HSUMD General Meeting at the Historic USO Building

Our speaker at this month’s HSUMD general meeting will be Sean Scruggs, the Tribal Historical Preservation Officer at the Fort Independence Indian Reservation. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18 at the Historic USO Building, 230 West Ridgecrest Blvd.

Scruggs will give a presentation on the “authentic” history of his tribe in Payahuunadü (The Land of Flowing Water).Sean lived on the reservation from age 6 to 16 and although he experienced his culture, much of it was not taught him in the name of “assimilation” He will give a presentation titled “Visiting History”, using  two disturbing photos  to frame his presentation.  These are not happy documents, but Sean is willing to share the significance and impact they have on him as he looks into the past and tries to reconcile with the past of his ancestors and more recent family members.

According to Scruggs “While it is the past… It is the “living history” for me…“I want to give my insight, as I am sure it will resonate with the audience, of how quickly society (in general) is moving and how easy it is to read a headline or a memorial and skip over how vast the past is.“I have photographed George Evans journal entries, I have held the journal in my hand. He was responsible for killing my ancestors and yet the plaque doesn’t state anything about those acts or the impact it has on my culture or who I am. Continues Scruggs: “I am not angry about it, but it does stir deep emotions and will give insight into the complexities of my culture and my tribe.”

Since retiring from the Air Force in 2009, Scruggs became his tribe’s representative with Nellis Air Force Base, as well as a NAGPRA advisor to San Francisco State University.  He also made a presentation of Traditional Cultural Landscape for the National Register of Historic Places of Patsiata (aka Owens Lake), as well as teaching at Fort Tejon memorial events.

Sean Scruggs last appeared in Ridgecrest for a May, 2024 presentation to a packed house at the Maturango Museum.  It is advised to arrive early for this free upcoming event to assure seating.

The HSUMD meets on the third Tuesday of most months. Each meeting features a presentation on some aspect of local history.  Meetings are free, and all are welcome to attend. For more information on this or future meetings, call 760-375-8456.