The Peña Adobe Historical Society will celebrate Native American Heritage on Saturday, August 5th from 11am – 2pm.  Meet author Richard Burrill who has published seven books on Ishi, the last surviving member of the California Native American Yahi tribe.  Ishi was discovered in 1911 in Oroville, CA and was taken to UC Berkeley where anthropologists studied him.  Burrill’s newest book “Unvanquished: Ishi’s Story of Survival, Resilience, and Forgiveness” details those first four months of Ishi’s life in San Francisco from Sept. 4, 1911 to Dec. 31, 1911.

Rebekah Canavesio from the Cultural Resources Department at Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation will speak with park visitors about the many aspects of Yocha Dehe culture, including preservation of its language and oral history, governance, dance, food and agriculture.  Rebekah will also be available to answer questions about local cultural resources/archaeological sites and the roles of tribal members in the community.

Kaitlyn Scott Moxon, Artifacts and Exhibition Manager of the Vacaville Museum will be on hand to share Native American items from the museum collection.  Moxon will chat with guests about the Vacaville Museum’s mission which includes cultural and historical preservation for all of Solano County.

“Kalpulli” is the term that refers to group or family, the social organizing principle in cities throughout the Central American Aztec Empire.  “Anahuak” is the name for water from the four sacred directions.  The Kalpulli Anahuak Aztec Dancers, who recently danced at the 7 Generations Tribal Council Annual Summer Powwow at Solano College, will demonstrate Aztec dances for park visitors.  Later in the program Chiricahua Apache, Armando Perez of Vacaville, will dance the Crown Dance.  Apaches performed The Crown Dance to protect the community from disease and enemies.

Come to the Peña Adobe and make a corn husk doll, make a shell necklace on a Native American pump drill, snack on Navajo fry bread, a 144 year old Navajo tradition and learn about the Native Americans who lived here long before the Vacas and Peñas arrived in 1841 from the New Mexico Territory.

The Peña Adobe Regional Park is located off I-80, left of the Lagoon Valley Park entrance.  This event is free!  For questions call (707) 447-0518 or e-mail us at penaadobe@gmail.com.