Walk the Walk! on May 3

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center will showcase free family fun that includes Native American songs, stories and flute music on Saturday, May 3, 2014, and also will host a benefit art show featuring “Visions of Prehistoric Rock Art.”

Free fun

The free music, storytelling, crafts for kids, and more from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Center’s San Manuel Gathering Hall, 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., are part of Saturday’s Art Walk and Art in thePark events along San Gorgonio Avenue, Banning. Explore Banning's Art District at the Center and at the Banning Art Gallery, Bells Studio, and shops along San Gorgonio Avenue.

Join our Dragonfly Wind Flute Ensemble and Center Leader Ernest Siva for Native American songs and stories. Free!

Our nonprofit Center, which saves and shares Southern California’s Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts, also will offer a benefit art show,  “Visions of Prehistoric Rock Art,” featuring artist Charles La Monk.

Discover Prehistoric Art
La Monk explored out-of-the-way and obscure locations to discover prehistoric rock art. He shared his discoveries through his own art. He used eroded sand and rock and applied it over a white lead base to simulate rock. He then used a frayed deer-hide brush to reproduce the strokes and dots of ancient rock artists in his renderings of the prehistoric rock art. The nonprofit Center and California State University, San Bernardino, are selling La Monk’s works to benefit our Center’s work to save and share Southern California Native American cultures and to support the university’s internship programs, which also serve the Learning Center.

For more information: (951) 849-7736.

Art & Flutes

Art of Native Landscapes

Along with our Storytelling fest at the Banning downtown art festival, we're featuring exciting art by area artists. Come enjoy!

Connect With The Landscape

UPDATE: Due to an injury, we are sad to announce we are postponing this workshop. We'll let you know when it's rescheduled.

 Dorothy Ramon Learning Center plans a two-day workshop in the Banning area on April 27-28 that will help artists connect with San Gorgonio Pass native landscapes through the paintbrush — and through Native American cultures.

Plein-air artist Terry d. Chacon (Pat Murkland Photo)

In the first part of the workshop, Center President Ernest Siva (Cahuilla/Serrano) of Banning will share traditional area Native American cultural songs and stories. Daniel McCarthy, an archaeologist knowledgable in native plant uses, will share the Native Americans' many uses of local native plants for foods, medicines, tools, and more, and lead a short tour of the landscape. 

Then Terry d. Chacon of Redlands, a national award-winning artist, will take over and lead a plein-air workshop, painting with oils outside on location in natural light.

Proceeds from the $100 workshop will benefit the nonprofit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center's work to save and share Southern California Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts, according to organizers. Class space is limited; to enroll call the Center, 951.849.7736. Information: www.dorothyramon.blogspot.com.

Come to the Hall

A wreath filled with Native American pottery ornaments hangs in our Gathering Hall, awaiting Saturday's downtown Phineas Festival and Christmas-tree lighting. Join Dorothy Ramon Learning Center during the festival at the San Manuel Serrano Band of Mission Indians Gathering Hall at 127 North San Gorgonio Avenue. The festival runs from 3-8 p.m. and offers lots of free family fun. At the Center's Hall, you'll find flute and other music and arts. See you soon!

Art Hop Springing Into View

Time to start thinking about the Art Hop, Banning's annual downtown cross-cultural arts event. This year it's May 1. But we're celebrating cultural arts the whole weekend!

A few of our planned activities:

American Indian Music Workshops

Flute-Making Workshop, April 30, May 1 & 2

Make a beautiful wooden six-holed Plains-style Native American flute in a 3-day workshop with master flute-maker Marvin Yazzie, Navajo, and his wife, Jonette. Learn the basics of playing with Ernest Siva. Discover the music of the First People of Southern California. Limited to 10. $300.

Pre-register siva@dishmail.net, 951.849.4676.

Art Hop Workshops, May 1

• Clappersticks

Chumash culture bearers Georgiana Sanchez and her family will teach how to make this ancient wooden musical instrument, then share and teach songs and stories important to the Chumash people. Decorate a clapperstick to take home. Sessions limited to 15 people. $20. Pre-register siva@dishmail.net, 951.849.4676

• Rattles for kids

Kids can learn how to make a tin-can rattle and about appropriate use. FREE as long as supplies last!

Discover The Center at Hays & San Gorgonio, Banning

OPEN HOUSE! Help Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,

Save & Share Southern California’s cultures, history, languages, & traditional arts.

