Originally published in the Chillicothe Gazette on Nov. 23, 2025

Growing up, people constantly asked me what I was. Often the questions were insensitive or blunt, especially for a child. Sometimes people didn’t even ask at all. They would guess, stereotype, or try to place me into a category. Over time, that made me question my identity, who I was, and where I came from.

That experience pushed me to seek answers from my family so I could understand my heritage and reclaim a sense of self. When my father reached the limits of what he knew, I turned to research—talking with relatives, especially my aunt, and exploring genealogical tools like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.

I am a Coast Miwok descendant, primarily from the Hukuuiko (Tomales Bay) branch in present day Marin and Sonoma Counties in California. “Miwok” is not what our ancestors would have called themselves but a name that groups several communities within the Utian language family.

It means “people.”

In December 2024, I traveled to California with my aunt and dad to attend an Honoring of the Elders ceremony. There, I met distant relatives and learned more about my family’s history. I discovered that my last name, which was likely influenced by Spanish colonization, is shared by many Coast Miwok families. I also learned about an ancestor believed to be my fifth great grandmother (give or take a generation): Tsupu. Her native name means “wild cucumber,” and her baptized name was Maria Cheka, with “Cheka” coming from the Russians at Fort Ross.

Tsupu was the last Native woman of Petaluma—referring not to the modern city but to the original village, whose name means “Sloping Ridge.” The village was abandoned after a devastating smallpox epidemic, and Tsupu faced great hardship, as so many Indigenous people did in the 1800s. But because she survived and persevered, I—and many other Coast Miwok descendants—are here today. If you’d like to learn more about her, visit pbssocal.org and search for “Tsupu.”

It matters that we know where we come from. It matters that we remember the people who made our lives possible. Tsupu fought to preserve her language, her culture, and her children’s future.

Because of her and all who came before and after, I am proud to be Coast Miwok.

If you’re curious about your own family history, or want to learn more about Native cultures in our area, visit our Reference Room at the Main Library. Along with our local history resources, we are building a dedicated Native American research collection to honor the people who shaped this land and our community.

Adriana Frease is a student and Enrichment Clerk at the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library.