Diseno

Originally envisioned as a children’s water play area with sand mountains and flowing water carving out hills and valleys, Diseno Is currently a dry, concrete mound play area in Val Vista Park built in 2002 at 7350 Johnson Drive, Pleasanton, CA.   Periodic droughts have turned off the water feature.  Architect/ Artist Ann Chamberlain’s initial sketch revealed an intention to honor the first inhabitant of Ohlone Peoples against the landscape of the valley.  The concrete circle surrounding the Pleasanton Valley relief map defines the universe at creation. The etched concrete message rimming the circle speaks the voice of the Ohlone Creation myth, “There was a time when no humans were living in California.  The entire country was covered with water except for Mount Diablo…and the only living thing was Coyote sitting on the peak.”

Myths are part of indigenous storytelling, focusing on the spiritual forces present in the natural world and explaining nature and human existence. Myths can also support indigenous social and cultural systems and function as teaching tools. In Ohlone storytelling, Coyote has a predominant role. Sometimes he is a mischievous trickster and troublesome pest to fox, but in other versions, he is the father of the Ohlone tribes and the teacher of civilization.

All Indigenous people share a reverence for the environment and honor Mother Earth. Their stewardship of the environment is an example of the universal message of indigenous peoples to protect resources. Water is the central life-giving balance of nature. The 1987 Pulitzer Prize acclaimed author of Beloved and winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature, Toni Morrison is quoted in the interior concrete rim of the circle, “All water is a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was- and a rush of imagination is our flooding.”

California’s recent droughts and sometimes flooding rains beg for an understanding of our resources and careful water-land management.  We have much to learn from the environmental stewardship of the Ohlone Peoples and the wisdom of Toni Morrison.

Jan Coleman-Knight