A brief hike uphill on Wednesday quickly became a lesson in Indigenous traditions as Melissa Leal led students to a pine tree outside the Otter Student Union. Stopping under its branches heavy with pinecones, she explained their significance to California Indigenous communities.
“These pine nuts are food, medicine, and materials for jewelry and regalia,” she shared, emphasizing their importance in tradition and daily life. The hike offered students a moment to reflect on the natural resources present on campus and their cultural relevance.
Back inside, participants gathered for a hands-on crafting session in the Otter Student Union (OSU) Ballroom led by Leal. Hosted by the Otter Cross Cultural Center (OC3), Native American Student United Student Organization, and the OSU, the event blended education with artistry.
Leal, an Esselen and Ohlone educator and scholar, led the workshop with a mix of instruction and conversation, teaching students how to turn pine nuts into necklaces while weaving in stories of their role in Indigenous traditions.
“Typically—and the way I was taught—the first necklace you make, you are going to give it away,” explained Leal. “You are going to give it to someone special. So when you’re making it, that’s what your intention is. You are giving it that energy.”
Around 30 students attended the event, sitting around tables and using nothing but sandpaper and paper clips, to grind pine nut shells into beads. With the shells and a variety of beads provided, they crafted their necklaces, setting their intentions as Leal walked between tables and shared stories.
“I’m making my necklace for my aunt,” said Joe Perez, a third-year Agricultural Plant and Soil Sciences major. “I think she would like it.”
As students ended the evening of jewelry making and story sharing with their own handmade pieces, OC3 coordinator, Victoria Gómez, highlighted the broader goals of the event. “There’s a famous social justice quote that says, ‘Joy is an act of resistance,’” Gómez said. “When we celebrate Indigenous communities, it’s important to honor their contributions and stories of resilience while also focusing on radical joy. Events like this are about creating that space for both reflection and celebration.”
As the workshop came to an end, Leal brought the attendees together one last time by teaching the group the word “Nimasianexelpasaleki,” an Esselen phrase that conveys gratitude and connection.