Sonoma Community Center

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Wappo Presentation Series (4 parts)

The Wappo tribe lived in and around the Sonoma Valley for centuries before the arrival of European immigrants. The Sonoma Valley Historical Society, in partnership with the Sonoma Community Center, is pleased to have two members of the Mishewal Wappo Tribe present the four-part series, “We Are Still Here: Presentations by Desirae Harp and Tektekh”.  

This programing is brought to Sonoma in partnership with Sonoma Valley Historical Society, The Sonoma Community and a grant from California Humanities

September 12—Oral Traditions. A presentation on the role of storytelling, language, and ceremony in Wappo culture.

September 19—Culture. A hands-on demonstration of Wappo cultural artifacts and their uses.

September 26—Sustainability. Wappo regenerative land management practices.

October 3—The history of the Wappo people in Sonoma Valley.

In Collaboration With

Desirae Harp

Educator

Desirae Harp ( a member of the Mishewal Wappo tribe)  is a singer/songwriter, community organizer, and educator.  She is an award winning singer who has collaborated with internationally acclaimed artists, and she teaches people about indigenous knowledge through her music. She is a former Native American studies major at San Francisco State, She works for the Mishewal Wappo tribe as a cultural monitor and she co-facilitates a tribal language class. With her mother, Tektekh  she gives Wappo cultural demonstrations and has been working with the Sonoma Ecology Center to educate youth across Sonoma Valley about how the native plants, animals, and waterways are interconnected. She actively works with other California native tribes to help organize an annual intertribal prayer journey called Run4Salmon.

    Tektekh

    Educator

    Tektekh is a member of the Mishewal Wappo tribe. She has been working as a cultural monitor for the tribe and giving Wappo cultural demonstrations for the past 20 years. She started out giving cultural demonstrations at the Jesse Peters Art Museum at Santa Rosa Junior College. Since then, she has given demonstrations in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, universities, and the Smithsonian Museum. She is on the Native American advisory board of Pepperwood Preserve, and on the board of the North Bay Bear Collaborative. She is a former board member of the California Basketweavers Association (https://ciba.org/ ). 

      When you register for a class, you’ll be offered three price tiers. The middle tier comes closest to what our registration fees used to be, and covers about 50% of the full cost of your participation in the class – with the other 50% covered by community donations. The first tier creates accessibility for people with limited income, while the third tier covers the full cost of participation – so that we can use community donations to support other people’s registration costs. When you choose to register at the third tier, you directly help support the Center’s efforts to remove financial barriers for others.

      The Sonoma Community Center (the Center) strives to create an inclusive, safe community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. The Center is committed to creating such an environment because it brings out the fullest potential in each of us, which, in turn, contributes directly to creating a community of belonging. In order to ensure a positive, safe, and welcoming experience for everyone, all program participants are asked to abide by the following policies, community agreements, and restorative safety protocol.

      October 3, 2023 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

      Date: September 12th – October 3rd
      Time:       6:00 – 7:00 PM
      Total Sessions:       4
      Location:       Room 110 / Andrews Hall
      Ages:       All Ages
      Registration Fee:       $10 per session
      Financial Aid Availabl      e – Apply Here

      Register Here

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