MultiCultural Project News –
Congratulations to Antonio Moreno Indigenous Peoples PCAC Collaboration & Interview
PCAC salutes Antonio Moreno, a member of the Chitactac indigenous community (within “Costanoan” “Mutsun” “Ohlone” territory) from Santa Clara County, for his artistry in preserving indigenous cultures, as he recently skippered a traditional tule canoe round trip between San Francisco’s Aquatic Park and Alcatraz. PCAC will collaborate with Antonio on an upcoming Pleasanton project.
PCAC recently sat down with Antonio Moreno to discuss the building of the tule canoe and further explore the artistry of the Costanoan peoples.
On the sunrise morning of Oct. 14, 2019, Indigenous Peoples Day, a flotilla of indigenous crafts left the Aquatic Park in San Francisco and set paddles to reach and return from Alcatraz Island. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the 1969 “ Indians of all Tribes” 19th month occupation of Alcatraz to protest the broken treaties and promises by the US government to Native peoples.
Only one water-craft was made of traditional tule reeds. It demonstrated the artistic and engineering skills of the coastal indigenous peoples. Antonio Moreno built and skippered the craft.
Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council, (PCAC) sat down with Antonio Moreno to discuss the building of the tule canoe and further explore the artistry of the Costanoan peoples. Antonio Moreno is a member of the Chitactac indigenous community ( within “Coastanoan” “Mutsun” “Ohlone” territory).
PCAC:Why were you selected to build the tule reed canoe?
AM: The Canoe Journeys organizing committee, Julian Brave NoiseCat and Alexandra Roddy, extended an invitation to me because I was on the list of “Cultural Practitioners”. I recruited a fellow Elder, Alfonso Ramirez (cultural presenter and ‘Story Teller’) and my brother Vincent Moreno (artist and expert traditional craftsman) to assist in the construction of the largest water vessel I have ever attempted to construct- a three person craft.
PCAC:Tell us about the harvesting of the natural material, tule reeds.
AM: Tule reeds are native to freshwater marshes and grow to be 3ft to10 ft tall. Tules play an important role at shorelines and help buffer against wind and water forces, thereby reducing erosion. Harvesting tule reeds must be done with care and an appreciation for the environment.
Before harvesting begins, thanks is given to Mother Earth with prayerful acknowledgment of her resources and our intent to use the reeds wisely. Volunteers from the Sogorea Te Land Trust helped harvest the reeds. Over 5,000 tule reeds were harvested in two locations. It was done with permission. Care was taken to minimally impact each location. It was a community effort and it enlivened our spirit.
PCAC: Explain the art of reed watercraft building.
AM: The framework of the canoe is willow. The tule reeds are harvested, dried and bundled using cordage. The tule needs to be dried before construction because they will shrink half the size of their original diameter and become loose in the cordage. The reeds are dry when they are the color of straw. The art of construction is the weaving of bundled tules, willow and cordage in a traditional pattern following the expert advice of an Elder. Learning in the indigenous community means respect for Elder, careful observation of the task through all the steps towards completion, and prayerful guidance by Mother Earth. These values are infused in the art of canoe building. The building begins with a ceremony of burning sage and grateful prayer.
PCAC: Your tule canoe had two arrows in the front and two in the rear. Could you explain?
AM: I had never done anything as epic as crossing a deep channel with the notorious “rip-tides” of the Bay currents. The local Edler, Ruth Orta of Him’ren Ohlone decent, gave a blessing to the water craft. Ruth Orta represented ancestors and beautiful customs spoke to my heart. The arrows sprang from that guidance. After a humble woman, Desirae Harp (mishewal wappo) began a prayful silence, we launched the canoe.
PCAC: There were three people in the canoe. I recognized you, Alfonso and a woman. Who was the woman?
AM: Jackie Fielder, an experienced paddler of Hidatsa and Lakota tribal heritage, is a brave and courageous soul with humble and clear vision. I asked for a representative of the native women nation to take part in the journey.
PCAC: Was the journey to and from Alcatraz difficult?
AM: During the voyage I sang traditional songs of happiness and reverence to our Great Mother Earth and her great body of water. Singing comforted me and I was assured that we would make it back safe and sound.
After an hour we reached Alcatraz rock but on the journey back we hit 2 knot currents which pushed us south-east towards Pier-39. I grabbed a tow rope from a safety boat and held it with both hands fighting against the strong current and splashing waves. Alfonso and Jackie boarded the safety boat. Jackie returned to the tule canoe and with humbled hearts and immense gratitude for Mother’s body of water and her power over our pitiful lives, we paddled back to Aquatic Park, San Francisco.
PCAC: What are your final thoughts about the tule canoe journey?
AM: I’d like to quote my shipmate, Alfonso Ramirez, “We did a traditional build and it stayed together the way it always has. We have faith in our ancestors’ teachings to keep us afloat”.
Also, Elder Ruth Orta, in her blessing of the tule canoe, reminds us all that indigenous people are a fundamental part of America and “We are still here”.
My final thought is about our environment and the legacy of our actions.
Let us seek, in humble gratitude, an appreciation for our ancestors and strive for a peaceful and harmonious existence within our natural world by protecting the water and defending the land.
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Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council will be working with Antonio Moreno in a cultural project for inclusion in local and California history to expand student understandings of the Costanoan arts. PCAC’s proposal has drawn the supporting interest of the Alviso Adobe, Museum on Main and teachers in the Pleasanton Unified School District as well as leaders in the Indigenous communities.