Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays (CCaWW) is located in the heart of El Dorado County. We are the caretakers of an ancestral village site of the Northern Sierra Miwok. We are dedicated to preserving the indigenous culture of the Miwok people, caring

for the land, animals, and the waterways.

 

It started as a vision for Kimberly "ShiningStar" Petree, who is a direct descendant of these Miwoks and the

Executive Director of CCaWW. She saw a living culture site, with people, Umachas=bark houses, 

Chakas=granaries, and culture. In a moment she knew the American River Conservancy (ARC) would be involved. 

 

Within a year Kimberly was personally invited to visit Ladies Valley with the then Executive Director of ARC Alan Ehrgott and Conservation and Stewardship Project Manager Elena DeLacy. For Kimberly this visit was the onset of a very deep connection to this land. From the start, the land spoke to her. It gently urged her to pursue her vision, it felt as if the land had been waiting for her. 

 

After a great amount of time consulting with Elders, Spiritual leaders, and community members both native and non-native as well as days spent connecting with the land, and an enormous amount of paperwork, CCaWW established itself as a 501c3.

 

We have received the support of our community. ARC served as CCaWW's fiscal sponsor and continues to be a close partner and guide in our project. The Seventh Generation Fund provided us with start up grants. We have been able to provide continuing programs from grants provided by Innovations in Environmental Education and El Dorado Community Foundation. We enjoy the support from volunteers who have shown up to do the hands-on work of caring for over 300 acres of land, the Sierra Native Alliance, Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership, Intel, Cal Fire and interns from Sac State. A special thanks to our spiritual people who dance and sing and pray. For all our relations who inspire us to do the right thing, Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays is grateful to be of service.