Adorned with handcrafted necklaces and a headdress, Jason Deschler of the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin led a blessing ceremony during a celebration of Indigenous and Latino cultures at the Dance Palace last Friday.
Staves from a traditional matching game were displayed beside a dice game made of walnuts at the Dance Palace last Friday. Attendees brought brightly colored cups, bowls and traditional clothing to showcase the cultural roots of the community. Guests feasted on nopales, carne de puerco en salsa roja and other dishes that represented various regions of Mexico.
Alma Sanchez, who manages a program called Abriendo Caminos for West Marin Community Services, stressed the importance of unity last Friday at an event designed to resurrect the program and express solidarity between Latino and Indigenous communities. “The Coastal Miwok are not history. They have history,” she said. Above, Carlos Porrata translated into English.