In preparation for the event, the youth spent the morning of May 21 placing flags on the graves of more than 50 veterans who are buried there. Because of the uncertainty if the annual event would be able to be held amid the coronavirus crisis, last minute cleaning and maintenance was entrusted to the Soboba Public Works Department. In past years, the youth have cleaned at the time they place flags.

Roo Briones said it’s important to her to participate in these activities because the future is up to all youth and they need to learn what to do and how to do it.

“It is good for the tribe to recognize our veterans for their contributions,” said Roo, 14.

Leah Lopez said that many veterans got injured or died in the process of serving our country and she feels it is a good thing that the tribe honors them.

Soboba Youth Council Co-coordinator Andy Silvas is also director of Soboba Parks and Recreation. His department and members of the Soboba Fire Department were at the cemetery to help youth locate the veterans’ graves and make sure the flags were secure at each one.

“This event is about those who have fallen in service to our country to secure the freedoms we have today,” Silvas said. “We can’t forget them.”

Prior to the Soboba Youth Council taking over the annual project about four years ago, Soboba Elder Marian Chacon said she and her family and friends volunteered their time to do it. She attended a youth council meeting about four years ago and suggested they take it over.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of our youth,” Chacon said. “My mom and aunt started this many years ago and I used to help them. When they passed, I continued to do it on my own for about 10 or 15 years. I’m so glad the youth council is doing such a great job with it.”

Jeremiah Ramos was proud to personally place flags on his grandfathers’ graves – one who fought in World War I and the other in WWII. He said honoring the veterans with flags and the ceremony on Memorial Day shows the love and respect for veterans that they deserve.

“Our veterans need to be noticed for what they did in protecting our country,” said Iyana Briones, who has been the youth council’s chairwoman for three years. “They stood up for us and some gave their lives for us, so we need to show we care and that we noticed.”

About 50 people assembled around the stone and granite Veteran’s Memorial at the north end of the cemetery on May 25. The Rev. Earl Henley of St. Joseph Mission at Soboba offered prayers for the veterans, our nation and all its citizens.

A memorial roll call of veteran tribal veterans and non-tribal veterans buried at Soboba Cemetery was read by youth council members Roo Briones and Emma Organ. After the 15-minute ceremony, guests were invited to a drive-through brunch at the Sports Complex hosted by Soboba Youth Council. To-go boxes were filled and taken to each vehicle that arrived at the east side of the gymnasium.

In memory and honor of those who served:

Soboba Tribal Veterans

U.S. Air Force: Louis Vivanco

U.S. Women’s Air Force: Gloria Cozart, Jessie M. Gilmore

U.S. Army: M.J. Apapas, Daniel Arres, Leonard Arrietta, Ralph C. Arrietta, Robert Arrietta, Robert Bentiste, Peter F. Castello, Benny C. Helms Sr., Reginald P. Helms, Romaldo A. Helms, Martin Hurtado, Joe John Lala, Tiefielo F. Lugo, Danny Navarro, David Navarro, Ernest Salgado Sr., Albert Silvas, Allynn Silvas, Daniel Silvas, Frank “Chico” Silvas, Joe “Jody” Silvas, Eloy Soza, Frank Soza

U.S. Marine Corps: Larry C. Boniface, Paul Boniface, Paul A. Resvaloso, Prudencio Resvaloso, William P.  Soza, John V. Valdez, Carmel P. Valenzuella

U.S. Navy: Norbit Arres, Theodore P. Arres, Marcus E. Mojado, Michael Soza

Non-Tribal Veterans

U.S. Air Force: Bruce Cozart, Philip Rodriguez, James Walker

U.S. Army: Eugene Arenas, Miguel Briones, Refugio R. Garcia Jr., Orvin D. Gilmore, Ben Largo, Arthur R. Lopez Sr., Mariano S. Largo, Leonard Lubo, Senon Lubo, Richard Macy, Peter O. Morillo, Pio Morillo, James P. Navarro, Mariano Tortez

U.S. Navy: Foster Hurtado Sr., Andrew Jackson, Fred Miranda Sr.

The post Soboba Veterans Honored appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The Soboba Tribal TANF Program (STTP) offers its members many opportunities to learn and improve in school and in life. The program focuses on cultural education and preservation, career development, prevention activities and support services. At the Prevention Resource Center on the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Reservation, classes are offered all year long and many of those that are part of the program’s Cultural Education and Preservation component have proven to be extremely popular. Regular classes are also held at sites in Riverside and the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation.

