Learning to think positively, love freely, forgive lavishly and have an open mind
I'm On A Mission
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California was originally inhabited by what we now call Native Americans. In 1542 the Spaniard Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (Ka-bree-o) landed in the bay of San Diego. He christened the area Alta California.
In 1769 Spanish Father Junipero Sierra established what would be the first of 21 missions heading up the coast of California with the objective of evangelizing the natives. In their earnest attempt to impart their religious beliefs on another people, they tried to strip them of their culture and "civilize" them. Many natives died from disease and poor living conditions. Treatment could be very harsh.
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá- 1st
Our children learn about the mission system in 4th grade. It was always my favorite year of the kids schooling because each child learns state history and does a report or a replica of the mission of their choice. We would pack up the family and go to see a few and let them pick which would be their focus. The surviving missions are the oldest structures in the state.
Mission San Buenaventura-#6 Located in my city of Ventura
Some of the missions, like the one in Santa Barbara, are in full splendor while others need a lot of work. I suppose it has to do with the community that surrounds them; their wealth and historical societies.
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad-#13 of 21
While most of the mission docent tours have given good historical background from the church's point of view, only in more recent times are they giving in depth accounts of the sometimes brutal treatment of the indigenous people or of their attempts to get out from under the thumb of the church.
I love the missions but I think that the lessons should be complete in detailing the good and the bad.
In my view, we are only going to succeed when we hear the voices of the people who are voiceless. We only able learn from the past if we are brave and caring enough to look for the forgotten or the marginalized.
Canada has a shameful history of residential schools where Indigenous children lived and went to school having been taken from their families. We are only beginning to explore that sad chapter of our history now. We musthear the stories and face the wrongs committed.
So true, Linda. The whole story must be told. Like Marie Smith writes above, Canada does have a shameful history with residential schools that many of us are just learning about.
I was never taught this in school. Of course it could be logistics. I learned more about the battle of Lake Erie and the British I guess more than you because we lived on Lake Erie. But still this is so interesting to me. Thanks Linda I honestly believe we never really learned the real history of this country. Pitiful really.
My tender hearted girl decided she wanted to foster an old lady. Selkie is 14, is nearly deaf and nearly blind, has a hard time walking and uses her bark to get her needs met. She got her home, took her for a bath and then basically loved this old girl for three weeks until the property manager decided that it wasn’t a good match (barking too much AND because she is a pit bull). My girl knew it was probably temporary but she gave that dog a comfortable loving home, away from the chaos of the shelter, for a short time. Ideally, she would have walked her home but that’s not how it worked this time. Last night she stood and ugly cried on a strangers shoulder after giving her back. I love that girl and her sweet heart. I wish Selkie a new final home full of love.
We pass by the house frequently since it sits on a busy thoroughfare. We know to look every time we pass and guess what will we see. Will it be the two Dalmatians, sitting on the couch that backs up to the giant panel window, waiting for their human to come home? Or will it be their human, sitting slightly to the right of middle (allowing for a better view of the giant mounted tv across the room) of the said couch. They are never there at the same time. It’s one or the other. One sleepless night, when my body was willing but my brain was not, I did a little sleuthing. It’s amazing what you can find out about a complete stranger. His name is Gary and, from what I can tell, he’s never been married. He has worked his way up in a air duct company. He’s now the senior VP but it’s a small company and he still goes out on jobs, judging from the reviews on Yelp. I know he has two siblings and that their father passed away in 2018. His memorial was held in a Buddhist temple and Gary...
Vai. E, se der medo, vai con medo mesmo. When one is raised in an angry family, it’s not enough to say I don’t want to be angry. You must learn how to do it differently. That’s no easy task. If judgment and self hatred became a way of life, a new way to live has to be taught. There are many ways to do it. Reading, writing, sharing, practicing all help the change. Counseling, psychoanalysis, religion, meditation, gratitude, have the ability to transform but I needed to see it in action, it needed to be more tangible, visual, accessible. I needed to understand the possibilities. There is a YouTube channel that I watch over and over again in order to absorb how to live more fully, more open and from the heart. One of the first episodes that I stumbled on is this…. The channel is Reflections of Life and through it we get to meet people who are doing life a little differently, often more soul based. People who are living life, healing wounds and finding what is truly important. I...
the native americans should be throwing the white man out! your own mission is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a pretty one but the Santa Barbara one is stunning. Lots of dough in ole SB
DeleteGreat little video! I like the music and the structures of the 21 missions.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you liked it.
DeleteI agree. Half the story is not enough. Everyone's voice and experience should be reflected.
ReplyDeleteThey are trying. We have a great Chumash Indian community here in Ventura county and their voices are being heard more and more.
DeleteCanada has a shameful history of residential schools where Indigenous children lived and went to school having been taken from their families. We are only beginning to explore that sad chapter of our history now. We musthear the stories and face the wrongs committed.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea. I’ll have to read up on that.
DeleteSo true, Linda. The whole story must be told. Like Marie Smith writes above, Canada does have a shameful history with residential schools that many of us are just learning about.
ReplyDeleteI was never taught this in school. Of course it could be logistics. I learned more about the battle of Lake Erie and the British I guess more than you because we lived on Lake Erie. But still this is so interesting to me. Thanks Linda
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe we never really learned the real history of this country. Pitiful really.
Now I am going to look up the battle of Lake Erie.....which I know nothing about.
DeleteI love the one in Carmel and the one in San Diego is beautiful too! Great video!
ReplyDelete