Umunhum sweeps you off your feet and places you on top of a mountain that was not accessible to the public for over 60 years. The mountain is Mt Umunhum which stands 3,486 feet tall between San Jose, California and the Pacific Ocean. To restore the top of Mt Umunhum and open it to the public, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District collaborated with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band with an open mind and open arms. The results of this collaboration are deeply meaningful for those involved, and they are visually stunning for anyone who visits the peak of Mt Umunhum. This film will inspire you to think about the land under you and how you can contribute to its restoration and healing.
Mt Umunhum (pronounced um-un-um) is located in the 18,000 acre Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve managed by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. For thousands of years the Amah Mutsun people lived and prayed on this mountain. In the 1950s, the United States government built the Almaden Air Force Station on the top of Mt Umunhum, an early warning radar station that operated from 1957 to 1980. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District purchased the site from the military in 1986. The District partnered closely with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band on the significant and necessary restoration of this mountain top. Mt Umunhum opened to the public on September 18, 2017.
Produced by Annie Burke
A film by Plus M Productions
Cinematography by Andy Miller, Mike Santaella and Robin Moore
Original score by Robin Moore
Edited by Andy Miller
Funding for the film was generously provided by The Christensen Fund
You are welcome to visit Mount Umunhum:
openspace.org/mount-umunhum-sierra-azul
The Amah Mutsun Land Trust is restoring and stewarding the land of their ancestors. You can support their work:
amahmutsun.org/landtrust
#umunhum
- Documentary