Rematriating Felix Cove
Our Vision
Felix Cove is an Indigenous site of resiliency—embodying history, culture, Indigenous ecological science, community and justice.
It is a transformational place of healing, beauty, and creativity where all can deepen their relationship to Mother Earth and honor the legacy of continuance of Támal-ko/Coast Miwok ancestors.
The Power and Purpose of Rematriation
We uplift our mothers’ and grandmothers’ lives as the matriarchs who held our ancestral homelands for their children. Restoring our sacred connections to these lands creates pathways to heal from the intergenerational and cultural trauma imposed by settler colonialism. We intend to renew and sustain our cultural lifeways–so that future generations can carry them forward. We must realize our role as stewards and protectors of Mother Earth as the way forward in this era of global warming and climate change.
The Power and Purpose of Rematriation
The Alliance for Felix Cove is fighting to protect, restore and rematriate the home of the last Támal-ko family to live on the western shores of Tomales Bay/Tamal-liwa.
Felix Cove is just one small part of the Indigenous homelands of Támal-ko people, who stewarded the land and water along the bay for over 15,000 years before their forced removal by numerous colonial powers. Yet the Cove stands as a symbol of the extraordinary resilience of our ancestors–who knew the abundance of foods provided by Mother Earth, and withstood attempts to erase their very existence.
The work of rematriating Felix Cove will honor all our Támal-ko ancestors–and ensure that future generations can continue to walk in their footsteps.
Our Work: Returning Indigenous Lands to Indigenous Hands
With insight from Támal-ko/Coast Miwok descendants and Indigenous partners, we are developing a community-driven rematriation plan grounded in Indigenous practices, and ecological science.
By implementing this plan over time, we will return Felix Cove to Indigenous care–bringing Indigenous teachings and perspectives to the crucial work of protecting this sacred land and water. Our ultimate goal is to create a transformational space where all are welcome to deepen their relationship to Mother Earth, build community, advocate for justice, and honor Indigenous resilience.
Reclaim Our Ancestral Home
We believe Támal-ko people must have regular and unhindered access to the cove–as a path to healing from the trauma of being removed and blocked from our ancestral homelands. Our work includes:
Hosting an Indigenous Land Rematriation (Stewardship) Gathering at Felix Cove in the summer of 2024 to bring together descendants, ancestral skills/culture bearers, Indigenous scientists, food sovereignty advocates, and artists to dream about what our home and cove can become and to answer the call of our ancestors to not be forgotten.
Partnering with the National Park Service, Indigenous Ecologists, Family and Artists to restore and protect Felix Cove home so Támal-ko people can return to a beautiful home as designed by our ancestors.
Nurturing partnerships with Indigenous organizations and allies committed to supporting the work of rematriation, including Sogorea Té Land Trust, Native American Media Resource Center, Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin, Indigenous Healing Center, Redbud Resource Group, and the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, Resource Renewal Institute, Blue Waters Kayaking - among others.
Re-Indigenize Our Home through Cultural Pathways
We must bring back the vitality of Indigenous pathways, the spirit of living with Mother Earth, as practiced by Our Ancestors. Our work includes the creation of a Felix Family Living History Center and Ecological Garden at Felix Cove that will:
Create powerful cultural programs that renew and celebrate our ancestral practices, from building tule canoes used to travel and fish on Tamal-liwa, to understanding Indigenous plant science for food and medicine, to learning our Indigenous ways.
Create space for ceremonial practice and community gatherings to support the healing of Támal-ko descendants and other Indigenous relatives while allowing young people to sustain spiritual knowledge.
Speak Our
Indigenous Narrative
Growing an Indigenous-led public education campaign to increase awareness of the history of the Támal-ko people–and their removal from their ancestral homelands–through media outreach, speaking at regional and national gatherings, and creating powerful content about the need to rematriate Felix Cove.
Launching a groundbreaking digital storytelling project and exhibition that aims to unearth and make visible the lives of Coast Miwok/Támal-ko people who lived and thrived in the Point Reyes Peninsula through audio interviews and videos, storymapping, virtual reality technology, and more.
The authentic story of Támal-ko people must be shared widely by descendants themselves. Our work includes:
Join us in bringing justice to a stolen land.
Now is the time to advocate for change! The National Park Service is listening.
Get involved by:
Signing up for our newsletter, which will include information on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and more.
Become a contributing supporter of our rematriation of Felix Cove.
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“They [Coast Miwok/Támal-ko people] have been connected with this land far longer than the National Park Service, the ranchers and other people who got here due to colonialism.”
- Craig Kenkel, Superintendent, Point Reyes National Seashore
The Mercury News, Monday, Sept 25, 2023