Local tribal elders from the American Indian Council of Mariposa County and Yosemite National Park managers welcomed the United Native Youth Coalition (UNYC) to the park yesterday.

UNYC is a youth organization that provides services and activities, offers intergenerational opportunities, and educational experiences that are inclusive of traditional cultural practices.

Tribes from throughout the Central Valley, the Sierra Nevada and the East Side of California were represented. Approximately 250 young people came to the park to visit a traditional American Indian village and learn about Miwok practices from the local tribe members. There were demonstrations about the use of fire and the use of local materials for tools. The youth were welcomed with ceremonial practices and also had the chance to see the splendor of Yosemite.