For the first time ever, the California State Fair will feature an exhibit like no other. This temporary display is filled with artifacts and rich traditions from the first people of California.
Not far from the carnival rides and the hotdog stands, there's a room filled with art, culture, and living history.
"This is the very first California's First People Art Exhibit at the California State Fair," said Heather Bernikoff, with the Cal Expo and State Fair board of directors.
Bernikoff is the first indigenous person to serve on the board. For her, this moment is so special that she decided to wear a sentimental piece of jewelry that brings tears to her eyes.
"It was my mother's and my mom was very special to me, and this being the first one that Cal Expo has ever had, it's important that I wanted her here with me," Bernikoff said.
As she describes each piece of artistry on display, Bernikoff underscores the importance of having this exhibit at the fairgrounds.
"Just to understand there was a village site here, for example, on Cal Expo's ground and to just honor that, understand that there were people who lived full lives for thousands of generations," Bernikoff said.
The items on display represent the many tribes from across the state, including the local Miwok. Matthew Franklin is a member of that tribe.
"This is my people's homeland. I'm Miwok and Nisenan," Franklin said. "This was our village site. So, what you see here, we actually lived it."
Franklin and his family contributed personal items to the exhibit.
"This is a living exhibit," he said. "This is stuff that once in a lifetime you see the regalia, a canoe. These were all handmade."
Also, at the exhibit is a red teepee with handprints representing the large number of missing and murdered indigenous people.
With so much to see and experience, Bernikoff and Franklin hope visitors walk away with a better understanding of their living history and their presence today.
"I want you to be amazed. I want you to be educated. I want people who come here to also feel a sense of awe," Bernikoff said.
"That we're still here. We're still connected to the land, and we are still doing this," Franklin said. "It's not just a land acknowledgment. This is the acknowledgment now, and we're just very happy to be here."
The California's First People Art Exhibit will also feature basket weaving demonstrations, and traditional songs and dances.
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