjan History & Territory
    • Mak Noono Tiirinikma
  • Initiatives
    • Cultural Revitalization
    • Himmetka: In One Place, Together
    • Mitiini Numma Youth Program
  • Rematriation
    • Land in Rematriation
      • Lisjan
      • ‘Ookwe
      • Rinihmu Pulte’irekne (Sequoia Point)
      • Rammay
      • ‘Ištune
    • Return Land / Land Return
    • Rematriate the Land Fund
  • Media
    • Updates
    • Resource Library
    • Creative Collaborations
      • Hella Feminist
      • On Indigenous Land Field
      • Rematriate the Land Billboard
      • RETURNS: Participatory Rematriation
      • STLT x Jackie Fawn
      • Tule in the Sky
  • Engage
    • Make a Request
    • Donate
    • Get E-mail Updates
    • Other Ways to Engage
      • Land Acknowledgements
  • Pay Shuumi
    • Shuumi Land Tax
    • Institutional Shuumi Land Tax
    • Shuumi Land Tax FAQs
    • Testimonials

Shuumi Land Tax: Guidance for Foundations

The Shuumi Land Tax is an invitation to acknowledge the history of this land and contribute to its healing, to enter into a restorative relationship with the local Indigenous community.

Consider your foundation’s footprint in the Territory of Lisjan

  • Does your foundation have offices located here? 
  • Does your grantmaking occur here? 
  • Do your staff, board members, trustees, consultants, or donors live here?

In operating here, your foundation is inadvertently benefitting from the genocide waged against the Ohlone people and the theft of their land. The civic infrastructure, the financial system, the private development and the consumption of natural resources in our society are all connected to and in different ways built upon the colonial occupation of this land and the violent displacement of the Ohlone. In particular, consider the role and responsibility of your foundation, and philanthropy in general, as stewards of accumulated wealth, often directly or indirectly extracted from Indigenous lands and the exploitation of communities of color. 

  • Where did the wealth that your foundation manages come from? 
  • Whose land was used to generate that wealth? Whose labor? 

Philanthropy has an important role to play in repairing our broken relationships with each other and the land we live on, in proportion to the resources and power the sector directs.  

No amount of money will undo the damage that’s been done, bring back the lost lives or erase the suffering of the people. But this is a step in a long-term process of healing, an important way you can, right now, participate in the work our ancestors and future generations are calling us all to do.

  • Photos by Inés Ixierda for Sogorea Te’ Land Trust.

The Shuumi Land Tax makes three key invitations: relationships, redistribution and leverage.

Shuumi is about relationships. This is an invitation to move towards being in right relationship with the Lisjan Ohlone people, to commit to continually learning and taking action in an ongoing journey as we figure out how to do this work together. 

  • How are you, your colleagues, and your families learning the histories of the Lisjan Ohlone people, and about their current day efforts to take care of this land? 
  • Have you and your colleagues had the opportunity to participate in gatherings, teach-ins, or actions hosted by the Lisjan Ohlone as part of building relationships? 
  • Are you reflecting together on how these learnings are shaping your understanding of how to relate with the Indigenous people of this place, and this land?

Shuumi is about redistribution. This is an invitation to make an annual “no strings attached,” “no paperwork required” financial contribution relative to your foundation’s accumulated wealth. Shuumi means “gift” in the Ohlone language Chochenyo and is a critical part of redistributing the resources necessary to support the ongoing work of rematriation and the self determination and sovereignty of the local Indigenous community.


Shuumi is about leverage. This is an invitation to leverage the particular institutional resources your foundation has to support the work of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust. What access to land, buildings, or infrastructure, what professional expertise, what political power, what platform, privileges, or audience base can your foundation yield in support of rematriation?

How to Use the Calculator

What type of institution do you represent? 

The Institutional Shuumi Land Tax Calculator is based on whether your organization is nonprofit or for-profit. 

