President Gayle Hutchinson has recognized the contributions of the Mechoopda Maudi at Chico State.
“The Valley Oak Honors our Native American communities, especially the Mechoopda people, upon whose ancestral lands our University sits,” said President Hutchinson in her investiture address March 3.
Friends of the Mechoopda congratulate President Hutchinson for her work in recognizing their contributions, through a Facebook post sent out after the monthly Academic Senate meeting April 27.
In the meeting, President Hutchinson offered a commendation in acknowledgment of the Mechoopda Maudi people at Chico State.
Friends of the Mechoopda is a Facebook group created in August 2016 by Chico State and Butte College faculty, to work with the Mechoopda Indian Tribe. Their goal is as stated through their Facebook page, ” to support some current efforts in our community, establish ongoing ties with our schools and make Chico State’s MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the Mechoopda an on-ground reality.”
The 2005 Chico State’s MOU affirmed that the university is built on traditional Mechoopda lands.
The Facebook group has contributed to the support of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe by starting a petition April 8, after their latest court case against Butte County.
“Implementing this language is meant to recognize and acknowledge the people who’s traditional lands we learn on and work on, it’s meant to educate all of our students, faculty and staff about the culture and the people who are still around to glossen our understanding of these people and their current situation and their current needs. It is simply a matter of verbally recognizing the Mechoopda people which is very important because they are a part of our community,” said Michael J. Coyle Chico State professor of Political Science and Criminal Justice.
The Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria recently celebrated their 25 year anniversary of federal recognition, rebuilding and growth May 9.
Jacqueline Morales can be reached at [email protected] or @jackie_theorion on Twitter.
Dan Klevesahl // Jun 27, 2017 at 9:55 pm
please correct the spelling of “Maidu”…sheesh.
I’m stunned that this was written in May and published/posted on FB today without the appropriate correction…reflects pretty poorly on the editorial staff, to publish/post in the public sphere without spell checking…the headline no less.