And at the 2018 Dragonfly Gala, the Dragonfly Award goes to ...

We'll be honored and thrilled this Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, at our Dragonfly Gala to present the 2018 Dragonfly Award for soaring achievements in saving and sharing Native American cultures to BILL MADRIGAL Sr. AND HIS FAMILY.
Please reserve your spot now, 951.849.7736, or email eandjsiva@gmail.com, so we can make sure we have enough of Daniel McCarthy's delicious BBQ dinner to serve everyone. The gala will be at Morongo Community Center.

Here is what they wrote about themselves!
"Bill and Monica are of Cahuilla and Luiseño ancestry from local reservation communities. They home-schooled and raised their children William Jr., Menil, Andrew, Kateri, Starla, Nesune, Noel, Avelaka, and Tishmal in their faith and traditions on the Cahuilla Indian reservation.
All their lives they visited with the elders to learn our culture, bird songs, stories, basket making, foods, and languages.
They have formed a traditional Bird-singing/dance group and also teach what they have learned to all our people and those who want to learn in the local area.
They have been teaching on the local reservations and presenting at schools, colleges and Universities for many years.
Their grown children have also been active in cultural teaching and giving presentations on our culture as well.
It is with great honor and love of our brothers and sisters to share the gifts of our elders that come from our Creator with all our native family!
Umon Chemingkim All our relatives!
Nesun Achama!"

Time to Celebrate!

Dragonfly Gala!

It's almost time for the Dragonfly Gala! Yes, our wonderful gathering to celebrate Southern California's Native American cultures is scheduled Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013.

The food is always a fabulous feast, but this year, it will be even more fabulous. Look who's in the kitchen!

Deborah Small Photo

Yes, it's the famed Chia Cafe group led by Daniel McCarthy. They'll offer a sumptious bounty, and some tastes of Native foods, too. Don't miss.

Daniel McCarthy will have to come out of the kitchen at some point because he's also receiving this year's Dragonfly Award for his soaring achievements in saving and sharing Southern California's Native American cultures.

This year's theme is Heritage Keepers, important to Dorothy Ramon Learning Center since 1993, when we began saving and sharing cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts. It's our 10-year birthday, but we'll also pay tribute to the City of Banning, which is celebrating its 100th birthday. We'll have some special 1800s music.

And of course we'll also have our wonderful, timeless bird singing and dancing, and Native American flute music, too, from our own Dragonfly Winds Ensemble flute class that meets monthly at the Center. 

Don't miss:
• Cultural exhibits highlighting our Native American heritage
• Our famed silent auction
• Special live auction
• Much, much more!

DETAILS:
WHO: Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center's work to save and share Native American traditional cultures.
WHERE: Morongo Community Center, 13000 Malki Road (formerly Fields Road), Morongo Reservation
WHEN: Aug. 10. Reserve your spot now!

TICKETS: $40 each. Tables: $1,000, $2,000, or $3,000.
TO RSVP : CALL US, 951.849.7736 or, 951.849.4676 
OR  EMAIL US. 

Visit our website to learn more about the Learning Center.

Dragonfly Gala 2010

San Manuel Tribal Color Guard © Carlos Puma

More than 300 people honored American Indian military veterans at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center’s annual Dragonfly Gala.

The event at Morongo Community Center featured poignant thanks and displays remembering American Indians who served in the U.S. military, including those who died in service.

Soboba Reservation display © Carlos Puma

American Indians began serving in the U.S. military long before they officially were recognized as U.S. citizens in 1924 and have the highest number serving of any minority.

San Manuel Reservation’s Tribal Color Guard posted the colors to begin the Aug. 14 event at Morongo Community Center.

San Manuel Tribal Color Guard © Carlos Puma

Pedro “Pete” Molina, California assistant secretary for Native American Veterans Affairs, led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Acting California Veterans Affairs Secretary Rocky Chavez thanked and honored American Indian military veterans. Displays included Soboba Reservation’s wall of photos, the faces of the many tribal members who served in the U.S. military, and Morongo Reservation’s more than 80 names of those on its veterans memorial.

Most military veterans present gathered for applause from the crowd.

Some military veterans at the Gala © Carlos Puma

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, a nonprofit that saves and shares Southern California American Indian cultures, gave this year’s Dragonfly Award to all military veterans.

Ernest Siva with Morongo Tribal Chairman Robert Martin & Dragonfly Award © Carlos Puma

Morongo Tribal Chairman Robert Martin accepted the award, which will be housed at Morongo. The Dragonfly Award will be available to travel to ceremonies or events honoring military veterans, Dorothy Ramon Learning Center President Ernest Siva said.

Author Marlowe Churchill signs history book © Carlos Puma

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center is renovating two buildings and two lots at the corner of San Gorgonio Avenue and Hays Street into a Center for saving and sharing American Indian cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts.

