Amazing sites around Liberty Cove
Caterina Maria Gabrielle
On a recent trip to Hermasillo, Mexico I was delighted to partake in a tour of the region. My goal was to explore some of the missions founded by the Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, one of the early explorers of the deserts of the Mexican Northwest and American Southwest. Father Kino was a missionary who came to Mexico and was originally from Tuscany, Italy. He was very passionate about his work and did much to help the people of the Sonora region. In addition to introducing the indigenous people of the Pimería Alta region to Catholicism, he also introduced the political system from Spain. As well, he showed the people how to harvest wheat and graze cattle.
To this day, Father Kino is revered by the people of Sonora. The missions built during his time in Mexico are an enduring tribute to this great man of the cloth.
My first stop was in Magdalena, a delightful town of about 30,000 people, with a traditional Spanish plaza and colorful shops surrounding. In the center of the plaza is a shrine where Father Kino's bones are displayed. The bones, originally buried under an old chapel, were rediscovered in 1966 under a new chapel and placed on display in the plaza. The ceiling of this outdoor shrine was adorned with paintings of Father Kino and some of the Indians in the region during the time of his stay.
Next, I walked over to the mission and viewed its beautiful interior. There was a statue of Father Kino lying on a table and local visitors took turns kissing his hands or cheeks. The integrity and compassion that this man represents is enormous to the people of the region, who are very passionate about their spiritual beliefs.
My compañero (close friend) Keith Rosenblum was accompanying me for this portion of my tour as an interpreter. We met a really sweet man and woman, Gerardo Valenzuela and Sandra Valenzuela, who worked respectively for the Casa de la Cultura and City of Magdalena. Sandra took us to a small town by the name of St. Ignacio, where there was an original Father Kino mission that she wanted us to view. The drive to this town was beautiful and we passed small homes and even a winery on the way. Entering St. Ignacia was like stepping back in time. It reminded me a bit of Brigadoom (the Irish folktale) in its timelessness and charm. As we got out of our car, a very well groomed, finely mannered gentleman met us with open arms. His name was Professor Efrain Villa and he was the schoolteacher for the high school in town, specializing in chemistry. Efrain's English was wonderful, and self taught I might add. He was very proud to show us his town and speak to us in our native tongue.
We walked down the street and saw an old schoolhouse built in the late 1800's, which was now a dance hall. Keith and I smiled as he talked of the points of interest in this quaint little village. He even pointed to a home tucked away a few hundred yards from the main road, which was dirt and he said that a retired American lived there. Whoever this gentleman was, he was the only American in town, and Efrain was proud of him too.
Though the mission was undergoing some restoration on the exterior, the interior was beautiful and pristine, filled with antiques and artifacts. The craftsmanship of the woodwork was exquisite and there was a statue of a saint, who many came to see, that was known for curing vision problems. Next to the statue, there were eyeglasses and patches from people who no longer needed them after being healed in this church. As we walked up an old wooden stairway that circled to the rafters above, I again felt like we were stepping back in time. While touring the remaining rooms, three young boys came in laughing and giggling, still dressed from school. No one seemed to notice or care as this was considered an ordinary occurrence. After a few moments, they kneeled in front of the saint for vision and prayed. I was so touched to see these children in church after school, knowing that my own children, and most American kids I know, would rather be home playing video games. What a beautiful statement about the people who live in Sonora!
After departing from this wonderful visit and promising to stay in touch with my new friends, I returned to Hermasillo, in preparation for the next day's activities. Hermasillo is a bustling town, much like any city you'd find in the U.S., and with all of the same amenities. I received a phone call from my friend Armando about a journey we were to take in the morning and he said that he would pick me up around 7a.m. I ordered a wonderful chicken dinner from room service and capped off the night with a margarita. After all, when in Mexico …
The next morning I was greeted by Armando and two other gentlemen, Hector and Paul, who were going to accompany us to a sacred archeological site by the name of La Pintada. Hector had received a spiritual calling and was now a Seri shaman for this region. The Seri were a tribe of people who inhabited much of the region of Sonora and were known for their fishing skills. We drove about 45 minutes out of Hermasillo until we pulled off of the main road and onto a dirt road, which passed through three farms before arriving at our final destination, where we visited the rancher who owned this land. We departed the ranch and stopped at the entrance of the sacred land to perform our first ritual, asking for permission to enter the land. We sat in a circle and Hector spoke some words and burned sage, then gave me some tobacco to smoke. I giggled as it felt a little like being back in high school again and sneaking a cigarette with friends.
