Native American dancers performed at the Presidio in San Francisco.

Cool bay breezes mingled with the healing aroma of burning sage as the first Intertribal Dance event: Dancing is our Medicine was held at the Presidio on Saturday, presented by the Native American Health Center. Dance in many indigenous communities is a prayer, an offering, a balancing of the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional, which in turn heals and strengthens indigenous communities. The event welcomed all Native peoples and the greater public to enjoy a variety of healing dances by California tribes on one beautiful day.

“We want everyone to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery,” said Laura Cedillo, Program Coordinator of the Native American Health Center. The hope is that this will become an annual event for everyone to enjoy, she said. When asked if this particular spot was once Ohlone land, she replied in a kind voice, “It still is.” As the original Yelamu Ohlone land, the Presidio plays an important historic and cultural role in Native American heritage, past and present.

Hundreds of people of all persuasions meandered about the green belt of the Presidio Tunnel Tops. Numerous booths dotted the perimeter and offered everything from beading with Dine’ where you could string bead your own earrings in traditional Navajo colors, screen print a poster of the event as a memento with Smithsonian artist Cailixto Robles or adopt a seedling to take, nurture and grow on your own. All booths had a theme of giving more than taking.

As 11:30 a.m. approached, visitors gathered in a half circle in front of the DJ stage and awaited what was sure to be an enlightening experience. The event did not disappoint. The MC, Randy Shirley, is the Clinical Director of Friendship House, an indigenous-led organization that deals with the many issues that have historically plagued Native American communities since the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Through a peer to peer American Indian and Alaskan Native model, Friendship House assists with empowerment, job training, affordable housing, wellness education, treatment and prevention of substance abuse and mental illness among many other services to sustain recovery in the many areas needed to make people whole.

“We live in two worlds here,” said Shirley to the audience. “But we take time to live together, teaching our children our ways, teaching people our culture, from where we are.”

The first group to perform were the Ohlone dancers from the Monterey area. The Ohlones were coastal dwellers and their people were brought to San Francisco to build Mission Dolores and Crissy Fields. They performed a variety of spirited dances that represented different elements such as mothers (the life givers), trees (providing life through oxygen and removing pollutants from the air), water (the veins of Earth), the Mother Earth Circle Dance (honoring gifts for today and protecting gifts for tomorrow), fire (honoring the fire spirit) and the Mountain Eagle Cry.

The Hupa dancers from Indian country at the Klamath River up north were next. Many of these dancers were from the local Friendship House in San Francisco’s Mission District. The crowd listened intently as an elder, Clarence Hostler, shared a wealth of Hupa history starting with the perils of village life when it was interrupted and ordered against the law by the “land grabbers” and a lot of their regalia was taken away. In the 1850’s, there was a battle right there at the Presidio in which the Hupa were told they would not stand a chance.

“We were one of two reservations who fought to keep our homeland,” said Hostler proudly, “and we remain today because of that fight.” As a spokesperson for the Native peoples on this day, he made it clear that they have not forgotten and thrive despite their traumatic history. The Friendship House teaches people how to process trauma and grow to live in wellness and healing. “Culture is medicine,” said Hostler.

The dancers performed several dances throughout Hostler’s speech, acting out much of the history along the way. They were followed by the Bird Singers (Kumeyaay tribe) from San Diego where they have 18 reservations, more than any county in the U.S. and lastly, there were performances of the Round Dance Songs with Mike Bellanger (Sac & Fox and Kickapoo tribes).

The MC extended an invitation to the upcoming Stanford Pow Wow, May 13 and 14, Mother’s Day Weekend, noting that all Native American Health Center and Friendship House collaborations are Clean and Sober events. “Alcohol has been killing our people for too long. We are not only to take responsibility for respecting Mother Nature and maintaining our environment but also maintaining our beliefs, our culture and ourselves.”