Dancing to traditional bird songs at the Gala. © Carlos Puma

The Center supports tribal work to save and revive cultural knowledge and welcomes and teaches the general public about Southern California American Indians. All proceeds from the annual Dragonfly Gala go to the nonprofit’s work.

Getting ready to dance to traditional bird songs. © Carlos Puma

Little Eagle Free honors Ernest Siva, gives scholarships

Little Eagle Free, Inc., a nonprofit corporation that raises money for college scholarships for Indian students, presented Ernest Siva with their 2009 Eagle Feather Award, which honors academic accomplishments and community service. The award was presented at the organizations annual scholarship award ceremony and fund-raiser at Knotts Berry Farm Hotel in Buena Park.

The award was presented by Frances Knott, President, Bruce Sunrise, Vice President, and Fred Curtis, Board Member. They cited Ernest’s academic accomplishments, Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education and Choral Music from USC, his teaching career in public schools and at UCLA, his contributions as Artistic Director of the Pass Chorale and Orchestra, and his role as founder and President of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center.

The organization presents this award annually to an American Indian who can serve as a role model to the students they serve.

The organization and their Scholarship Partners, Blue Sky Children’s Foundation, The Knott Family, Native American Institute, Wilson W. Phelps Foundation, Ray W. and Barbara Schumaker, and Kari Schumaker, raise funds strictly from private sources. At this event, they presented more than $54 thousand in scholarships to 31 students attending colleges in California. Both undergraduate and graduate students received scholarships. One recipient, Vince Whipple, now pursuing a doctorate, plans an academic career. He was a student in Ernest Siva’s UCLA class, and said that Ernest was a role model for him.

Student awardees were from Navajo and Hopi reservations in Arizona and several California reservations. All students gave short speeches expressing their thanks for the support provided bye Little Eagle Free, Inc.

More information about this wonderful organization, including how to apply for scholarships, can be found at www.littleeaglefree.org.

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.

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!

Dragonfly Gala 2009

Our theme this year for our Dragonfly Gala will be Indian cowboys.

Details:

WHEN:

Aug. 8, 2009, starting around 4 p.m.

WHERE: 

Morongo Community Center, Morongo Reservation.

WHAT: 

Celebrate Southern California American Indian cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts. 

FEATURES:

• Cultural displays and demonstrations.

• Indian Cowboy Photo Art Exhibit.

• Great Food!

• Traditional Singing and Dancing.

• Famed Silent Auction.

• Dragonfly Award.

• Community Gathering to support the 501(c)(3) activities of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center.

YOU'RE INVITED!

Lasso the date on your calendar.

We'll be sending out invitations soon, so make sure you're on our mailing list.

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

Big Honors

Ernest Siva, the president and founder of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, will receive an honorary doctorate from California State University, San Bernardino, at the university's June commencement ceremony, according to university officials. Read about it here.

A conference for Indian education

Sunday, March 29-Tuesday, March 31 will find us in Palm Springs.

It's time for the 38th annual California Conference on American Indian Education.

This year's theme is Building Success through Tradition and Education.

Our President and Founder, Ernest Siva, will be speaking and sharing at the conference.

So will a host of other interesting and inspiring people.

The schedule is here. 

Hope to see you there!

And The Winner Is ...

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center won the Grand Prize this year in the Banning Stagecoach Days Merchant Spirit Contest ...
The theme was "Old West" and our exhibits, including the replica Indian Village led by Jacque Nunez, offered the theme, "The Really Old West."

We're thrilled to receive this recognition for our hands-on exhibits that save and share our Southern California Indian cultures.

Last year, the first year we entered, we won first place in the small merchants' category for our window displays, a historic exhibit on Indian cowboys.

Here June and Ernest Siva display our prize plaque from the contest sponsors, led by the Banning Cultural Alliance.

Honors for Culture Bearers

Photo by Douglas Park

Ernest Siva, president of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, has been honored with a statewide award for his work in saving and sharing Southern California's American Indian cultures, languages, history, music, and other traditional arts.

In ceremonies this morning at the ninth annual "For All My Relations: Conference for Indian Families," the California Indian Museum & Cultural Center gave Mr. Siva the inaugural "Cultural Guardian" award. 

Further, San Manuel chairman James Ramos, also a charter member of the Board of Directors of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, was honored with a "Leadership in Action" award at the same ceremony!

(James is pictured here cooking yucca blossoms at San Manuel's annual yucca harvest. Photo by Pat Murkland.)

Our friend William Madrigal received an "Emerging Leader" award.

The Museum Board said: "We congratulate and commend the hard work and dedication of these gentlemen as they pursue their goals in the advancement and safeguarding of California tribal families, communities, histories, and cultures."

Congratulations! — P.M.