Three Southern California tribes collaborated to host a workshop in San Jacinto, California, from January 24–26, to discuss external development pressures on Native American burial grounds and other sacred sites, the Riverside-Press Enterprise reports. The workshop, which brought together many diverse tribes from the region, emphasized intertribal unity as a way to preserve sacred sites on Native American lands. The catalyst for the conference was California Senate Bill 18, signed into law by signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004, which requires cities and counties to consult with Native American tribes before amending or adopting a plan that may affect their land, or designating land as open space. The workshop focused on protecting tribes’ resources and land through educating tribe members about their sacred sites and improving communication among local planning agencies, developers, and tribes.
