The Sound of Belonging

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This hay bit’abit’aka, or clapper stick, is one that I made from an elderberry branch.

It is used in songs and dances. Its sound and vibration can also bring healing.

I am Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo.

Growing up, it was not always easy to feel proud of being Native. Native people were often portrayed through harmful stereotypes or treated as though our cultures no longer existed. Some people did not recognize us as Indigenous because they thought we looked Mexican or Latino. But borders and labels do not change who we are.

My grandmother raised me from the time I was six, when my parents could not. She gave me safety and a sense of belonging.

She shared her knowledge of Pomo culture and taught me how to dance.

The cultural work I do today is a way to honor her.

When I make clapper sticks, sing, dance, and teach, I help carry our traditions forward.

I share this knowledge so the young ones can learn to be proud of who they are and know that Pomo and Coast Miwok people have always been here and are here to stay.

We are the people of this land.

Photo caption if needed.

Joseph Salinas• Age 54

Joseph Salinas (Age 54), born and raised in Santa Rosa, is a tribal member of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indian s. He is an artist and the founder of the Sonoma County Pomo Dancers, a group established in 2007 to preserve Indigenous culture, share traditional songs and dances, and mentor Native youth. Native villages and communities once stood throughout the places across Sonoma County including near the City Hall in Santa Rosa. Through his work, Joseph hopes Native people, histories, cultural places, and sacred sites will become more visible and fully recognized throughout the county and beyond. He also hopes more people will embrace and learn from Native ways of living in relationship with the natural world.