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The famed Alcatraz prison on Alcatraz Island was in operation from 1934 to 1963. For most, the thought of Alcatraz may bring up a Hollywood film or some of the most notorious criminals in America. But the island carries a different symbolism to the native coastal peoples of California. The California Ohlone Mewuk which translates to coastal people, passed down an oral history that tells us that Alcatraz was used by their Native population long before anyone else “discovered” the San Francisco Bay. Trips would be made to the island in tule boats for gathering foods, such as bird eggs and sea-life. It was also used as a place of isolation, or for punishment for naughty members of the tribe. The island was also a camping spot and hiding place for many native Americans attempting to escape the California Mission system. In 1895, the island was being used as a US fort and military prison and 19 Hopi men served time on Alcatraz for trying to protect their children from being sent to federal Indian boarding schools, which we discussed last week.