Regional Prevention Manager Harold Arres and Program Specialist II Olga Gomez Munoz, both at the PRC site, said youth and families were especially excited and showed high levels of interest in the cultural classes offered during the last few months of 2019.   “We held a gourd painting class which was especially fun for the families from our Cahuilla site. Adults, youth and children painted masterpieces including Christmas designs, comic book characters and some artistic native patterns among their designs,” Gomez Munoz said. “Many families and youth came together for our Pine Needle Pendant class. The youth were excited to make their first pine needle pendant and put thought into who they would be gifting their first creation to as the tradition holds.”

A traditional beaded earring making class, led by Mercedes Estrada from the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, was a huge success and brought families closer as a unit and closer to the culture. One of the younger participants completed a full set of earrings and showed pride in her work.

“Due to the high success and interest in learning to bead jewelry, we invited Mercedes back to host a Christmas ornament beading class,” Gomez Munoz said. “This class was a fun way to bring native cultural traditions and incorporate them into our modern family traditions.”

Another cultural class that participants enjoyed and were excited to participate in was a Clay Pot Making class. This three-part series led by instructor and Native art consultant, Tony Soares, began with youth gathering clay from the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians land and clay from the mountains of Bautista Creek. Youth learned to find, identify and gather clay rocks and soften and process the clay. For the second class, youth and their families were invited to learn how to make clay pots with Soares, who has been making pots for 40 years.

“We dug the clay in its dry form,” explained Soares. “I showed them two different methods of processing: the old way of grinding it into a powder on a metate with a mano, and a water levigation method which is much easier. Then, when the clay was ready, I wedged it and the students made pottery out of it.”

Gomez Munoz said the youth and their families were eager to get their hands dirty. She said: “Not only did this class bring out the cultural aspect of clay pot making, but it was rewarding to see how it brought the family dynamic together.”

The final class in the series showed how to fire the dried pots. A huge bonfire was set up at The Oaks and everyone was excited to see their final product and pottery come to life and were happy to have been part of the process.

“We preheated the pots slowly to about 500 degrees around the fire and then put them on top of firewood in the fire pit, covered the pots with wood and cow chips and let them burn for a few hours,” Soares said. “The wood brings the temperature up to about 1,800 degrees which fires the pots so they will never turn back into clay. The particles vitrify like glass. The different temperatures, oxygen, carbon and minerals in the clay is what makes the different colors.”

Gomez Munoz said the STTP’s tutoring program for native youth in grades K-12 (Youth Educational Success Services – Y.E.S.S.) is scheduled to resume on Jan. 13 at the Cahuilla site and Jan. 21 at Soboba. GED preparation classes are held at the Soboba site every Monday and Thursday.

TANF Tribal Teen Nights will continue throughout the year focusing on cultural classes and presentations, leadership, team building and activities that promote higher education along with other fun-packed plans.

The annual Girl Power Conference, in collaboration with the San Jacinto Unified School District and local businesses and organizations, is aimed at empowering sixth- and seventh-grade girls. TANF members will be participating in the March 14 event.

April will find members attending the 14^th annual Dream the Impossible Native Youth Conference (DIT) in collaboration with surrounding tribes’ TANF and youth programs. This year’s event will be at California State University, Long Beach for Native youth ages 13-19.

Each summer, STTP coordinates its WE LEAD (Work Experience through Leadership, Education, Acquirement & Desire) youth internship program. Recruitment starts in early March for Native youth ages 14-21. Work experience begins June 22. Its Summer Youth Academy offers various cultural, educational, team building and health and wellness activities and outings for youth ages 12-19. Soares led an arrow making class which had a large turnout during the 2019 Summer Youth Academy.

July’s annual UNITY Conference will be held in Washington, DC and youth who meet the program requirements will be invited to attend. In collaboration with surrounding tribes’ TANF and youth programs, STTP will be hosting its annual camping trip in late July.

In November, eligible youth will be invited to attend the 2020 National Conference of American Indians (NCAI), a convention and marketplace to be held in Portland, Oregon this year.

Information, http://sobobatanf.org/

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Search: Soboba Tribal Tanf

The post SOBOBA TRIBAL TANF LOOKS TO A BUSY 2020 appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.