By Eric Heinz,
Aerial photographer John Quigley and members of the Acjachemen Nation will join together on Saturday, June 9 at Trail 6, just south of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) to take a photo that will depict one of the native people’s symbols, a “star man,” using people to outline the figure, Quigley said.
Quigley, who goes by the art tag “Spectral Q,” has taken photos all over the world, drawing attention to the earth’s resources and protected environments. He once took a photo in the Arctic Ocean of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man where the outline of the man could be seen over portions of melting ice. He’s also done work in Paris (pictured) in front of the Eiffel Tower.
This photo was taken June 9th. Get more.
Get video from the helicopter here.
“We’re going to have hundreds of people, mostly from the Acjachemen Nation, and it’s an honoring of their ancestors,” Quigley said. “They’re going to lay down some wisdom for what they see as the best future for this region from SONGS and San Clemente, what they want from political leaders. I’ll be creating that (image) large-scale with people, and we’ll photograph from the bluffs.”
The event is meant to bring awareness to the natural resources in the surrounding area and the concerns the Acjachemen have regarding the area.
Around Trail 6 and SONGS, many leaders have worked with and demanded that the Department of the Navy return the land at San Mateo Campground and nearby areas to the native people, as it was once the fertile crescent of the Acjachemen and many artifacts have been found there. They also have concerns regarding environmental impacts.
“I know they have great concerns about the way in which the (nuclear) waste is being stored (at SONGS), and I’m sure they’ll make statements about that,” Quigley said.
Portions of the area that’s owned by the Navy were leased to the California State Parks for 40 years, but that agreement ends in 2021, with negotiations ongoing to renew.
The event takes place from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Trail 6, and anyone can attend. More information can be found by clicking here and here. Parking within the state park is $15. People are asked to bring rattles, two wood sticks or “clappersticks,” a water bottle, sack lunch and sunscreen. People are asked not to bring signs or drums.
Editor’s Note: This content was reproduced by Public Watchdogs under the Fair Use Provision of U.S. Copyright law. Get the original story from the San Clemente Times here.