Four seniors in the Ukiah Unified School District completed four years of study in Northern Pomo Language and Culture, marking a major milestone for Indigenous language revitalization and for public education. Two of the seniors were awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy at graduation — the first such recognition in history for this once dormant Indigenous language native to Northern California, according to a district press release.
The Pomo people of Northern California spoke the Pomo language prior to settler colonization, with about 8,000 native speakers in 1925, according to the California Language Archive. By 2001, there remained only one known first-language speaker of Northern Pomo. But that is changing as Native students and families embrace learning about their linguistic heritage.
The course began being offered in the 2021–22 school year, after a decade of collaboration with community members and the state, and is the first Northern Pomo Language and Culture class offered at the high school level. Two of those collaborators are Angela James-Maldonado and her husband, Julian. Both are members of the UUSD Title V1 Native American Parent Committee.
“The Northern Pomo language class at Ukiah High School has been a work in progress for several years. It has been a collaborative effort between Pinoleville Pomo Nation, Ukiah Unified School District, and the Title VI Native American parent committee,” said Title VI Native American Parent Committee Chairperson Julian Maldonado Sr. in a district blog post. “I would also like to honor the three Northern Pomo Elders, Elenor Stevenson (Pinoleville), Edna Campbell Guerrero (Sherwood Valley), and Annie Lake (Redwood Valley Rancheria), who allowed linguist Katherine O’Connor to record their conversations, as all three were fluent speakers of the Northern Pomo language, and the students have the opportunity to listen to these speakers as part of their classes. Teacher Buffy Schmidt, who is the daughter of Master Basket Weaver Christine Hamilton, brings our language revitalization full circle as her mother began paving the road at the Pinoleville Native American Head Start Program. She would be so proud to know her vision continues.”
“Instructor Buffie Schmidt shared that, beyond just the knowledge students learn about the Northern Pomo Language, the course provides a step in the healing process for herself, students, and families who see the class as a part of healing the generational trauma of having their language taken away,” according to the blog post. “She is encouraged to see this class as one small part of re-establishing the once-dormant language of her people and watching her students participate in this recovery.”
Ukiah High School, where the course is taught, holds an annual Native American Graduation Ceremony to honor its graduating Native American students and recognize their achievements in a culturally significant way. The 2025 ceremony, held on May 21, was a celebration of determination and hard work for high school seniors and acknowledged eighth-grade students moving on to high school. The event honors students and thanks elders, families and community members for their support.