Art and Humor on Nov. 16

By Gerald Clarke, Jr. for Dorothy Ramon Learning Center

Our next Dragonfly Lecture features Gerald Clarke Jr. of Cahuilla Reservation.

His art often explores what it means to be Cahuilla in the modern-day world.

Sometimes it's performance art, sometimes it's sculptures made from melted-down faucets, or paintings, or any medium you can think of (and some media you probably WON'T think of).

Gerald Clarke has been a practicing artist for close to 20 years. He has exhibited his art nationally and internationally.

In 1997, he was one of five Native artists chosen to exhibit at the Heard Museum's Seventh Invitational Exhibition.

In 2007, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis awarded Gerald with a Native Artist Fellowship Award, and this year he was nominated for a Joan Mitchell Award. Gerald's work spans painting, sculpture, installation and performance.

In his own words he refers to his medium as "kitchen sink- anything and everything I can use to convey thoughts and feelings."

Gerald will discuss his development as an artist and his beliefs on how art can engage society.

Gerald also suggests that the audience be prepared for the unexpected!

DETAILS

6 p.m. Nov. 16

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center

17 W. Hays, Banning

Donations at the door help our Nonprofit save and share Southern California's Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts.

Read more about Gerald Clarke's life here.

Gala, Gala, Gala

The Gala is this coming Saturday!

Planned Displays and Demonstrations at Dragonfly Gala 2009 include:

• Indian Cowboy history, Pechanga Cultural Resources, Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.

• Indian Cowboy history, the Morongo Roundups, Dorothy Ramon Learning Center.

• Cahuilla Cowboy history, Dawn Wellman, curator of award-winning exhibit at Agua Caliente Cultural Museum.

• Rodeos at Sherman Indian Boarding School, Lori Sisquoc.

• Indian Cowboy history, Gabrielino Indians, Barbara Drake.

• 1800s Gadget Guessing Game, Gilman Historic Ranch and Wagon Museum.

• Yucca and dogbane cord making demonstration, William Pink.

• Art exhibit, Indian cowboys, including works by Gerald Clarke, Jr.; Robert Freeman; Billy Soza Warsoldier.

• Photo exhibit: Modern-Day Indian Cowboys, by Carlos Puma, Puma Images.

Add the silent auction, Dragonfly Award, Community gathering, traditional singing and dancing and some flute music, and all we have to say, is: still time to RSVP if you haven't yet.

Details here.

We thank our gala sponsor, San Manuel Band of Serrano Indians.

At Your Bidding

More items for the Dragonfly Gala's Silent Auction on Aug. 8:

Small Basket.

Maricopa Olla. 

Big Dragonfly Plate (aerial view).

Please join us! Details are HERE.

All proceeds will help Dorothy Ramon Learning Center save and share Southern California's Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts.

We thank San Manuel Band of Serrano Indians, our major gala 2009 sponsor.

Dr. Ernest Siva

With the Arts Dean before the ceremony © Pat Murkland

In ceremonies Saturday at California State University, San Bernardino, 

Ernest H. Siva was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.

He told the crowd he was guided by two family leaders:

Francisco Morongo, who told the People in the early 1900s that they should learn the new ways of their Younger Brothers to adapt and cope with the changing world. At the same time, the leader said, never forget your culture: your language, your stories, and your songs, for these are what and who you are. 

Otherwise, he said, you will become Lost People. Your roots will be like those of shallow grass instead of those of a mighty oak. 

Those words, Ernest Siva said, have guided him throughout his life.

The second person was his mother, who encouraged him and his sister to pursue higher education. Both did. (Ernest Siva received bachelor's and master's degrees from USC.)

Ernest Siva remembered, his mother would say, "Are you going to be a Bruin or a Trojan?" 

(This was before Cal State San Bernardino was an option, he noted.)

"Today, I'm a Coyote!" he said, the crowd applauding him.

And a happy one!

Her Own Brand of Quilting

© 2008 Carlos Puma Photo for Dorothy Ramon Learning Center

At the tiny, not-yet-renovated space in downtown Banning where Dorothy Ramon Learning Center holds its events, all visitors immediately see a beautiful art quilt.

This quilt exudes creative energy. 

It was a gift from the artist, JoJo Martin of Morongo Reservation.

She gave the Learning Center this stunning quilt at the 2008 Dragonfly Gala.

