Joe Weber, a Pomo-Lakota native who was raised in Sonoma, and raised his own children here, spoke with Anna Pier about his journey toward understanding the past, and working for the future.
Please talk about your background. My name is Joseph Weber. I’m half Pomo from Big Valley Rancheria, and half Lakota from Pine Ridge Dakota. I’m a Cultural practitioner, tribal member and elder of Big Valley. My connection to Sonoma runs deep. Not just because I grew up here and raised a family in this town. It’s the blood tie to this land through my native side.
I was adopted when I was two and my sister was three. My grandmother had been raising us, and when she died, they took us, and put us up for adoption. I was adopted by a loving family, Fran and Dan Weber, who raised us here in Sonoma. I have three younger siblings, Jason, Marissa and Brian. We were all Sonoma Valley High grads…