For foundations spending out/down entirely within the next 5 – 10 years, use the non-profit calculator on the Institutional Shuumi Land Tax page according to your annual budget.* This is how the calculations break down:

  • $0 – $100,000: annual budget x 0.0025 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution
  • $100,001 – $750,000: annual budget x 0.004 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution
  • $750,001 – $1,500,000: annual budget x 0.007 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution
  • $1,500,001 and above: annual budget x 0.01 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution

For foundations paying out 5 –10% of the endowment each year, use the for–profit option as we consider the endless growth of endowments for the purpose of existing in perpetuity to be a for-profit endeavor. Use the for-profit calculator on the Institutional Shuumi Land Tax page according to your annual budget.* This is how the calculations break down:

  • $0 – $500,000: annual budget x 0.005 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution
  • $500,001 – $1,500,000: annual budget x 0.01 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution
  • $1,500,001 – $3,000,000: annual budget x 0.02 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution
  • $3,000,001 and above: annual budget x 0.04 = your recommended annual Shuumi contribution

*What is your organization’s annual budget?

There are two annual budgets to consider: administrative/operating and grantmaking. 

  • If all of your operations and grantmaking occurs on Lisjan Ohlone land, we invite you to use the sum of both budgets for your Shuumi calculations. 
  • If a portion of your operations and grantmaking occur on Lisjan Ohlone land, consider a relative percentage of each budget to calculate your Shuumi. 

Questions to consider include: 

  • Do you have physical offices on Lisjan Ohlone land? 
  • Do your staff, board members, trustees, consultants, or donors live here?
  • How much of your grantmaking is dedicated here?

Take time to discuss with your staff, board and colleagues how your work is based in this place, on this land, and how that might inform your relative contribution to Shuumi. Calculate the percentage of your annual administrative and grant making budgets that are based in Lisjan Ohlone land and translate them to a dollar value. Use that number for the second question in the Institutional Shuumi calculator. That will produce your recommended annual Shuumi contribution.

If some of your operations and grantmaking occur in other places, find the local Indigenous Tribes and organizations that are doing good work and contribute proportionately to support them. For more information about other Indigenous funding platforms, check out our FAQs.  

More than numbers: the spirit of Shuumi 

This calculator is just a tool to catalyze conversation, contribution and ultimately transformation. We invite you to seriously engage with your recommended Shuumi, but don’t get lost in the numbers. If there is an element that is not factored into these calculations that inspires you to give more or requires you to give less, then do so, and do so with truth and accountability.

In the spirit of healing, consider where the wealth comes from, and the accumulated benefit, economic opportunities, and cultural capital your foundation may have acquired from existing on Lisjan Ohlone land over time. While it may be impossible to quantify in a dollar amount, what is a meaningful and transformative contribution your foundation can make? 

Do you have questions about how to engage with Shuumi at your foundation? Are you interested in 1:1 peer coaching or participating in a learning group? Contact Ariel Luckey at ariel (at) rematriatetheland (dot) org to learn more.

The impacts of colonization have accumulated over time and oppressed generations of Lisjan Ohlone people. Our response should be proportional. What is appropriate and feasible will vary from institution to institution. Shuumi invites you to think about what your foundation can offer, find out what is useful, and make it happen.

Give Shuumi. Rematriate the Land.

Calculate your Institutional Shuumi

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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.

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Sogorea Te Land Trust
“It’s going to take a lot to heal but I think “It’s going to take a lot to heal but I think we’re at the beginning. people want to do something different, were finding the power to move in different ways...”

— Sogorea Te Land Trust cofounder Corrina Gould

From @culturalconservancy’s Native Seed Pod interview with Melissa Nelson.

Art from our geomorphic visualization of rematraited land with Maise Richards. 

Both available in our resource library. link in bio. 

Images are 1. Rematriated landscape with a stream passing through  green trees, native plants, and grasses with long roots extending into a sandy base. There is a fading freeway in the background. one slide has the above quote in sandy colored letters and the second has the words Rematraite the Land. 

#rematriatetheland #resourcelibrary #listenup #sogoreatelandtrust #urbanindigenous #womenled #rematraition #landback #landreturn #returntoland
❤️Himmetka ❤️ Throwback to the shipping ❤️Himmetka ❤️ 

Throwback to the shipping container for our first Himmetka arriving on a pink tractor trailer truck, January 2019, Lisjan. 

