Welcome to Online With Bob!
Thanks for visiting OnlineWithBob.com. When Bob started writing over six years ago he was a community columnist
for Our Times, the local section of the Los Angeles Times serving Montebello, Pico Rivera and Whittier. Bob's writing
turned into more than just a weekly column, it became a way for him to connect with community members. Online with
Bob provides the time and space to reflect on issues that affect us all.
Dear Readers,
In the near future many of the new writings will be unedited and be more of a blog type presentation in order to keep
up with current events.
Peace,
Bob
Thanks for visiting OnlineWithBob.com. When Bob started writing over six years ago he was a community columnist
for Our Times, the local section of the Los Angeles Times serving Montebello, Pico Rivera and Whittier. Bob's writing
turned into more than just a weekly column, it became a way for him to connect with community members. Online with
Bob provides the time and space to reflect on issues that affect us all.
Dear Readers,
In the near future many of the new writings will be unedited and be more of a blog type presentation in order to keep
up with current events.
Peace,
Bob
Other Recent Articles
Most Recent Article
February 25, 2010
Bob's Speech for U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights - Environmental Justice Visit
Tom Perez, the United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and Monica Ramirez, Counsel to the Attorney
General, were here in Los Angeles on February 25, 2010.
Thank you Tom Perez and Monica Ramirez for your time.
I am Robert Bracamontes. I am a Juaneno from the Acjachemen Nation.
It is seemingly impossible for me to express the spirit of all of my ancestors before me, since they go back in time over
10,000 years, but for them I must be diligent.
The importance of preserving ancestral land which is sacred to us is paramount to the preservation of our culture and way
of life. The encroachment by those that wish to control this land must be stopped if the history of my people is to continue
for the ages. Protection of Sacred sites is an environmental justice issue.
It has been human nature to move from place to place - settle for a time and move on. And more important is the fact that
we end up with like-minded, culturally similar faces around us. So today many of us in this room share being raised in the
barrios of urban society. We move from one barrio to the next seeing the tacos, hearing the music, and marrying in the
churches that are the same as those left behind. So too the Native Civilizations - we have moved from village to village
which is part of our past, present and future. We have not all died and disappeared.
Our sacred village Panhe is all those things that make us. The plants are used for medicines and sage for ceremony. My
cousin Ronnie Bracamontes was the last one buried there about 15 years ago.
Sacred sites may not be that easy to find, unlike our popular barrios many of us have come from, the most famous East Los
Angeles. But Panhe has no Whittier Blvd or King Taco. There are no distinguishable signs that tell people it is there. So to
the naked eye it is easy to assume nobody lives there, but to us, the Juanenos from the Acjachemen Nation, it is a sacred
place.
Our sacred sites have been a constant source of concern as far as preservation for the future generations of Juanenos.
These Sacred burial and village sites are seen as just a patch of land to the dominant culture and their government.
Businesses see these areas as easy pickings. I can't think of any equivalent agency whose sole purpose was or should be
to protect Native American Land, especially in the more urban areas where people are also totally ignorant about that fact
we are not all dead. I am thinking the formation of the EPANL Environment Protection Agency for Native American Land
would be a good start. The seven sites we visit on our annual Ancestral Walk are great examples of this struggle.
The village of Panhe is of super importance. It is a village, burial site, and a cultural center where we meet and pray. Many
traditions take place, the Ghost dance, etc and plants used for ceremony are found here that carry special meanings. Cal
State Long Beach is on one of our sacred sites, Puvungna, where once a year the Bear dance is held and carries a great
feeling of unity and healing for the tribe.
SO it is paramount that Natives be included whenever there is land encroachment. We were able to fend off a planned toll
road by forming the United Coalition to Protect Panhe and coalitioned with other groups, including City Project and Robert
Garcia. But more avenues to protect sites are needed.
I remember an experience I had with my dad. His name is Joseph. He roamed the countryside hunting for rabbits to eat. He
was bare foot until the age of 14, his hair in a braid to his waist. He hated school and would rather go hunting.
When I got older he took me out to teach me how to hunt for food. We stood there, he whispered, "there is the rabbit." I
looked and looked and could not see it. He pointed at it. I could not see it. We stood there for what seemed like a long time,
finally the rabbit moved. I saw it. I asked him why I could not see the rabbit. He told me my eyes were ruined by the city. I
wasn't able to see what was so obvious because I wasn't taught or trained or maybe my eyes were unwilling.
