Sebastopol Sonoma County Santa Rosa
POMO PROJEct
Our Mission Statement
Pomo Honoring Month emphasizes awareness of Pomo history
and building bridges for future generations.
Pomo wisdom traditions hold value
for resolving contemporary challenges.
We support Pomo people having an active voice in public policy,
including development, education, culture, and vision.
Not affiliated with any specific tribal group, we value collaboration
with all Pomo people toward reconciliation and understanding.
The Pomo Project was initiated by Armando Williams
when he visited Sebastopol Gallery and was moved
by the Native content in Sandy Eastoak's featured work.
Other Sebastopol Gallery artists soon joined in and
gallery members voted to set aside their Fall, 2010,
rotation to show work from the Pomo Project.
Armando would help the artists learn about Pomo
culture and medicine ways, introduce them to Pomo
elders and ceremony and trust them to create work
reflecting and honoring the Pomo way of life.
"Flickerbird" ©Sandy Eastoak 2024
As the artists talked about the project, people in the community quickly became enthusiastic about
the need to understand Pomo history
and culture, and to involve Pomo people
in decision making processes as we work
toward sustainability, justice, and harmony.
Many people expressed a desire for
education and reconciliation.As our ideas
became bigger than our ability to organize,
we recognized the need for an annual celebration,
and are grateful that the Sebastopol City Council agreed.
Original Pomo Baskets © Buffie Schmidt 2024
A History of Honoring
The Sebastopol City Council resolved that each October to be Pomo Honoring Month,
celebrating the continued presence and enduring culture of the Pomo people.
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Annual Pomo Honoring Month - Resolution #5793
PASSED, APPROVED & ADOPTED this 4th day of May, 2010, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Robinson, Shaffer, Kelley, Vice Mayor Wilson and Mayor Gurney
NOES: None • ABSTAIN: None • ABSENT: None
(Signed by) SARAH GLADE GURNEY, MAYOR • (Attested by) MARY GOURLEY, CITY CLERK
Recognition of Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria - Resolution #5818
On September 21, 2010, the Sebastopol City Council voted to adopt a resolution
specifically recognizing the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria as representing the
descendants of our area's original inhabitants.
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Read Full Resolution
Honoring & Celebrating
the contributions of the Indigenous people of our area
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In their 14th year of bringing free educational events to Sonoma County, Pomo people
have lived here for thousands of years, and “Pomo Country” extends through a significant area of
Northern California, including Sonoma County, Mendocino and Lake Counties.
Pomo Project has hosted Pomo Honoring Month each October since 2010 .
and has included basket weaving workshops, history lectures, beading workshops,
art exhibits, radio shows, plays, and an Elders’ Forum. Honoring month also invites you to
enjoy performances by the Pomo Dancers of Sonoma County.
A small community-based organization, Pomo Project relies upon donations.
Our leadership team is comprised of all volunteers, including Pomo and non-Pomo people.
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Pomo Project Coordinating Team
Rose Hammock
A young cultural leader among the Pomo community. Rose is Pomo, Wailacki, and Maidu, and is an enrolled tribal member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes. She is a traditional dancer, new basket weaver, and language learner of Eastern Pomo dialect and Wailacki Kunnes. Rose also works for a Native woman-led non profit organization here in Sonoma County, called Redbud Resource Group https://www.redbudresourcegroup.org/