Named with the Chochenyo word for “in one place, together,” our Lisjan Himmetka includes a ceremonial space, food and medicine gardens, water catchment, filtration, and storage, first-aid supplies, tools, and a seed saving library.

Images are 1. A red shipping container being unloaded from a pink tractor trailer truck with logs in the foreground and a blue sky in the background. 2. Front view of the container covered in art with a sign that reads Himmetka, everything together in one place. 

#tbt #himmetka #sogoreatelandtrust #iniatives #urbanindivenous #womenled #lrematriation
The land formerly known as Sequoia Point has been The land formerly known as Sequoia Point has been renamed Rinihmu Pulte’irekne!

The Chochenyo name, meaning “Above the Red Ochre,” was given by @villages_of_lisjan language carrier Deja Gould. 

The name honors the location and connection to red ochre, once abundant in the East Bay hills.  Ochre holds cultural significance for Ohlone people and many Indigenous people of the world. It was among the natural materials extracted and exploited in the settling of California. 

Welcome back Rinihmu Pulte’irekne. 

Music: Landback @rebelwisemusic 
Drone video: Alfred @threesistersgardens 

Video is a peek of the view from the Oakland hills through tree branches fading into an aerial video of the land, panning out to the city and bay from an eagles eye view with text announcing the land formerly known as Sequoia Point has been renamed Rinihmu Pulte’Irekne. 

#rematraitetheland #sequoiapoint #RinihmuPulte’irekne #sogoreatelandtrust #urbanindigenous #womenled #landtrust #landback #landreturn #rematriation
Welcoming youth back as we continue our Indigenous Welcoming youth back as we continue our Indigenous led youth program, Mitiini Numma wave one! We are so excited to be back with you all and hope you had an amazing winter break ❄️. On our first day back we got to learn about and from each other during a yarn toss game 🧶, highlighting who we are, how we got to the land we are on, and sharing our relations. Looking forward to a spring full of fun activities, rematriated site visits, exciting field trips, amazing wisdom keepers, creative workshops, and more! 🤎

Image: Youth and facilitators gathered in a circle in our youth program space, each holding a piece of yarn connected to all of them, during a game of yarn toss. 

#MitiiniNumma #backinprogram #growthetruth #youthleaders #youthprogram #Indigenousled #oaklandyouth #rematriatetheland
This is what Indigenous women and two spirit land This is what Indigenous women and two spirit land rematriation looks like! 

Throwback to the official signing of the cultural easement returning the land formerly known as Sequoia Point to Indigenous care, December 13, 2022. 

Image is five Indigenous women and two spirit people of various ages wearing long skirts and dresses, standing in a line, looking out past the viewer. In the background is glimpse of an image of a ceremonial structure. 

#squadgoals #thecrew #matriarchylives #indigenouswomenled #sogoreatelandtrust #culturaleasement #itsofficial  #landreturn #landback #rematriation #Oakland #indigenousland
Lisjan: Rematriated Indigenous Land Ask Permissi Lisjan: Rematriated Indigenous Land 

Ask Permission 
Walk With Honor 
Respect The Sacred 

*No Photos * No Substances*

Image is a turquoise sign at the entrance of Lisjan with the above text in red and black letters with the Sogore Te' Land Trust logo- a silhouette of the Oakland skyline above an Ohlone basket- in front of an abundance of thriving green plants. 

#Lisjan #guidelines #comecorrect #askpermission  #sogoreatelandtrust #rematriatetheland
Winter Work ⛈️ Seasonal planning with the c Winter Work ⛈️ 

Seasonal  planning with the crew. 

Custom Ohlone Territory Hoody 
hand printed at a staff meet, 
By @creative_mudafukah 

Image is a figure in an orange Ohlone territory hoody, adding a post it to a large sheet of paper full of multicolored notes. 

#projectprocess #planning #sogoreatelandtrust #urban #Indigenous #womenled #landreturn
New year, new opportunity to Rematriate the Land. New year, new opportunity to Rematriate the Land. 

Hit us up. 

