Noli Indian School on the Soboba Indian Reservation hosted its 16th annual Gathering of the People on Friday, April 7, the last day of school before spring break. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there was bird singing, horseshoe games, raffles, dancing and lots of fun activities facilitated by members of the Associated Student Body. Everyone was treated to a delicious lunch of chicken, chili meat, hot dogs, hamburgers, frybread and more, grilled and served by staff members.

Noli’s Culture Department Coordinator/Instructor Tashina Ornelas coordinated the event with assistance from the senior class. She said, “The significance of the Gathering of the People is to invite everyone to be together. These are our stories, our people; all are represented here today.”

That was evident in the featured appearances by the Luiseño Singers/Pechanga, led by Robert Villalobos; Ashaatakook Singers/Kumeyaay, led by Ral Christman; Avélaka Fancy Shawl Dancers, led by Tekla Diaz; TM Birdsingers/Desert Cahuilla, led by Derek Duro; and the Inter-tribal Birdsingers, led by Wayne Nelson.

Ornelas said the gathering is also very educational as students are involved with every part of it. She said reaching out to invite the different groups provides them with firsthand experience in public relations and helps them build relationships with the singers and their families.

Three ramadas that provided shade to elders, preschoolers and other guests, were built by Noli culture students with help from members of the Soboba Public Works Department who sourced the materials for them and helped guide them in the construction.

ASB President Luisa Rivera introduced various games for youths of all ages to participate in. One involved having a balloon tied around one ankle with the goal of popping someone else’s balloon while making sure yours stayed intact. After a lot of running and laughing, the game was won by 12-year-old Kolókolomay Temanxwanvish.

A watermelon eating contest pitted 15 contestants against each other and Nicholas Fernandez, 9, finished his quarter melon wedge first amid loud cheering from the crowd. A tug-of-war with boys vs. girls was won by the guys but not easily, as the girls put up a good fight.

Soboba Tribal member Tekla Diaz teaches a Fancy Shawl dance class and her students shared their skills at the event. Diaz currently has about 20 students of all ages. She said her youngest is three and her oldest is 15.

“Dancers create their own individual style, their own way to carry themselves when dancing,” Diaz said. “Some dance gracefully and others dance aggressively.”

She said her dancers have appeared at powwows and schools when invited. Each dancer’s regalia is personalized with color and design choices, further giving them each an opportunity to put their own stamp on their performances.

Sisters Shania and Avellaka Guacheno were making their first public appearance. Their mother, Stephanie Guacheno, said she used to dance herself and her daughters have always been interested. Both joined Diaz’s class about a year ago.

All the dancers came out for a Grand Entry followed by a presentation of different dance styles including a straight step. The finale was a Round Dance where guests were invited to join hands with the dancers in a large circle as they stepped in a clockwise fashion to the music. This culminated in everyone moving toward each other to close the circle and become one.

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Noli Indian School Culture teacher Tashina Miranda Ornelas is thankful that she has been able to expand her high school students’ lessons to include sharing what they learn with Soboba Tribal Preschool students. Teaching them how to teach others is a life lesson as much as it is a classroom lesson. The Beading Club she facilitates has also allowed students to take the lead and share a particular design or technique with others.

This year, kindergarten boys were given the opportunity to create their own rattles to use during bird songs at the upcoming Noli Indian School Gathering of the People, Soboba’s Fiesta and other social events. Nate Arviso and Fred Miranda from Soboba’s Canyon Crew worked with the boys to fill their hollowed-out and painted gourds with shelled palm tree seeds, up to 60 for each rattle. Five girls got to make mini baskets with help from Ornelas, kindergarten teacher Sierra Vivanco and Noli students Tatianna Briones, Sienna Goff and Ciara Ramos.

Each girl chose a basket start and was taught how to weave strands of different colors to make a traditional Round Reed basket using an over under technique. They were taught about the tradition of always gifting the first of any item they make. One five-year-old said she planned to give it to her grandmother, while another gifted hers to Vivanco.

They learned that the baskets were used for utilitarian purposes by their ancestors and making them improved dexterity, which is super important.

Arviso and Miranda picked the seeds from the palm trees and fashioned handles from oak, sycamore and other trees that grow on the Soboba Indian Reservation.

All students were being taught important age-appropriate lessons throughout such as counting, fine motor skills and the boys learned about motion, rhythm, timing and more once the rattles were completed. They also got to explore color when allowed to paint the gourds any way they wanted.

In the past, girls from Ornelas’ culture class have made bird skirts for the kindergarten girls and both groups are always excited on delivery day to see the colorful and festive designs that were created. This year was no exception.

This year’s fabric was provided by preschool funding and donations by Soboba Tribal Member Antonia Briones-Venegas. Colors were chosen by the preschool girls and patterns were selected by Ornelas. Noli students worked on the bird skirts before delivering them on April 27 so they would have plenty of time to get used to them before they would be joining bird singers at upcoming events.

Junior Faith Vega made five skirts and said the biggest challenge was keeping the ribbon straight as it was sewed around the bottom of the skirt.

Tatianna “Roo” Briones made about nine skirts this year and Iyana Briones made about six.

“I like all of them so far,” Iyana said.

Some Noli students also helped construct three ramadas that were built for the Gathering on May 19 and the Soboba Fiesta, May 21.

Noli’s annual Gathering of the People was full of activities for all to enjoy. There were art projects such as print making, rock painting (using rocks collected from the riverbed by the Canyon Crew), beading and basket weaving.

Preschoolers were given a non-student day so they could attend the event with their family members if they chose to do so. All staff and students from Noli were on hand to enjoy a day of socialization with games and great food.

Snapper Contreras and Aaron Malone, both from Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, offered bird songs throughout the festivities after Contreras’ blessing started the event at 10 a.m.

ASB activities such tug-of-war, water balloon toss, potato sack race and horseshoes brought out lots of laughter and friendly competition. ASB Vice-President and sophomore Luisa Rivera, led the various games, demonstrating some great leadership skills.

Another very important tradition was carried out by Ornelas at the Noli Gathering with the support of Noli administration and Noli School Board to honor this year’s valedictorian, Lanise Luna-Trujillo.

“On behalf of my husband Christopher Ortiz (Los Coyotes), myself Tashina Miranda Ornelas (Pechanga) and my three children who attend the school, Daigan Cyhan (Pechanga), Avalina Magante-Ortiz (Los Coyotes) and Kolókolomay Témanxwanvish (Los Coyotes), we honored Lanise with an Eagle Feather from our family to her and her family for all her cultural accomplishments and consistent academic endeavors. We wanted to recognize her publicly and honor her with this gift,” Ornelas said. “It was such a rewarding day for all of those in attendance. Such a blessing.”

Other traditions for students included an in-person prom on Friday, May 20, where Lanise Luna-Trujillo, from Pala, was crowned Prom Queen and Prom King honors went to Michael Briones, from Soboba. Noli’s eighth-grade promotion ceremony is on May 31 and high school graduation on June 1.

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