Mákkin Mak Wárep

This interdisciplinary project aims to reconnect the descendants of the Muwekma Ohlone to the land of their ancestors, on the lands of Djerassi.

The two tapestries, created with pigments from lichens harvested on the Djerassi lands, respond to the Chochenyo texts written by Monica V. Arellano and Gloria E. Arellano-Gómez, the conversations the artist, Kalie Granier, had with them, and their dance ceremony.

These pieces depict a new generation of "American Indians" who, while living in the heart of contemporary American society, remain deeply rooted in their traditions and their connection to the land. Through this project, we hope to foster a reconnection with the forces that bind us—to each other, to the land, and to the many stories it holds.

“This interdisciplinary and co-creative work responds to the world I inhabit — a world grounded in a land layered with multiple, often invisible stories and histories. It is offered as a humble gesture, opening pathways for shared expression, collective remembering, and imaginative collaboration, with the hope of fostering a more attentive and respectful dialogue with the land and its First Nation descendants.”
— Kalie Granier

“These pieces are created in collaboration with Kalie Granier and two Muwekma Ohlone family descendants of the Marine–Arellano lineage, whose ancestry and connections are rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are not archaeologists or linguists — we are Chochenyo Ohlone speakers.”
— Monica V. Arellano, Culture Bearer and Language Keeper