See new Indigenous-themed mural at Sacramento’s recently renamed Miwok Middle School
The historic transformation of the identity of Miwok Middle School from Sutter Middle School in East Sacramento took a leap forward over spring break with the unveiling of a 100-foot-wide mural on the outside of the school’s gym on Saturday.
The Sacramento City Unified School District voted in June 2023 to rename the school, and two others, as part of a process to remove the names of individuals who “engaged in, perpetuated, and/or condoned racism, oppression, colonization and exclusion of others” from its facilities, according to a district news release.
The mural was painted on the side of one of the school buildings by 14 Native teenagers from Sacramento and Yolo counties who worked with two experienced muralists over the past week.
“It’s one of the days where the community can sit back and smile,” said Wilton Rancheria chairman Jesus Tarango, who performed a blessing for the mural. “It’s a reminder to the greater world that we are amongst you every single day. We’ve always been here.”
The 30-foot-tall mural depicts scenes and elements of Miwok and Nisenan tribal life, including Native dancers, oak trees (the school’s new mascot is the Mighty Oaks), a Miwok woman and forest animals. The wall was previously emblazoned with the school’s former mascot, the Miners.
A red hand print was included to raise awareness of the national crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women. During the unveiling event, members of the community in attendance were invited to add hand prints to the mural.
The Native Dads Network, a Sacramento nonprofit that offers culturally sensitive support services to Indigenous families, joined with artist Shane Grammer’s Hope Through Art Foundation and SCUSD to create the mural at the school.
