Sacred Sites: The Secret History of Southern California

Sacred Sites is a singular and memorable account of the evolution of the Southern California landscape, reflecting the riches of both Native knowledge and Western scientific thought. In his foreword, read by Peter Coyote, Pulitzer Prize winning poet Gary Snyder writes that this book "brings us home." Carrying readers from the Big Bang to the present, poet Susan Suntree describes the origins of the universe, the shifting of tectonic plates, and an evolving array of plants and animals that give Southern California its unique features today. She and Native American actor, Kalani Queypo, recount the migration of humans into the region, where they settled, and how they lived. Reflecting Native peoples' views of their own histories and ways of life, Suntree and Queypo recount narratives and songs of the First People, unforgettable shamans, and revered heroes. Founded on meticulous research, Suntree offers a rare and poetic vision combining Western and indigenous thinking to create an ever-deepening sense of a place and its people.

“Sacred Sites honors the power and beauty of our indigenous heritage and homeland. By knowing our history, we better understand the present and our journey into the future.” Anthony Morales, tribal chair, Gabrielino Tongva Council of San Gabriel

“‘Human beings are the ones who have the power, through their songs, to affect the balance of the world.’ What an immensely beautiful book!” Stephen Greenblatt, Harvard University, author of The Swerve, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award

"Rooted in diversity and complexity, what many of the best books are about." Los Angeles Times

Bonus: Peter Coyote reads anthropologist Lowell John Bean's introduction to Southern California Native American cultures.