Peña Adobe Historical Society Presents “Native American Heritage Day at the Adobe”
Pena Adobe Historical Society Docent Armando Perez with a teepee used by the Plains Indians
The Peña Adobe Historical Society celebrated Native American heritage on Saturday, October 5th from 11am - 2pm. Richard Burrill who has published seven books on Ishi, the last surviving member of the California Native American Yahi tribe spoke with park visitors about his work. Ishi was discovered in 1911 in Oroville, CA and was taken to UC Berkeley where anthropologists studied him. Burrill’s newest book “Unvanquished: Ishi’s Story of Survival, Resilience, and Forgiveness” details those first four months of Ishi’s life in San Francisco from Sept. 4, 1911 to Dec. 31, 1911.
Miwok Tribal Elder, Marge Grow Eppard joined us from the 7 Generations Tribal Council in Vallejo. The 7 Generations Intertribal is a locally based nonprofit that provides cultural education, restoration and preservation of the Native American Culture through public events, and in local schools.
Peña Adobe Historical Docent Armando Perez shared with park visitors a teepee used by the Plains Indians of North America. Docent James Tunstall spoke with visitors of the “Grass Dance” performed by tribal members to bless and tamp down grass before constructing the teepee. Nearby members of the Solano Master Gardeners talked with folks about the Willis Linn Jepson Memorial Garden, while volunteer Greg Schwei led tours of the park grounds as Willis Jepson!
Children had an opportunity to make a corn husk doll, and shell necklace on a Native American pump drill while shoppers learned about Native American drums from Lakota descendant Richard Flittie. Richard Flittie began making the drums about 15 years ago, to connect with his ancestral culture via the Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
Just under 100 visitors braved the heat to chat with 5th generation Peña descendant Darlene Coombs Steward and Native Americans of Yaqui, Chiricahua Apache, Wintun, Lakota and Miwok descent!