The fog on the San Francisco Bay doesn't just sit there; it breathes. If you've ever stood on the Pier 33 dock at four in the morning, you know that specific kind of cold that crawls up your shins and settles in your bones. It’s quiet. Way too quiet for a city. But every year, thousands of people skip the turkey prep and the football games to stand in that damp darkness. They aren't there for a prison tour or to see where Al Capone spent his weekends.
The sunrise ceremony Alcatraz 2024 happened because, honestly, the story of the 1969 occupation of the island isn't finished yet.
It’s officially called the Indigenous Peoples’ Sunrise Gathering. Some people call it Unthanksgiving. Whatever name you put on it, the vibe is heavy, electric, and deeply personal. It’s organized by the International Indian Treaty Council and American Indian Movement (AIM). 2024 was a big deal because it marked 55 years since the "Indians of All Tribes" first hopped the fence and claimed the Rock as their own.
The Reality of Getting to the Rock at 4 AM
You can't just swim. Well, you could, but you’d probably die or get arrested. To get to the sunrise ceremony Alcatraz 2024, you have to snag a ticket for the special ferries that run between 4:15 AM and 6:00 AM. They sell out. Fast.
The boat ride is short. Ten, maybe fifteen minutes? But the atmosphere shifts the second the engines start chugging. People aren't chatting about their brunch plans. You see elders wrapped in thick wool blankets, kids rubbing sleep out of their eyes, and activists holding tobacco ties. There is a shared understanding that this isn't a "tourist attraction." It’s a site of resistance.
Once you land, you hike. It’s a steep walk up to the main courtyard. In the dark, the old cell blocks look like skeletal remains of a failed experiment. Which, if you ask the folks who took over the island in '69, is exactly what they were.
Why 1969 Still Matters in 2024
Most history books give the Alcatraz occupation a paragraph. Maybe two. They mention Richard Oakes and the 19-month standoff. But for the people at the sunrise ceremony Alcatraz 2024, those 19 months changed everything. It was the spark. Before the occupation, the federal policy was "termination"—basically trying to erase tribal identities and move everyone to cities.
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Alcatraz stopped that.
It forced the world to look at the broken treaties. When you stand around the large ceremonial fire in the middle of the courtyard, you’re standing where people lived for nearly two years without running water or electricity just to prove a point. They wanted a center for Native American studies. They wanted an ecological center. They got the attention of the Nixon administration instead, which eventually led to a massive shift toward tribal self-determination.
The Ceremony Itself: Fire, Smoke, and Silence
There’s no stage. No flashy LED screens. Just a fire.
As the sun starts to bleed through the gray haze over the East Bay, the drumming starts. It’s a low, rhythmic thrum that you feel in your chest before you hear it in your ears. Oh, and the smell? It’s incredible. It’s a mix of sage, cedar, and sweetgrass cutting through the salty sea air.
Speakers take turns at the microphone. They aren't just talking about the past. In 2024, the focus was heavily on the "Land Back" movement and the ongoing climate crisis. You’ll hear from Ohlone leaders—the original stewards of the San Francisco Peninsula—reminding everyone that while the island is a symbol for all Indigenous people, it sits in their ancestral waters.
It’s emotional.
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You’ll see people crying. You’ll see people laughing. It’s a weird, beautiful mix of mourning what was lost and celebrating the fact that they are still here. "We are still here" is basically the unofficial motto of the morning.
The Logistics Nobody Tells You
- Layering is a survival skill. The wind coming off the Golden Gate Bridge is brutal. You need a windbreaker over a hoodie over a thermal. Don't be the person in shorts. You will regret it by 5 AM.
- The "Unthanksgiving" Label. Not everyone calls it that, but many do. It’s a direct counter-narrative to the Pilgrims-and-pie story taught in schools. It’s about acknowledging the genocide that followed 1492 while celebrating survival.
- Coffee is non-existent. Don't expect a Starbucks on the island. Pack a thermos.
- Silence is key. During certain prayers or songs, the organizers ask for no photos or videos. Respect it.
The Impact Beyond the Island
What most people get wrong about the sunrise ceremony Alcatraz 2024 is thinking it’s just a one-day event for the "locals." It’s not. It’s broadcasted. It’s talked about in tribal communities from Canada down to South America.
The International Indian Treaty Council uses this platform to highlight global issues. For example, in 2024, there were heavy discussions about the impact of mining on sacred lands and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis. It’s a call to action wrapped in a prayer.
The island itself is managed by the National Park Service now. It’s a strange partnership—the federal government facilitating a ceremony that honors a time when people illegally occupied federal land to protest federal policies. But it works. The NPS rangers are usually pretty hands-off during the event, letting the community lead the way.
Common Misconceptions
People think you have to be Indigenous to attend. You don't.
All are welcome, provided you come with respect. It’s a learning space. If you're a non-Native person attending, your job is mostly to listen and stay out of the way of the dancers and elders. It’s not a photo-op for your Instagram feed, though taking photos of the sunrise and the general crowd is usually fine unless stated otherwise.
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Another mistake? Thinking the ceremony is "over" when the sun comes up. The energy actually peaks as the light hits the water. Seeing the San Francisco skyline wake up while you're standing on a rock that symbolizes both imprisonment and liberation... it’s a trip. It makes the city look small.
What We Take Away from the Rock
The sunrise ceremony Alcatraz 2024 reminds us that history isn't a straight line. It’s a circle. The same issues Richard Oakes fought for in 1969—sovereignty, dignity, and land rights—are the same ones being discussed today by 20-year-old activists on TikTok.
The ceremony usually wraps up by 8:00 AM or 9:00 AM. By then, the "regular" tourists are starting to arrive on the first public ferries. You’ll see them—the folks with the audio tour headphones and the selfie sticks—crossing paths with the ceremony participants heading back to the mainland. It’s a jarring contrast. One group is looking for ghosts of prisoners; the other group just finished honoring the living spirit of a movement.
Actionable Steps for Future Attendees
If you're planning to attend a future iteration of this gathering, or if you're trying to support the causes highlighted at the 2024 ceremony, here is how to actually move forward:
- Ticket Early: Set an alert for the Alcatraz City Cruises website in October. Tickets for the Thanksgiving sunrise ferries usually drop a few weeks in advance and vanish within hours.
- Support the Organizers: Follow the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC). They are the ones doing the heavy lifting. Don’t just show up for the "experience"; support their year-round advocacy for Indigenous rights at the UN.
- Learn the Land: Before you go, look up whose land you are currently living on. Use tools like Native-Land.ca. Knowing the history of your own backyard makes the Alcatraz experience much more grounded.
- Respect the Protocol: If a drum group is performing or a sacred pipe is being brought out, put your phone in your pocket. Being present is more important than getting a "story" for social media.
- Donate Locally: Instead of just thinking about the island, look for Indigenous-led organizations in the Bay Area, like the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, which works to return Chochenyo and Karkin Ohlone lands to Indigenous stewardship.
The sunrise ceremony Alcatraz 2024 isn't just a date on a calendar. It's a pulse. If you listen closely enough over the sound of the seagulls and the ferry engines, you realize it’s a pulse that hasn't stopped beating since 1969.