The federal government must not let the city lights ruin their vision of where Sacred Native sites exist. Our lands can no
longer be the food for development. We must all learn to train our eyes to see what is right in front of us. Natives require the
respect and protection given to all historical sites. We should do our best to see the Rabbit.
Thank you.
--
Robert (Bob) Bracamontes
Yu-va'-tal 'A'lla-mal
(Black Crow)
Acjachemen Nation,
Juaneno Tribe
www.onlinewithbob.com
Bob's Speech for U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights - Environmental Justice Visit
Tom Perez, the United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and Monica Ramirez, Counsel to the Attorney
General, were here in Los Angeles on February 25, 2010.
Thank you Tom Perez and Monica Ramirez for your time.
I am Robert Bracamontes. I am a Juaneno from the Acjachemen Nation.
It is seemingly impossible for me to express the spirit of all of my ancestors before me, since they go back in time over
10,000 years, but for them I must be diligent.
The importance of preserving ancestral land which is sacred to us is paramount to the preservation of our culture and way
of life. The encroachment by those that wish to control this land must be stopped if the history of my people is to continue
for the ages. Protection of Sacred sites is an environmental justice issue.
It has been human nature to move from place to place - settle for a time and move on. And more important is the fact that
we end up with like-minded, culturally similar faces around us. So today many of us in this room share being raised in the
barrios of urban society. We move from one barrio to the next seeing the tacos, hearing the music, and marrying in the
churches that are the same as those left behind. So too the Native Civilizations - we have moved from village to village
which is part of our past, present and future. We have not all died and disappeared.
Our sacred village Panhe is all those things that make us. The plants are used for medicines and sage for ceremony. My
cousin Ronnie Bracamontes was the last one buried there about 15 years ago.
Sacred sites may not be that easy to find, unlike our popular barrios many of us have come from, the most famous East Los
Angeles. But Panhe has no Whittier Blvd or King Taco. There are no distinguishable signs that tell people it is there. So to
the naked eye it is easy to assume nobody lives there, but to us, the Juanenos from the Acjachemen Nation, it is a sacred
place.
Our sacred sites have been a constant source of concern as far as preservation for the future generations of Juanenos.
These Sacred burial and village sites are seen as just a patch of land to the dominant culture and their government.
Businesses see these areas as easy pickings. I can't think of any equivalent agency whose sole purpose was or should be
to protect Native American Land, especially in the more urban areas where people are also totally ignorant about that fact
we are not all dead. I am thinking the formation of the EPANL Environment Protection Agency for Native American Land
would be a good start. The seven sites we visit on our annual Ancestral Walk are great examples of this struggle.
The village of Panhe is of super importance. It is a village, burial site, and a cultural center where we meet and pray. Many
traditions take place, the Ghost dance, etc and plants used for ceremony are found here that carry special meanings. Cal
State Long Beach is on one of our sacred sites, Puvungna, where once a year the Bear dance is held and carries a great
feeling of unity and healing for the tribe.
SO it is paramount that Natives be included whenever there is land encroachment. We were able to fend off a planned toll
road by forming the United Coalition to Protect Panhe and coalitioned with other groups, including City Project and Robert
Garcia. But more avenues to protect sites are needed.
I remember an experience I had with my dad. His name is Joseph. He roamed the countryside hunting for rabbits to eat. He
was bare foot until the age of 14, his hair in a braid to his waist. He hated school and would rather go hunting.
When I got older he took me out to teach me how to hunt for food. We stood there, he whispered, "there is the rabbit." I
looked and looked and could not see it. He pointed at it. I could not see it. We stood there for what seemed like a long time,
finally the rabbit moved. I saw it. I asked him why I could not see the rabbit. He told me my eyes were ruined by the city. I
wasn't able to see what was so obvious because I wasn't taught or trained or maybe my eyes were unwilling.
The federal government must not let the city lights ruin their vision of where Sacred Native sites exist. Our lands can no
longer be the food for development. We must all learn to train our eyes to see what is right in front of us. Natives require the
respect and protection given to all historical sites. We should do our best to see the Rabbit.
Thank you.
--
Robert (Bob) Bracamontes
Yu-va'-tal 'A'lla-mal
(Black Crow)
Acjachemen Nation,
Juaneno Tribe
www.onlinewithbob.com
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