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Commission previews draft land acknowledgement referencing Blue Lake Rancheria
Summary
Members reviewed a working draft acknowledging ancestral lands and proposed consulting Blue Lake Rancheria and local tribes (Wiyot, Yurok, Hoopa) before bringing a formal recommendation to city council in January.
Elise Gafani presented a working draft land acknowledgement and asked commissioners for feedback before taking the language to the city. The draft names Blue Lake Rancheria and suggests naming local tribes; Gafani emphasized the text is a recommendation to be refined after consultation.
Gafani read language recognizing longstanding ties to the area and said the commission will consult tribal representatives before finalizing a version for the January packet. "We acknowledge that we gather on the ancestral lands... Blue Lake Rancheria," she said, adding the draft also suggests naming the Wiyot, Yurok and Hoopa tribes and honoring "their enduring connection to this place, the lands, the waters, and the skies that sustain life here." Commissioners agreed this should be run past tribal contacts and recommended staff or commissioners follow up to confirm appropriate names and phrasing. The commission will use the January packet to present a refined draft for discussion and, if supported, to recommend it to the city council for its decision.
