“We aren’t a federally recognized tribe, or even a generally recognized tribe, but the Mounds are for us,” said Braxton, Lennon, and Gabe. “I know it’s lowkey problematic to use the word ‘tribe’ but I’m going to keep doing it anyway,” said Lennon, who recently learned what land acknowledgements are.
None of them could name another Native people other than the Gabrielino-Tongva (and that took 5 minutes), but Gabe thinks “everybody is Indigenous: the world is everyone’s land. That being said, if you shave your feet, get the hell off our land!”
They consider the recent removal of a major “native tree” on the Mounds (It was an Italian, like Columbus) “basically evil to its core.” To them, it’s just another demonstration of how Pitzer College ignores the struggle of “marginalized chillers.” Now, they can’t even slackline!
“We used to walk among the stars,” Braxton said, referring to the mounted LED lights on the tree that was cut down. The memory is quickly fading. Yet Braxton, Lennon, and Gabe are keeping the struggle alive. “We emailed Student Talk and said that anyone who picnics or keeps their shoes on is a settler-colonialism.”
These confederates are the change they want to see in the world. To them, it doesn’t matter that they are White. It doesn’t matter that they go to Pitzer. The only thing that does matter? That Braxton, Lennon, and Gabe bring their “good vibes to the Mounds.” Their culture is inclusive of anyone (that Camp Sec lets on campus). If you keep your shoes on they will haze you.