The Irony of Memorial Stadium

The Irony of Memorial Stadium By Arabela Cabebe 

Gamedays, a time where students, faculty, and sport fans alike all gather together at California Memorial Stadium to celebrate the University in all of its glory. Situated within a public institution infamous for its prestige and continuous innovation, this so-called ‘progressiveness’ that is reputable of UC Berkeley seems rather illusive. Even within the very language of California Memorial Stadium, it connotes commemorating individuals, but the question seems to be for whom? Completed in 1923, UC Comptroller Robert Gordon Sproul states, "Deep rooted in the eternal hills, this memorial to the honored dead, here devoted to the service of the living, raises its noble crown into the clear California sky and stands in simple dignity, beauty and strength."¹ Fast forward to more recent times, protests against the stadium emerge as they express, “Memorial Oak Grove is regarded as a sacred place to Native American people and is documented as such by UC Berkeley’s own Anthropology Department.” ² Although Sproul’s statement appears captivating and eloquent, the true origins of the stadium is reflective in the protestors' frustrations. Memorial Stadium stands as an emblem of the university’s extractavist, demoralizing tradition of disregarding Indigenous peoples and taking their land. Ultimately, UC Berkeley’s complete awareness of the sacred burial sight in the making of Memorial Stadium convicts them of being a prevalent contributor to the erasure of Indigenous Peoples, showing how there is a need for accountability and repatriation by the University.

In order to understand the significance of the land in which Memorial Stadium sits on, it is important to first revisit the makings of the stadium. During the construction of the stadium in January 1923, remains of a person of Native American descent were found.³ It should also be noted that a survey done two years following the discovery in 1925 was done by Leslie Spier where there was speculation that the remains belonged to a separate tribe from the Ohlone people. ⁴ The University’s ability to simply brush over the fact that there were human remains in pursuit of building the stadium is a clear indication that the University simply does not respect and care for its Native peoples. The fact of the matter is that the University stopped at nothing to continue construction of the stadium being that the University knows that such a stadium will bring in much profit for the institution. Such abhorrent actions by the University display the University’s priorities truly lie with making profits rather than memorializing individuals.

Further exploration of the stadium also points to how the University invalidates the perspectives of Indigenous peoples. In an assessment of the Memorial Stadium site by independent archaeologist James W. Allen, he concludes that there is no verifiable evidence for a burial ground at the site of the Stadium and that such burial could be an isolated case.⁵ Allen’s findings reflect a desperate approach of the University that attempts to push forth false narratives in order to justify their corrupt actions. The conclusions of Allen are in complete juxtaposition to the evidence of 1925 by the San Francisco Examiner where “several more” skeletons were found during the building of the stadium. ⁶ All-in-all, there is ample evidence that reveals how the site is a sacred place for Indigenous peoples.

The culmination of these circulating fallacies within the discourse of the origins of the stadium has cultivated resistance and activism by Indigenous peoples against the University in an effort of repatriation and decolonization. When deforestation was carried out by the University in September of 2007 in an attempt to further ‘develop’ Memorial Oak Grove — a sacred burial site to the Ohlone Indigenous Peoples, tree-sitting protesters had protected the trees for over 600 days. Such a protest was ruled illegal and dangerous by Judge Richard Keller in October.⁷ The University’s explicit negligence of Indigenous Rights showcases that settler colonialism truly has never ceased to exist and continues to plague Tribal communities such as the Ohlone people. As we reflect on this continued attempt of erasure, Wounded Knee Deocampo from the Vallejo Intertribal Council encapsulates the Indigenous perspective stating, “It is time to put a halt to digging up sacred sites. We would never dig up your cemeteries. These are sacred places as much as the pyramids of Egypt." ⁸

In closing, UC Berkeley is not as progressive as one might think. Instead, the making of California Memorial Stadium is a symbol of extractivism, environmental racism, and erasure that continues to harm Indigenous communities. Looking to the future, it is with great hope that University students become more aware of such history and hold the University accountable for their actions. As Corinna Gould — an Ohlone Indian of Berkeley states, “These are sacred sites for the Ohlone. We are still living. We are not in the past.” ⁹ May such Indigenous narratives be at the forefront of this continued movement and let us not stray from acknowledging the land in which we are on.

1 Public Affairs, “California Memorial Stadium,” November 10, 2005, https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2005/11/10_stadium_history.shtml

2 John Ahni Schertow, “UC Berkeley Ignores Indigenous Rights, Destroys Sacred Site,” September 11, 2008, https://intercontinentalcry.org/uc-berkeley-ignores-indigenous-rights-de....

3 James M. Allan, “Assessment of Memorial Stadium site by independent archaeologists,” UC Berkeley News,

September 6, 2007, https://www.berkeley.edu/news/features/stadium/archaeologists.shtml

4 L A Wood, “Protect Berkeley Sacred Sites Honor the Ohlone Burial Grounds,” Protect berkeley sacred sites - honor the Ohlone Burial Grounds, accessed December 1, 2021, https://berkeleycitizen.org/community/indigenous2.htm.

5 Ibid.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ “Judge Rules That Memorial Stadium Oak Grove Protest Is Illegal,” Judge rules that Memorial Stadium Oak Grove protest is illegal, October 1, 2007, https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/10/01_trees.shtml. ⁸ L A Wood, “Protect Berkeley Sacred Sites Honor the Ohlone Burial Grounds,” Protect berkeley sacred sites - honor the Ohlone Burial Grounds, accessed December 1, 2021, https://berkeleycitizen.org/community/indigenous2.htm.

⁹ Ibid.