Major Donation to the Center

San Manuel has donated $500,000 to Dorothy Ramon Learning Center's building renovation project.

Read about the donation and project here.

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.

Rock Art Rolling In

Our next Dragonfly Lecture is March 22.

Steve Freers, who drew a standing-room-only crowd last year with his lecture on prehistoric rock art, is returning for another fascinating journey into this world of ancient mystery and beauty.

At his last Dragonfly Lecture in 2009, Mr. Freers discussed the similar designs in rock art that repeat for miles around Mt. San Jacinto.

In the informal setting that encourages illuminating interchange at our Dragonfly Lectures, American Indian basketweavers discussed how prehistoric rock-art designs also appear in old baskets.

Freers also told about his research on the gender and age of the prehistoric people who left their handprints near rock artwork.

For a bit more about the sacred mountain, Ayaqaych (Mt. San Jacinto), read here.

Who is Steve Freers? Read here.

One person's review of a Steve Freers lecture here.

DETAILS on the next Dragonfly Lecture:

ROCK ART with Steve Freers

When: 6 p.m. March 22

Where: Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 17 W. Hays, Banning, CA

Donations at the door help the nonprofit Learning Center save and share Southern California's Native American cultures, languages, history, and music and other traditional arts.

Explaining a Native American rock art site:

Pinyon Pine Nuts, 2

Pinyon pines are prolific in the San Bernardino Mountains, so it should be no surprise that their pine nuts also were prized by the Serrano people.

The single-leaf pinyon is also called the piñon pine as shown in our most recent post.

The Latin name is Pinus monophylla.

The Serrano name is tuvat.

(That's according to Ernest H. Siva, Cahuilla-Serrano elder and president of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center.)

John Peabody Harrington (1918) and Ruth Benedict (1924) were among those reporting the historical methods of collecting the pinyon pine nuts for food, and for use in ceremonial and ritual activities (Lerch 2005).

Our speaker on Feb. 22, Daniel McCarthy, tribal relations manager for San Bernardino National Forest, has found prehistoric roasting ovens that were used for pine nuts.

Come to the Dragonfly Lecture to learn more from Daniel McCarthy about this fascinating tree and its traditional uses.

DETAILS:

Feb. 22, 6 p.m.

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 17 W. Hays, Banning

Donations at the door help our nonprofit save and share Southern California American Indian cultures, languages, history, music and other traditional arts.

Piñon Pine Nuts

Our first 2010 Dragonfly Lecture will take us back several thousand years or so.

Daniel McCarthy will speak about piñon pines.

Piñon pine in San Bernardino National Forest © Pat Murkland

The nuts inside the pine cones have been an important Native American food source for centuries.

Growing pine cone, San Bernardino National Forest © Pat Murkland

Closeup of nut remaining in aged cone © Pat Murkland

People often focus on the importance of the oak acorn, but the pine nut also was important to Inland Southern California's First People.

Still is.

Learn more about San Manuel Reservation's 2009 harvests, part of the tribal cultural education program, here.

Come discover more.

Our lecturer, Daniel McCarthy, an archaeologist and tribal manager for San Bernardino National Forest, has done extensive research on the native uses of plants.

DETAILS:

6 p.m. Feb. 22

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center

17 West Hays, Banning, CA

Donations at the door will help the nonprofit Learning Center save and share Southern California's American Indian cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts.

Visit with Ernest Siva

A few photos of Ernest Siva online:

Flicker portrait.

Playing flute via blog.

Here, as Dr. Ernest Siva.

Singing a blessing (scroll down to see him) at an educator's conference, where he also was honored as Elder of the Year.

Always in the news of saving and sharing Southern California's American Indian cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts. (Here, in 2008).

Tonight, Tuesday, 1/5: At the Palm Springs Library. Come enjoy Ernest Siva telling stories and singing songs.

Stories & Songs at Palm Springs

© Carlos Puma for Dorothy Ramon Learning Center

Serrano language and culture class starts today. That's at 6 p.m., Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 17 West Hays, Banning.

Ernest Siva, Cahuilla/Serrano elder and president of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, is teacher.

Yes, it's free, every first and third Monday.

If it's Tuesday, it must be Palm Springs.

Ernest Siva will sing songs and tell stories focusing on the Cahuilla and Serrano cultures.

Details:

Palm Springs Public Library Learning Center

300 South Sunrise Way, Palm Springs

6:30 p.m. 1/5/2010

Free, but seating limited

Co-sponsors: Palm Springs Public Library and Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park.

More info