Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range

Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range is a photography and documentary film project amplifying the cultural stories of ten Indigenous tribal groups, which span from the San Francisco Bay to Morro Bay. To center Indigenous voices, the project was created in close collaboration with the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone, the Confederated Villages of Lisjan, the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area, the Tamien Nation, Indian Canyon Chualar Tribe of the Costanoan-Ohlone People, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, the Rumsen Ohlone Tribal Community, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, the Salinan Tribe of San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties and the Salinan T’rowt’raahl tribal community. 

The We Are Still Here poster series, on view in the Wallace Stegner Environmental Center, was funded and featured by the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Market Street Poster Series in 2024. The full Contemporary Indigenous Voices project explores connections between Indigenous communities and ancestral lands, specifically addressing the value of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in today’s modern climate. The traveling exhibition shares stories of resilience and cultural revitalization. 

About the Artist:  

Kirti Bassendine is a photographer and filmmaker whose work explores cultural identity, human relationships and connections between people and the natural world. She holds a BA (Honors) in Fine Art Photography from the University of Derby, England. Her practice blends photography and film to amplify underrepresented voices and foster dialogue across communities. 

Bassendine is the creator of Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range, a multi-year project documenting Indigenous leaders through portraiture and film that highlight cultural resilience, land stewardship and the transmission of knowledge across generations. This work has been presented through exhibitions, screenings and public programming across California, including the de Young Museum of Fine Arts in San Francisco and the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. The We Are Still Here poster series is a public art initiative centering Indigenous voices in an urban corridor, fostering collaborations grounded in trust. 

Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California's South Coast Range was made possible through funding by California Humanities and in collaboration with the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone, Confederated Villages of Lisjan, Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area, Tamien Nation, Indian Canyon Chualar Tribe of the Costanoan-Ohlone People, Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, the Rumsen Ohlone Tribal Community, Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, the Salinan Tribe of San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties and the Salinan T'rowt'raahl tribal community. The We Are Still Here poster series on view in the Wallace Stegner Environmental Center was made possible through funding by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and was originally funded and featured in the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Market Street Poster Series in 2024.    

Photo credits:

Gregg Castro, Culture Director, The Association of Ramaytush Ohlone. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Corrina Gould, Traditional Tribal Leader / Tribal Chair, Confederated Villages of Lisjan. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Monica V. Arellano, Tribal Vice Chair, Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Quirina Geary, Chairwoman, Tamien Nation. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Valentin Lopez, Chairman, Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Kanyon “CoyoteWoman” Sayers-Roods, Chairwoman, Indian Canyon Chualar Tribe of the Costanoan-Ohlone People. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Tom Little Bear Nason, Chairman and President, Esselen Tribe of Monterey County. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Linda Yamane, Master Ohlone Basket Weaver, The Rumsen Ohlone Tribal Community. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Mary Rodgers, Traditional Lead, Salinan Tribe of San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023 

Gregg Castro, Salinan T'rowt'raahl tribal community. Photography by Kirti Bassendine, 2023