We then entered La Pintada, walking and talking about all that we saw. Stairs initially took us up into the hills before turning into a narrow, dirt trail on which we climbed and hiked our way through the amazing scenery. At the top of one of the ridges, we again stopped to perform a Seri ritual. As we sat and listened to Hector speak the words of the ancestors of this sacred place, we looked across the canyon wall to view the pictographs, which were probably a few thousand years old. One in particular, an eagle, caught my attention. As we finished up the ritual, I heard a cry and looked up into the sky. My heart sped as two eagles danced in circles above my head. What an amazing vision; what an amazing moment. It was as though the Seri ancestors had sent them to us as a reassuring sign in return for our sacred journey there.
Continuing on the path through the hills, we came upon another sacred space where we performed our last ritual. This was a special place tothese people and it is believed that a magical portal exists here, which allows people to receive information from the other side. As we meditated, I felt as though the eyes of every Seri ancestor was gazing at our little circle of tribute to the land and people who walked here before us. We again smoked tobacco and chanted, holding our arms above our heads and again heard the cry of eagles. This was the perfect culmination of a truly magical day touring this sacred land.
We returned to the ranch, which surrounds La Pintada and saw the women making corn tortillas for a big celebration that was to take place thatnight in their shrine to the Virgin Mary. They served us coffee with sugar while we socialized for a little while. Again, I was touched by the beauty and hospitality of the people of this region. I felt as though I were with family, and was treated as such by every one that I had encountered in these past few days. This was a truly magical visit that I will carry with me forever.
Katerina Maria Gabrielle is a freelance writer who travels around the world in pursuit of magic, myth and a powerful connection with other souls. She has been a bit of a mystery for those of us at Passionate Living and we can seem to find her only when we open an expensive bottle of tequila☺ We hope you enjoy her addition to this issue of our newsletter.
Caterina Maria Gabrielle
On a recent trip to Hermasillo, Mexico I was delighted to partake in a tour of the region. My goal was to explore some of the missions founded by the Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, one of the early explorers of the deserts of the Mexican Northwest and American Southwest. Father Kino was a missionary who came to Mexico and was originally from Tuscany, Italy. He was very passionate about his work and did much to help the people of the Sonora region. In addition to introducing the indigenous people of the Pimería Alta region to Catholicism, he also introduced the political system from Spain. As well, he showed the people how to harvest wheat and graze cattle.
To this day, Father Kino is revered by the people of Sonora. The missions built during his time in Mexico are an enduring tribute to this great man of the cloth.
My first stop was in Magdalena, a delightful town of about 30,000 people, with a traditional Spanish plaza and colorful shops surrounding. In the center of the plaza is a shrine where Father Kino's bones are displayed. The bones, originally buried under an old chapel, were rediscovered in 1966 under a new chapel and placed on display in the plaza. The ceiling of this outdoor shrine was adorned with paintings of Father Kino and some of the Indians in the region during the time of his stay.
Next, I walked over to the mission and viewed its beautiful interior. There was a statue of Father Kino lying on a table and local visitors took turns kissing his hands or cheeks. The integrity and compassion that this man represents is enormous to the people of the region, who are very passionate about their spiritual beliefs.
My compañero (close friend) Keith Rosenblum was accompanying me for this portion of my tour as an interpreter. We met a really sweet man and woman, Gerardo Valenzuela and Sandra Valenzuela, who worked respectively for the Casa de la Cultura and City of Magdalena. Sandra took us to a small town by the name of St. Ignacio, where there was an original Father Kino mission that she wanted us to view. The drive to this town was beautiful and we passed small homes and even a winery on the way. Entering St. Ignacia was like stepping back in time. It reminded me a bit of Brigadoom (the Irish folktale) in its timelessness and charm. As we got out of our car, a very well groomed, finely mannered gentleman met us with open arms. His name was Professor Efrain Villa and he was the schoolteacher for the high school in town, specializing in chemistry. Efrain's English was wonderful, and self taught I might add. He was very proud to show us his town and speak to us in our native tongue.
