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(7) Wounds Church: Implementation (Action Plan)-Medium and Long Term Goals
Display at Portuguese Historical Museum
Once the short term goals are meet, the medium and long term goals will serve to further strengthen the sustainability of Five Wounds. The plan’s final strategic move is to build a stronger connection with the home land of Portugal. The goal is to continue developing the educational facility, educate and celebrate the Portuguese culture, and the beautification of the church. We believe that in twenty five years it is possible to begin holding events within the church by inviting scholars, politicians, and ambassadors’ representative of the Portuguese people. Throughout history, Portuguese immigrants have been prominent in contributing to the development of culture and society in the United States. Benjamin Cardoza, the Supreme Court Justice (1932-1938), John dos Passos (1896-1970), the author of the famous USA trilogy and other works on American society, John Phillip Sousa (1854-1932), the composer of America’s best-loved marching songs, were men of Portuguese heritage who have important places in the history of the United States. Although these great people are no longer of this world, the idea is clear that members of the Portuguese community can carry the culture of the Portuguese people by speaking directly to them at the church of Five Wounds. The following are the important goals we have identified to strengthen Five Wounds through a 25 year period.
Medium Term Goals:
- Have graduating students reach out to other students from every educational institution in San Jose to serve as role models. In addition, they will promote Five Wounds through the advertisement of their experience and the Portuguese culture.
- Digital documentation of clergy members. This project will allow future visitors to revisit the history of the church. In addition, the documentation will allow for research to be conducted on the church.
- Begin the process to find an individual to fix and clean the organ. In addition, the construction of a second stairway to meet San Jose building codes must begin. Access to organ will enhance visitor experience.
- completion of an unattended portion of an incomplete ceiling paint job right above the main alter.
Long Term Goals:
- Document the number of individuals engage wit the free services provided by St. Isabel Kitchen.
- Requests the local government for an easier travel rout for visitors and tourists to Little Portugal.
- Creation of a shuttle between Five Wounds and the Portuguese Heritage Society (only 3 miles apart).
- Creation of promotional tours video feed aimed inside the church. This would give internet viewers a freedom to explore the church at their own direction and offers the potential to stream video feed across the internet for special occasions
Sign of Portuguese Museum
Alcatraz – Implementation
Native American history is a theme that runs through all of these projects. The overarching goal for this project is to increase awareness of and educate people about the Native American history of Alcatraz Island. Funding for the projects is expected to come from the federal government, donations, and the $26 fee to visit Alcatraz Island. The success of the projects would depend on cooperation between researchers, the NPS, and the Native American community, in order to gain more information and implement the activities.
Project # 1: Increased Tangible Heritage on Alcatraz Island
Specific objectives for this project include drawing attention to the Native American heritage on Alcatraz Island and preserving remaining tangible heritage, particularly graffiti. This project would entail setting up plaques around the island to help users find the graffiti and help viewers decipher what they say, installing memorials, preserving the remaining graffiti and developing an interpretive trail as an audio tour.
Project # 2: Storytelling
The particular goals for this project are to honor and revitalize Native traditions of storytelling, to provide employment for Bay Area Native Americans, and to teach visitors about Native American values, such as community and respect for elders. During the activity the visitors would gather around the campfire. Traditional foods like fry bread and coffee would be served. The stories would concentrate on the Native American presence on the island, as well as some traditional Native American tales. The content and delivery would largely be at the discretion of the storyteller.
Project # 3: Re-enactment of the Landing: “This Land is My Land”
This activity would start on the ferry ride to Alcatraz, during which Native American actors would explain briefly the history of the occupation. On the island, the visitors would then be escorted to the Warden’s House, which was the Native American headquarters during the occupation. Here the audience would experience a celebratory powwow, and afterwards hear the story about life on Alcatraz during the occupation and the speech by Richard Oakes. Visitors would also experience aspects of Native American culture such as jewelry-making. Finally, actors dressed as US marshals would escort visitors back to the ferry.
Project # 4: Picture Scavenger Hunt
Some specific goals for this project include encouraging research on Native American history, increasing visitor participation and expanding the representation of the island’s Native American history online. The participants would listen to an informative talk about Native American history. They would then be lent cameras and given brochures outlining the subjects of the history, and instructed to go around the island and take pictures of each subject, which would finally be compiled on a web site.
Project # 5: A Play of Multiple Voices
This project aims to establish ties among the communities involved with Alcatraz Island and its history. For this activity, an online survey would be created, collecting the input from all the key players of Alcatraz Island. Some additional interviews could also be conducted. On the basis of the collected information the play would be written and performed.
To read more about these Project Profiles, please go to the main page (Alcatraz – Native American Presence and Occupation) in order to download the full Site Management Plan.
Alcatraz – Modern Context
Ownership and Legal Status
Alcatraz Island is managed by the National Park Service, one of eight bureaus run by the Department of the Interior, a Cabinet-level agency of the US Government. It is a part of the NPS Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GOGA). As a national park, Alcatraz is under the jurisdiction of Parks, Forest, and Public Property Code of Federal Regulations.
Buildings and Visitor Facilities
The island as a NPS and GGNRA park.
There are numerous buildings on the island, including the Guardhouse, the Cellhouse, the Officer’s Club, the Warden’s House, the Lighthouse, the Warehouse, the Power Plant, the Electrical Repair Shop, the Modern Industries Building, the New Industries Building, the Morgue, and the Recreation Yard. There are also gardens, including the Officer’s Row Gardens alongside the Cellhouse. Alcatraz includes a Parade Ground area and numerous trails and pathways that are accessible to visitors such as the Agave Trail.
Condition of the Site
An example of the ruins at Alcatraz.
The condition of buildings on Alcatraz varies. Some buildings, such as the Cellhouse and the Guardhouse, are renovated and accessible to the public. Other buildings, like the New Industries Building, are renovated externally, but are closed to visitors. Some structures, like the Warden’s House, have nothing but outside walls remaining.
Conservation
Many measures have been taken to preserve the man-made structures of Alcatraz and the natural features of the island. Organizations like PRBO, the US Geological Survey, Lutsko Associates, the Olmsted Center, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy strive to preserve and properly manage the bird populations and the gardens of Alcatraz.
Current Points of Interpretation
The primary perspective of interpretation of Alcatraz is that of a federal penitentiary, because most of the surviving structures pertain to that period, which is also the most documented. Other aspects of history, such as the Native American presence or the military fort, are under-represented.
Tourist and Visitor Profiles
Alcatraz Cruises is the only commercial company that is allowed to dock on Alcatraz Island.
The Alcatraz experience is targeted at the general public, rather than specific groups. However, there are certain accommodations for groups with special needs, such as people with limited mobility. The Alcatraz management offers the Cellhouse guided audio tour in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Portuguese and Korean languages. Alcatraz Island does not have age-specific programs.
By Tatyana Kovaleva
Who Owns the Past? Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age 