Indigenous Voices of San Juan Capistrano: The Acjachemen (Juaneño) Indian Community

About the Program

Category: Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation (Best in Category)

Year: 2019

Indigenous Voices of San Juan Capistrano: The Acjachemen (Juaneño) Indian Community is an online collection of digital videos which gives voice to one of Orange County’s first people by collecting, preserving and sharing personal stories and perspectives from tribal members. The collection was created by interviewing and filming Acjachemen tribal members and it is hosted on OC Public Libraries’ website (www.ocpl.org/acjachemen). This project provides a technological and generational bridge for connecting tribal elders with the greater Orange County community. It also helps to preserve Orange County's cultural memory by providing a platform for Acjachemen tribal members to share their personal stories. This program was promoted by Mission San Juan Capistrano, California State University Fullerton, Orange County Department of Education, local historical societies and through a series of library programs emphasizing awareness of the Acjachemen community and its significance to Orange County's history.