We walked down the street and saw an old schoolhouse built in the late 1800's, which was now a dance hall. Keith and I smiled as he talked of the points of interest in this quaint little village. He even pointed to a home tucked away a few hundred yards from the main road, which was dirt and he said that a retired American lived there. Whoever this gentleman was, he was the only American in town, and Efrain was proud of him too.
Though the mission was undergoing some restoration on the exterior, the interior was beautiful and pristine, filled with antiques and artifacts. The craftsmanship of the woodwork was exquisite and there was a statue of a saint, who many came to see, that was known for curing vision problems. Next to the statue, there were eyeglasses and patches from people who no longer needed them after being healed in this church. As we walked up an old wooden stairway that circled to the rafters above, I again felt like we were stepping back in time. While touring the remaining rooms, three young boys came in laughing and giggling, still dressed from school. No one seemed to notice or care as this was considered an ordinary occurrence. After a few moments, they kneeled in front of the saint for vision and prayed. I was so touched to see these children in church after school, knowing that my own children, and most American kids I know, would rather be home playing video games. What a beautiful statement about the people who live in Sonora!
After departing from this wonderful visit and promising to stay in touch with my new friends, I returned to Hermasillo, in preparation for the next day's activities. Hermasillo is a bustling town, much like any city you'd find in the U.S., and with all of the same amenities. I received a phone call from my friend Armando about a journey we were to take in the morning and he said that he would pick me up around 7a.m. I ordered a wonderful chicken dinner from room service and capped off the night with a margarita. After all, when in Mexico …
The next morning I was greeted by Armando and two other gentlemen, Hector and Paul, who were going to accompany us to a sacred archeological site by the name of La Pintada. Hector had received a spiritual calling and was now a Seri shaman for this region. The Seri were a tribe of people who inhabited much of the region of Sonora and were known for their fishing skills. We drove about 45 minutes out of Hermasillo until we pulled off of the main road and onto a dirt road, which passed through three farms before arriving at our final destination, where we visited the rancher who owned this land. We departed the ranch and stopped at the entrance of the sacred land to perform our first ritual, asking for permission to enter the land. We sat in a circle and Hector spoke some words and burned sage, then gave me some tobacco to smoke. I giggled as it felt a little like being back in high school again and sneaking a cigarette with friends.
We then entered La Pintada, walking and talking about all that we saw. Stairs initially took us up into the hills before turning into a narrow, dirt trail on which we climbed and hiked our way through the amazing scenery. At the top of one of the ridges, we again stopped to perform a Seri ritual. As we sat and listened to Hector speak the words of the ancestors of this sacred place, we looked across the canyon wall to view the pictographs, which were probably a few thousand years old. One in particular, an eagle, caught my attention. As we finished up the ritual, I heard a cry and looked up into the sky. My heart sped as two eagles danced in circles above my head. What an amazing vision; what an amazing moment. It was as though the Seri ancestors had sent them to us as a reassuring sign in return for our sacred journey there.
Continuing on the path through the hills, we came upon another sacred space where we performed our last ritual. This was a special place tothese people and it is believed that a magical portal exists here, which allows people to receive information from the other side. As we meditated, I felt as though the eyes of every Seri ancestor was gazing at our little circle of tribute to the land and people who walked here before us. We again smoked tobacco and chanted, holding our arms above our heads and again heard the cry of eagles. This was the perfect culmination of a truly magical day touring this sacred land.
We returned to the ranch, which surrounds La Pintada and saw the women making corn tortillas for a big celebration that was to take place thatnight in their shrine to the Virgin Mary. They served us coffee with sugar while we socialized for a little while. Again, I was touched by the beauty and hospitality of the people of this region. I felt as though I were with family, and was treated as such by every one that I had encountered in these past few days. This was a truly magical visit that I will carry with me forever.
Katerina Maria Gabrielle is a freelance writer who travels around the world in pursuit of magic, myth and a powerful connection with other souls. She has been a bit of a mystery for those of us at Passionate Living and we can seem to find her only when we open an expensive bottle of tequila☺ We hope you enjoy her addition to this issue of our newsletter.
