Gabriel Sanchez

Gabriel Sanchez

Gabriel M. Sanchez is an Indigenous Anthropologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology. He is the director of the Coastal Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, and Ancient Proteomics Laboratory.

Currently, Gabriel is involved in a collaborative and community-based participatory research project with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, and California State Parks to investigate the native range of California’s endangered salmon species, which are vulnerable to extinction or extirpation. The research defines which salmon were native to coastal streams to help tribes and resource managers prioritize stream protection and restoration, water allocation, and inform land-use practices.

Working with the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County and the University of California, Berkeley, Gabriel investigates Indigenous persistence during the Spanish mission era in California. Specifically, the research team is investigating a series of archaeological sites located away from two nearby missions to understand how Esselen ancestors evaded the Spanish mission system at hinterland sites and continued practicing traditional lifeways despite colonialism while engaging with Esselen ancestors within the mission system.

Email: gsanchez@msu.edu