RECIPROCITY
Calling The Chi (Hitch)
Corine Pearce & Joe Weber; Pearce is from Redwood Valley Little River Bank of Pomo Indians,
Weber is from Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Oak cuttings from within the park; bent and woven, Jute twine and Bailing wire
READ MORE ABOUT THE CHI –HITCH AT THE BIG VALLEY RANCHERIA EPA WEBSITE
Corine Pearce & Joe Weber; Pearce is from Redwood Valley Little River Bank of Pomo Indians,
Weber is from Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Oak cuttings from within the park; bent and woven, Jute twine and Bailing wire
READ MORE ABOUT THE CHI –HITCH AT THE BIG VALLEY RANCHERIA EPA WEBSITE
This sculpture depicting Chi (Hitch) incorporates traditional bundling, stick bending and cordage making to bring awareness to the plight of the Chi (Hitch) and their importance to local Indigenous people, ecosystems and current efforts to preserve and strengthen their populations.
Their spawning was a time of celebration when tribal members would gather to collect food for the year and visit each other. The Chi has been a staple food and cultural mainstay of the original Pomo inhabitants of the region since time immemorial. Tribal elders recall the hitch being plentiful and filling creeks. Expanding development and agriculture, declining water quality, gravel mining, invasive species, removal of cultural fire from the land, habitat loss, and drought took their toll. The decline of the Chi is the result of a legacy of environmental injustice and land dispossession in the Clear Lake watershed.
Workshop participants from diverse Lake County communities tended to sprouting oak trees at the park under Pearce’s guidance.
Weber, and Pearce discussed the plight of the hitch and its cultural and ecological significance. Guests Big Valley Rancheria Tribal Elder Ron Montez and ecologist Jeanine Pfeiffer joined on day 2 to tell stories and deepen participants understanding of the Chi's significance to local cultural heritage.
Thanks to the Big Valley Rancheria Boys and Girls Club who wove juvenile hitch from tule with Corine Pearce on a separate occasion.
Their spawning was a time of celebration when tribal members would gather to collect food for the year and visit each other. The Chi has been a staple food and cultural mainstay of the original Pomo inhabitants of the region since time immemorial. Tribal elders recall the hitch being plentiful and filling creeks. Expanding development and agriculture, declining water quality, gravel mining, invasive species, removal of cultural fire from the land, habitat loss, and drought took their toll. The decline of the Chi is the result of a legacy of environmental injustice and land dispossession in the Clear Lake watershed.
Workshop participants from diverse Lake County communities tended to sprouting oak trees at the park under Pearce’s guidance.
Weber, and Pearce discussed the plight of the hitch and its cultural and ecological significance. Guests Big Valley Rancheria Tribal Elder Ron Montez and ecologist Jeanine Pfeiffer joined on day 2 to tell stories and deepen participants understanding of the Chi's significance to local cultural heritage.
Thanks to the Big Valley Rancheria Boys and Girls Club who wove juvenile hitch from tule with Corine Pearce on a separate occasion.
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Corine Pearce, Culture Bearer and a member of Redwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, has dedicated her life to mastering and teaching Pomo basketry to connect past, present and future generations to a living cultural identity. She collaborates with Tribes, NGO’s, and schools to revitalize and celebrate Pomo cultural traditions, leading workshops and speaking widely on Pomo heritage, TEK, and plants for medicine, food and basketry. Corine curated her first exhibit of contemporary Native artists' work in 2022 at the MAC and has curated several exhibits since.
In 2023 Corine received a Silver Award for Community Engagement in the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards “Education, Arts and Culture” category. Her work is recognized by Craft in America, a Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship, and a Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award. It is an honor to work and learn with her. Joe Weber is a Culture Bearer and member of Big Valley Rancheria. He carries and teaches the tradition of tule boat making and is a vocal advocate for the health of the Hitch and of Clear Lake. He is currently working on a 30- ft tule boat with Japanese artist Jin Ishikawa.
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