Preserve and restore West Berkeley Shellmound and Village Site
CITY AFFAIRS: Immeasurable cultural, religious significance of shellmound to Ohlone people should be reason enough to halt plans for development
Rachel Lee/Staff
Crossing the city limit into Berkeley, drivers pass a sign that reads, “Welcome to the City of Berkeley: Ohlone Territory.” Berkeley City Council added this land acknowledgment in 2019 to remind residents and make it known to new and returning visitors that Berkeley rests on the ancestral land of the Ohlone people.
It’s clear, however, that many still do not respect the Ohlone claim to this ground.
Since 2018, a private developer has been vying to construct housing and retail on the West Berkeley Shellmound and Village Site. After the City Council denied the developer’s request to build, the developer sued. Just recently, the developer enclosed the site with fencing a move that rightfully upset Ohlone activists.