Cultural Resources
Land stewardship, ceremony, language, and Tribal Historic Preservation work — held together by a small, mighty team.
What we tend.
The Cultural Resources Department holds the practical, on-the-ground work of being Esselen today.
Tribal Historic Preservation
NAGPRA consultation, cultural site documentation, and protection of ancestral resources across our homeland.
Land stewardship
Restoration of native plants, prescribed cultural burns, and protection of ceremonial places on Tribal lands.
Language revitalization
Documentation, recovery, and teaching of the Esselen language — together with linguists, elders, and youth.
Basketry & material culture
Maintenance of basketry traditions, regalia, and craft, in partnership with regional Indigenous artists.
Ceremony
Support for community ceremonies, gatherings, and youth coming-of-age work.
Archival research
Genealogical work, mission record research, and oral history collection — for members and scholars.
We welcome respectful research partnerships — on Esselen terms.
Researchers, agency staff, and graduate students interested in our homeland are invited to contact the Cultural Resources Department before beginning fieldwork. We co-design scope, review findings before publication, and require data-sharing agreements as a starting place.