UC Riverside’s Native American community celebrated the new Native American Garden on campus with music and dance in the first large gathering in the space since the project opened.
The opening celebration on Tuesday, April 9, featured the Mountain Cahuilla Bird Singers, who danced and sang in the sand circle in the center of the garden to a large crowd gathered around them. The event was sponsored by Native American Student Programs.
The 20,000 square meter garden, located in the upper mall outside the Highlander Union Building, features a variety of trees, plants and vegetation native to the region and its tribes – the Cahuilla, Tongva, Luiseño and Serrano peoples. The project was planned with a working group that included campus leadership, students, staff, faculty and indigenous community representatives.
“Having this garden in this very central location on campus is important,” said Wallace Cleaves, associate dean and director of the University’s Writing Program.
He and other speakers said that the garden not only serves as a meeting place, but also provides an opportunity to highlight the indigenous history of the region and the responsibility of institutions such as UCR in honoring this tradition
Gerald Clarke, Jr., professor of ethnic studies and special adviser to the chancellor for Native American affairs, described it as a “living classroom.” He and others say they look forward to more gatherings in the garden.
“A community that sings and dances together is a healing community,” Clarke said.
Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox noted that respect for places is an important part of indigenous traditions.
“We hope this Native American Garden shares that respect for the place,” he said.
The garden opened on campus last fall with many of the plants blooming in the spring. A final piece of the project, a mural by River Garza, a Native American artist based in Los Angeles, was installed last month. Garza said the tradition of basketball weaving inspired his design.
