The Latin American & Native American ERG is pleased to welcome Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino from mak-‘amham – Contemporary Ohlone Cuisine in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
Please join us for a discussion about the Ohlone tribe, Ohlone cuisine and their community work and cafe.
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2020 (add it to your calendar)
Time: 2:30 – 3:30 pm
What is mak-‘amham?
mak-‘amham (mahk-am-haam) means our food in the Chochenyo Ohlone language. Chochenyo is the Native language to the Eastern shores of San Francisco Bay, the area collectively known as “the East Bay.” We are a Native American, Ohlone-run organization that operates in our indigenous homelands; we work to revive and strengthen traditional Ohlone foods for the wellness of our people. We work to keep our cuisine and culture strong to honor those before us who loved these powerful foods, and to have greater visibility for the Ohlone community that we are a part of.
Vincent Medina is a member of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe,
where he also serves as a Councilman representing his family’s
lineage. He and Louis Trevino co-founded mak-‘amham, an
organization and restaurant focused on reviving and
strengthening traditional Ohlone foods and sharing them with
their communities. Vincent was born and continues to live in his
family’s indigenous tribal area of Halkin (Southern Oakland/San
Leandro/San Lorenzo).
Louis Trevino is a Rumsen Ohlone community member active in
the cultural revitalization efforts of his people. He is focused
primarily on the revitalization of the Rumsen language and
traditional Ohlone foods. He longs for a full and holistic
revitalization of the lifeways of his ancestors, including language,
story, song, art, food, and every other aspect of traditional
Rumsen Ohlone culture, and he is grateful to contribute to the
effort. With his partner, Vincent, Louis co-founded mak-‘amham,
which works to promote traditional Ohlone foods within their families,
as well as to educate the public about Ohlone cuisine and identity.
Learn more:
- mak-‘amham website
- New York Times review of the Cafe Ohlone (currently closed due to Covid)
- PBS Video: How to Make Ohlone Salad
- California Indian Museum and Cultural Center
- California Missions Native History
- East Bay Parks Ohlone Curriculum
- Reviving Indian language Chochenyo
- California Native American Heritage Foundation – California Indian History
- Video – Decolonizing Cuisine with Mak–‘amham
- Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival
- Map: California Indian Tribal Language Families
- Native American History of the East Bay
