FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Ball Ranch has a new name that honors the space’s culture and history.
On Friday, the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust announced the property has been officially renamed K’uik’ui Ranch.
K’uik’ui is the name of a small but powerful duck in the sacred Gashowu Yokuts texts. The story goes that when the earth was first formed, K’uik’ui dove down into the water and carried sand to the surface, forming all the land and the mountains.
The trust says the name change aligns with AB 2022 (Ramos 2022), which directs public agencies to prioritize names that honor and recognize tribes, cultures, and Indigenous languages specific to the geographic region.
“By moving away from names tied to prior ownership and instead uplifting Native languages and stories, the conservancy and trust affirm their shared commitment to cultural respect and inclusive stewardship,” the trust said.
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The name was whittled down from 86 others suggested during a community naming contest in 2024. K’uik’ui was ultimately chosen for its cultural resonance and symbolism of beginnings.
“Names carry deep medicine. Choosing K’uik’ui honors the story, the land, and the spirit that have always been here,” said Michelle Pipkin, Community Garden Coordinator at the Fresno American Indian Health Project. “For those of us who work with the plants and gather from the river, it’s powerful to see a name that speaks our language and carries our teachings forward. It reminds us that everything begins with the land.”
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