Throughout November, Native American Heritage Month is observed in Oakland, recognizing the long-standing presence and resilience of Indigenous peoples. The city stands on Huchiun, the ancestral land of the Lisjan Ohlone people, whose history stretches back thousands of years. In the 1950s, federal policies such as the Indian Relocation Act brought a new wave of Native families to urban centers like Oakland, resulting in a diverse intertribal community.
Oakland became an important site for Indigenous activism and education. The Intertribal Friendship House, established in 1955, served as a gathering place for this growing community and remains California’s oldest urban Native center. This period also saw the emergence of the Red Power movement, including events like the Occupation of Alcatraz in 1969.
In response to high dropout rates among American Indian children in local schools, parents partnered with the District to establish an American Indian Pre-School in 1973. The school focused on cultural transmission through family participation and engagement with elders. It was renamed Hintil Kuu Ca in 1979.
Hintil Kuu Ca’s legacy has been documented by Mike Marin, an alumnus and former educator who directed “The School: The Legacy of Hintil Ku’u Ca.” Marin said: “It’s an original story. If you look at a lot of Native American documentaries that are centered around education… it’s all boarding school based. Which is an integral part of our story, because the pains of the past, historical traumas—but to have something educational that’s positive, that’s what attracted me to it.”
He described how Hintil’s location contributes to its sense of sanctuary: “The activists at Alcatraz were demanding a place to educate their own. When they brought that vision to Hintil, they literally built it on a place where we could connect to the land… This location isn’t just a building; it’s a sanctuary that allows the children to feel grounded in nature, which is the heart of our culture.”
Reflecting on his personal experience with Hintil Kuu Ca: “It taught me—it didn’t allow me to forget who I was and what I am, and where I belong… Returning as a teacher, I loved that it was still there. It was coming home.”
Marin emphasized Hintil’s role as foundational for community identity: “Hintil is the launch pad. It’s where you’re planted. And then any way you grow, that’s where you come back to… They still remember the stories that I told them.”
He believes Hintil’s spirit endures beyond physical structures: “It’s always gonna be there. It’s not just a building. It’s a community spirit… even after me, I want to make sure that there’s somebody here that’s going to take on the tradition and keep it going…”
Leah Aguilera serves as Executive Producer for Marin’s film and works as a history/ethnic studies specialist at OUSD. She explained her motivation for ensuring cultural accuracy: “As an Indigenous, Sierra Miwok educator, woman, and mother… Too often, Native histories are narrated about us rather than with us or by us… Leading the project was both a responsibility and an act of love…”
Aguilera sees Hintil’s story as central not only locally but broadly within education: “Hintil’s story is Oakland history, California history, and Indigenous history… For Native students, it affirms identity. For all students, it expands their understanding…”
She underscored Hintil’s impact over five decades: “Its fifty-year legacy proves that Native students thrive when they are reflected in their learning environment…”
Aguilera highlighted challenges around student identification data: “Accurate data is one of the most significant equity issues facing Native students in OUSD and across the country…” She noted undercounting leads directly to under-serving these students.
Teresa Hunt Littlebird shared her perspective on reclaiming identity after being adopted away from her heritage: “Finding that sense of belonging showed me that it is never too late to begin the process of reclamation…”
She participates actively in modern powwows: “Powwows are not historical reenactments. They are living celebrations… My goal is to foster philanthropy and community…”
Littlebird described emotional outcomes from connecting culturally: “When I walk into a room with my community,… I feel like I’m home.”
She characterized today’s Native community as dynamic: “…I describe it as a ‘renaissance’ of urban Native culture… As one teacher described it years ago: ‘For 50 years,… bringing the community together.'”
Principal Dolores Jeff connects multiple generations at Hintil Kuu Ca as both alumna and leader today: “This is a space of love…. Being a leader here,… means so much because I get to see the children of the children I used to teach.”
She values both setting and teaching methods at Hintil Kuu Ca: “…if you come to Hintil,… You got this hill that’s just beautiful…. this is my blessing…” She incorporates culture daily—”I keep my culture alive in my lessons…”—and sees murals representing continuity between ancestors and future generations.
Today classrooms are named after local tribes such as Ohlone or Miwok; murals depict regional history including salmon runs or traditional ceremonies; gardens connect students with local ecology; plans include installing traditional structures like teepees for reflection spaces.
Artifacts displayed inside recall fifty years’ worth of school heritage.
In 2024, Korematsu Discovery Academy collaborated with partners including Sogorea Te’ Land Trust alongside Planting Justice—partnerships intended for broader district learning about stewardship principles rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems.
Corrina Gould from Confederated Villages of Lisjan commented on visibility challenges facing local Indigenous communities: “I think one of the biggest challenges for protection of Indigenous cultural heritages is our invisibility in our own homelands.”
OUSD recognizes ongoing difficulties accurately identifying multiracial or Native-identifying students within enrollment systems—a concern summarized by Leah Aguilera stating: “You can’t serve a population you cannot count.”
To address these gaps while promoting understanding district-wide during Heritage Month, staff members can access resources through OUSD’s Indigenous People’s Heritage Month Resource Guide containing materials aimed at supporting classroom activities about identity and culture.
Dolores Jeff summarized moving forward collectively by saying:”We’re bringing our ancestors with us as we move forward.”
