Native American Heritage Month: Honoring the Ohlone Peoples

Recognizing Native American History & Culture

November is Native American Heritage Month. We honor the Ohlone and Esselen peoples, the original stewards of Monterey Bay. Mount Madonna honors their legacy through sustainable land practices and reverence for this mountain.

Map showing Indigenous territories of the Monterey Bay area on California’s Central Coast — *Mount Madonna Center is on the traditional homeland of the Ohlone peoples. Credit: native-land.ca/maps/native-land.*

Who Are the Ohlone Peoples?

The term Ohlone refers to a collective of approximately 50 Indigenous tribal groups (the Ohlone peoples) of California’s Central Coast, including the land where Mount Madonna now exists. The Ohlone people of this region lived in relationship with the ocean, the redwood forests, and the Santa Cruz Mountains surrounding Mount Madonna.

Ohlone descendants remain close by, celebrating in song, dance, and storytelling at the annual Honoring of the Elders Gathering held every summer on Mount Madonna.

Native Land Stewardship

The Ohlone people practiced intentional cultural burning, “good fire,” to maintain the land, support healthy ecosystems, encourage plant regrowth, and reduce wildfire risk. Today, Mount Madonna participates in controlled burns to support forest health and reduce wildfire risk. Rooted in practices long stewarded by Indigenous peoples of this region, these efforts help ensure the land remains healthy for future generations.

In Ohlone stories, hawks and hummingbirds are sacred messengers — symbols of wisdom, joy, and harmony with the natural world. We see them daily on our mountain, reminding us of our commitment to care for it.

Painting-of-three-Ohlone-people-crossing-the-waters-in-San-Francisco-Bay-by-Louis-Choris — *Painting of three Ohlone people crossing the waters in San Francisco Bay by Louis Choris. Credit: muwekma.org.*

Continuing the Legacy

No one “owns” Mount Madonna. The land is held collectively. Maintaining the integrity of our community, living sustainably, and cultivating a heartfelt connection to nature are values we hold in common with the people who came before us. Recognized as a meeting place for generations, this land continues to be held with that intention.

How Visitors Can Show Respect

As you walk along the towering ridges of Mount Madonna, hearing hummingbirds and hawks overhead and enjoying the shaded forest, know that these experiences are possible because of the stewardship of the Native peoples of Central California.

We acknowledge the injustices Indigenous peoples have faced and continue to face, and we give thanks for the opportunity to live, work, learn, and play in the traditional homeland of the Ohlone and Esselen peoples.

All Our Relations. Ho!