Image: a stack of stickers with a turquoise to pink gradient behind a silloutte of Oakland, with birds flying and the words Rematriate the Land, Sogorea Te Land Trust.

#2023 #landback #landreturn #unsettletheland #rematriatetheland #sogoreatelandtrust
🎄Land Back 🌲 If you have more that you nee 🎄Land Back 🌲 

If you have more that you need consider redistributing to Indigenous led work wherever you are. 

#landback #thatsthespirit #rematriatetheland #urbanindigenous #seasonsgreetings #sogoreatelandtrust #spotted #oaklandgraffiti #indigenousland
✨Rest ✨Reflection ✨Renewal ✨ Returning to ✨Rest ✨Reflection ✨Renewal ✨

Returning to balance with the seasons. ⚖️ Every year on Solstice we close for our Winter hibernation. This is a time separate from vacation for our crew to rest, reflect and recharge for the new year. 

Sending solstice wishes for winter wellness to all. 

Image is an Indigenous woman standing on the edge of a piece of green grassy land  high up in the Oakland hills hills looking out at the view of  dark winter clouds and green trees opening to  vista of the distant city and Bay. 

#solstice  #winter #hibernation #sogoreatelandtrust #urbanindigenous #womenled #returntobalance #rest #reflection #regeneration  #rematriaton  #territoryofhuchiun
Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Team wants to thank all o Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Team wants to thank all of our community members and allies who have volunteered & supported us throughout the past year. We are because of you all and we are immensely grateful for the continued support we have received. 

We look forward to connecting with folks in the new year! In the meantime, feel welcome to fill out our volunteer form to receive notification emails: https://tinyurl.com/STLTVolunteer. You can also find other ways to stay engaged by visiting our website: https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/other-ways-to-engage/ 

Alt Description 1:

The background is a transparent picture of some yellow and multi-colored corn. In the middle of the post, you find another yellow transparent box with a solid dark white box in front of it that says: “As Sogorea Te' Land Trust wraps up another incredible year, we want to say thank you to all our community members and volunteers who have supported us throughout these past twelve months. The work we do is possible because of the on-going support we receive from our community who believe in us and share the same goal as we do. Kiš horše ‘ek-hinnan (Thank you so much)”. At the bottom two corners of the white box, you find three vertical hearts. 

Alt Description 2:

The background is a transparent picture of some yellow and multi-colored corn. In the middle of the post, you find another yellow transparent box with a solid dark white box in front of it that says: “Our office has closed volunteer days and they will be reopening mid-January. We will be back with more volunteer opportunities in the new year so keep a lookout! In the meantime, feel welcome to fill out our volunteer form to receive notification emails: https://tinyurl.com/STLTVolunteer. You can also find other ways to stay engaged by visiting our website: https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/other-ways-to-engage/
🌿 Respect my Medicine 🌿 Block printing wit 🌿 Respect my Medicine 🌿 

Block printing with the crew for the end of the year. 
Art by vick @creative_mudafukah 

#respect #native #medicine #sogoreatelandtrust #blockprint #art
✨💛Rematriate the Land 💛✨ #customeveryth ✨💛Rematriate the Land 💛✨

#customeverything #lisjan #thepony #sogoreatelandtrust #urbanindigenous #womenled #landreturn #landback #rematriation
Big Valley Dancers ✨ Closing of the Rinihmu Pul Big Valley Dancers ✨

Closing of the Rinihmu Pulte'irekne land return celebration. 
December 13th, 2022

📷 @hulleah 

#sogoreatelandtrust #sequoiapiont #landreturn #landback #rematriation #celebration
Celebrating the Return of Rinihmu Pulte'irekne✨ Celebrating the Return of Rinihmu Pulte'irekne✨

December 13th, 2022

📷 Jean Melesaine 
@bayarealife 

#sogoreatelandtrust #sequoiapiont #landreturn #landback #rematriation #celebration
Round Valley Dancers✨ Opening of the Rinihmu Pu Round Valley Dancers✨

Opening of the Rinihmu Pulte'irekne land return celebration
December 13th, 2022

📷 @ines_ixierda 

#sogoreatelandtrust #sequoiapiont #landreturn #landback #rematriation #celebration
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