Watch this video to see a few of the plants that are important to the Awaswas. Then go back to your lesson guide.
This video is part of our First Peoples of Santa Cruz digital lesson sequence. Download the lessons by filling out the form on this page.
While we know it is common to use the term Ohlone to describe the Indigenous people of the Santa Cruz area, these lessons use Awaswas (the language once spoken in what is now Santa Cruz County), Uypi (the name of the tribe that lived in what is now the City of Santa Cruz), and Amah Mutsun (the name of the tribal band that represents the Santa Cruz region today).
If you have been using Ohlone with your class, you can share that Ohlone is the name of the culture that these tribes belong to (culture is the way you live your life). Further explore the tribal distinctions along the Central Coast with this map.
This video is the introduction to our First Peoples of Santa Cruz digital lessons. Download the lessons by filling out the form on this page.
November 30 – December 11
Mondays – Thursdays | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | 30 minute appointments*
Museum Members are invited to schedule exclusive 30 minute appointments to browse and shop in the Museum’s onsite Store. Get ahead in your holiday shopping and find the perfect gift for the naturalists in your life. The Museum store features a wide array of unique books, field guides, gifts, toys, and souvenirs for nature-enthusiasts of all ages. Every purchase in the Museum Store supports our mission, programs, and exhibits.
To Schedule: Contact liz@santacruzmuseum.org or call 831-420-6115x10
*Appointments limited to household groups, max of 5 people.
Looking to make another arrangement or would like gift suggestions? Just ask and we’ll be happy to help! You can also browse a selection of our merchandise in our Online Museum Store.
Not yet a Member? Join today for as little as $15/year.
Sunday, November 29 | All Day
Shop Online
Coupon Code: MSS2020
Join us on November 29th for Museum Store Sunday, a worldwide event celebrating the unique and educational value that museum stores provide for their communities. Use the coupon code “MSS2020” to get 10% off in our Online Museum when you check out. This deal will only be available on Sunday, so mark your calendars now!
The store at the Santa Cruz Museum of natural history is your resource for books, field guides, and educational toys that encourage connections with nature. It is also the perfect place to pick up unique souvenirs and gift items from local Bay Area artisans. Discounts will also apply to the online selection of items from the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.
This recipe is part of our series On the Rocks: Exploring Science and Nature through Curated Cocktails.
During summer months and into early fall, California’s native berry-producing plants provide humans and wildlife alike with a delicious source of nutrients.
[Gathering fruit] required an intimate familiarity with nature and natural patterns. … Indians watched the other animals and linked their behaviors with the ripening of the fruit. Goldfinches, for example, would begin to whistle more frequently when it was time for the Foothills Yokuts to gather blackberries. Keeping a close watch on weather patterns was also important. For example, rosehips…tasted sweetest after the first light frost or cold nights of fall. The Karuk harvested California huckleberries after the first frost because that was when they were sweetest.
Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California’s Natural Resources by Kat Anderson, 2005
While there are many edible uses for our native berry varieties, a few species are particularly useful for making liqueurs to add a little local flavor to your cocktail game. Our favorites are California blackberry (Rubus ursinus), pink flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), and blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea). Explore our foraging guide before you go out on the hunt and then try your hand at making your own liqueur with our recipe (below).
Before you forage from natural landscapes, it’s important to Know Before You Go. Research the rules and regulations for the landscapes you hope to explore, study the species you may find, and be prepared to identify them accurately. Once you identify the species you would like to forage and you are confident that you are legally allowed to, consider how to do so in a way that does not cause harm. Only take what you will use and leave enough for wildlife.
Biologist of Potawatomi heritage Robin Wall Kimmerer provides an excellent blueprint for ethical foraging based on the indigenous principles of the Honorable Harvest:
Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you may take care of them.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings by Robin Wall Kimmerer, 2013
Introduce yourself. Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life. Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer.
Never take the first. Never take the last. Take only what you need.
Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken. Share.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.
Here’s when you are likely to find ripe fruit for the three native species you can use in our liqueur recipe:
Blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea): July and August
Pink flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum): July and August
California blackberry (Rubus ursinus): April through September
It’s time to get your hands dirty! We’re excited to relaunch Saturdays in the Soil, a monthly volunteer program in our native plant garden. Learn about local ecology, native plants, and sustainable gardening while coming together as a community (in a physically distanced manner!) to steward Tyrrell Park through the City’s Adopt-A-Park program.
Space is limited and RSVPs are required.
Email volunteer@santacruzmuseum.org to express interest.
As we watch our community evacuating their homes and our forests, scrublands, and fields burn, we want to share our support and sadness for the individuals impacted and for our friends who steward the parks and open spaces at risk.
Below are resources we’ve compiled to support those in crisis and guide those looking to help during the CZU Lightning Complex Fires.
EVACUATION CENTERS:
For a full list of evacuation centers, including availability and accessibility, visit: https://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/FireResources.aspx
PARKING:
ANIMALS:
DONATIONS:
VOLUNTEER:
OTHER WAYS TO HELP YOURSELF AND OTHERS:
Celebrate 115 years of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History! Explore highlights of our history, the current state of the Museum, and our plans for the future.
We will hear from community members, dig into the archives, and our Executive Director Felicia B. Van Stolk will present the annual Laura Hecox Naturalist Award to Amity Sandage, Environmental Literacy Coordinator for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.
Explore the nature of Santa Cruz — wherever you are! Through live digital experience, connect with local experts and join your community in deepening understanding about nature, science, and stewardship.
In honor of World Oceans Day, we’re celebrating through song! Sing-along with our Education Coordinator Chris as he shares two of his favorite songs from The Beatles — Octopus’s Garden and Help! (adapted by Chris to become Kelp!) Sing-along!
Next, head to the tidepools to explore the kelp we’ve been singing about, as well as the many other algae that are important parts of the ocean habitat with this guide to appreciating the algae of the Monterey Bay. Dive in!
While you’re exploring the tidepools and the beach, be on the lookout for trash as well as interesting wildlife! Follow these steps for a safe and successful clean-up.
