The San Manuel Band of Missions Indians hosted Yurok Tribe dancers from Northern California Saturday, March 26, on tribal land near Highland for the Yaamava’ Spring Celebration.
With Yaamava’, or spring in the tribe’s traditional Serrano Indian language, in full swing, the time is now for the San Manuel tribal community to extend hospitality to other indigenous communities, a news release states.
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, tosses walnuts as he plays a traditional gambling dice game at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Manuel Arzate, of the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation, demonstrates a Serrano pump drill at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, left, reacts while playing a traditional gambling dice game with ethnobotanist Willie Pink, of the Agua Caliente Cupeno, at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Lauren Manzano, left, rests her head on San Manuel Band of Mission Indians tribal elder Rowena Ramos, also the mother of Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, as they watch people play traditional games at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Tribal members sing and dance to a traditional Native American bird song during a gathering at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Ivan Musick, 1, of the Soboba Indian Reservation, shakes a gourd rattle as tribal members perform a traditional Native American bird song at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, right, holds wooden sticks as he play a traditional gambling dice game with ethnobotanist Willie Pink, of the Agua Caliente Cupeno, at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, right, reacts while playing a traditional gambling dice game at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, second from left, sings a traditional Native American bird song with other tribal members during a gathering at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, sings a traditional Native American bird song with other tribal members during a gathering at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, sings a traditional Native American bird song with other tribal members during a gathering at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, right, holds wooden sticks as he play a traditional gambling dice game with ethnobotanist Willie Pink, of the Agua Caliente Cupeno, at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Ethnobotanist Willie Pink, of the Agua Caliente Cupeno, plays a traditional acorn game at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Wayne Neilson, of Soboba Indian Reservation, leads a traditional Native American bird song at San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, left, plays a traditional gambling dice game as his mother, Rowena Ramos, watches at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Assembly Member James Ramos, D-Highland, right, reacts while playing a traditional gambling dice game with ethnobotanist Willie Pink, of the Agua Caliente Cupeno, at the San Manuel Community Center near Highland on Saturday, March 26, 2022. Members of Indigenous communities participated in a Yaamava’ spring celebration of culture hosted by the San Manuel Band of Missions Indians. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Saturday saw the exchange of traditions and culture and a shared connection to the land and its seasons.
The celebration featured cultural awareness discussions led by Assemblyman James Ramos, D-Highland, and included displays of native plants and performances of Southern California bird songs and Northern California brush dancers with singers and dancers in traditional regalia.
Such a gathering of tribes “affirms the significance of Native American culture and contributions to our communities,” San Manuel tribe officials said in the release. “Events like these allow the Tribe to share its cultural impact with others.”
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