We are thankful each and every time we look at this quilt with its uplifting artwork.

The focal center of the design is an image of Dorothy Ramon, the namesake of the Learning Center. She is surrounded by vibrant dragonflies. Their wings glisten in the light. The fabric colors and quilting create a feeling of movement. 

On each side are phrases in Serrano, including Wayta' Yawa', which means, Always Believe.

(This is the title of the book written by Dorothy Ramon with linguist Eric Elliott, in which she saved and shared the Serrano language and culture.)

At our 2009 Dragonfly Gala on Aug. 8, we again will display this quilt, sharing its beauty and joy.

Come see it.

We'll also display JoJo Martin's brand.

Brand of clothing?

Brand of quilts?

No.

This year's Gala celebrates Indian cowboys.

© Pat Murkland Photo

We'll share Ms. Martin's cattle brand (above), along with displays of other American Indian cowboy brands.

As Dorothy Ramon said at the end of her stories, and as the quilt says, 'Ama' 'Ayee'.

That's all.

Art Hopping

The Art Hop in downtown Banning was a great success. Our workshops with traditional Native American music instruments were fun and informative. Read about the entire event here.

Make Music at the Art Hop

Scene from 2008 free tin-can rattle workshop,

Photo by Pat Murkland

UPDATED APRIL 9

Banning's annual Art Hop will be here April 25. Many events are free or affordable and family-friendly. Check out the 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. calendar chock full of activities at the Banning Cultural Alliance, the lead sponsor.

Last year more than 3,000 people celebrated a day of amazing cross-cultural arts events in downtown Banning, and Dorothy Ramon Learning Center was indeed in the Center of it all.

This year, we again are offering special events that save and share Southern California's American Indian music and other arts. We are proud to announce that Banning Unified School District's American Indian Education Program will co-sponsor our Art Hop workshops:

In the A.M.

CLAPPERSTICKS with Georgiana Sanchez and including family members Sue and Ray Diaz, and Patricia Estrada, Chumash culture bearers.

Limited to 15 people. $20 per person; all proceeds benefit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn about these traditional rhythm instruments that accompany song and dance. When struck against the palm, we hear a clacking, clapping sound. Decorate a bamboo clapperstick to take home with designs possibly from traditional stories or baskets. Learn about Chumash culture from traditional culture bearers. Share in a songfest and learn fun and easy songs to sing while you play your clapperstick. Some interesting kelp seaweed rattles and other unique music instruments will be on display.  Make sure you get in; pre-registration encouraged, siva@dishmail.net. We encourage teachers and parents to participate in this workshop purposely kept small. 

Don't miss their FREE onstage performance scheduled for 1 p.m. Here they are last year, with fellow singer June Siva (in Trojan red). Photo by Pat Murkland.

TIN CAN RATTLES FOR KIDS. FREE!

Kids learn how to make a tin-can rattle to take home and learn about the rattle's appropriate use in Southern California music. Presenters: Banning schools Indian Club members.

In the AFTERNOON.

GOURD RATTLE WORKSHOP with Gerald Clarke Jr., Cahuilla artist. 

Bird songs and other traditional music are accompanied by these beautiful-sounding instruments made from gourds. Learn how to make one to take home, while also learning the respectful use of the rattle accompanying traditional music. $30. Enrollment limited. Pre-registration encouraged, siva@dishmail.net. For teens and adults. Proceeds will benefit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center.

Gerald Clarke, Jr. teaching the 2008 workshop

Photo by Pat Murkland

Meanwhile, our annual NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE WORKSHOP with Marvin and Jonette Yazzie will run a three-day weekend, from April 24-26. 

In this workshop starting at 9 a.m. Friday, each student will construct and decorate a six-hole wooden flute under the guidance of Marvin Yazzie, experienced Navajo flute maker, and his wife, Jonette. Students will also learn some history of flutes as well as the care and handling of their newly created instrument. During the course, ethnomusicologist Ernest Siva, president and founder of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, will teach the basics of flute playing and each student will receive a copy of Voices of the Flute book and CD (Ushkana Press). You do need to sign up ahead of time, enrollment is already filling fast. The price is $300. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Learning Center.

Click here to see scenes from the Yazzies' similar flute class at Idyllwild Arts.

All events will be at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 17 West Hays, Banning.

Watch for more events, we're going to be adding some free family fun!