In 1966, the State of California granted the small Salinan Tribe of Central California an exception to their policy of not allowing anyone to climb the 581 foot tall Morro Rock.  For centuries Elders of the Salina tribe have climbed this ancient volcanic plug, the last in a series of nine volcanic plugs, similar to the formation of the Hawaiian Islands, that extend inland to the town of San Luis Obispo.  It was very good for the State to allow the Salinan people this exception for two days, the winter and summer solstice, their annual solstice ceremony for mankind.

The Salina people (6500 - 2000 B.C.E.) were present when the first Spaniards saw the rock in 1542 and when a Franciscan missionary named Juan Crespi noted on September 8, 1769 that he “saw a great rock in the form of a round morro” and thereby named the area as Morro Bay with Morro Rock its center piece. The Salinan people have been doing their ceremony from this time period on.  They believe a two headed serpent called Taliyekatapelta wrapped its body around the base of Morro rock and was trying to rock the earth back and forth when a hawk and a raven destroyed the serpent saving mankind.   The measurement of the two solstice is very relevant to this ancient ceremony and I believe the location of both are carved in stone on top of this ancient site and would prove the Salinan ceremonial and religious rights to perform their ceremony from the top of the rock.   

In December of 2014, the wealthy, powerful, Chumash Tribe and its lawyers, filed a lawsuit against the Salinan tribes religious rights to climb Morrow Rock?   The Northern Chumash Tribal Administrator claims that the Elders climbing the rock twice a year could cause a  significant adverse impact on the environment and preservation of the site, especially for the hawks and ravens that now nest there. 

For some reason, which I do not understand, lawyers of a wealthy, powerful, tribe are worried about two elders of another, poorer, tribe, climbing an ancient ceremonial site twice a year?

As December 21st is fast approaching, I would urge all Native People who have an interest in the Salinan ceremony and the Solstice to contact the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court,  1050 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, Ca. 93408  805-781-5143 or the Northern Chumash Tribal Administrator, 67 South Street, San Luis Obispo, Ca. 93401,  805-801-0347, and let them know your thoughts.

Thomas O. Mills, Author & Former Manager, Hopi Cultural Center

Special Thanks to John Peschong for his November 1, 2015 article, Let Salinan Tribe climb Morro Rock for religious rite – Wikipedia