On a sunlit day in late June, a crowd gathers at Indian Canyon in California’s Gabilan Range for the 27th Annual Storytelling Gathering. Amid the cottonwoods and sycamores, a legacy of Indigenous preservation unfolds. This unique stretch of land is the only remaining Indigenous-owned property in the region, and serves as a refuge for ceremony and reconnection, led by artist and educator Kanyon Sayers-Roods. But it is Anthony Mondragon, great-grandson of Ascencion Solorsano—the last full-blooded Mutsun tribe member—who is on a quest to preserve his tribe’s history and establish a physical home for the Mutsun people.
Mondragon, a Seaside resident, is not an academic or activist by trade, but he is driven by his deep connection to his great-grandmother’s legacy. Solorsano, who passed in 1930, was the last fluent speaker of the Mutsun language and a bridge between ancient Mutsun traditions and the modern era. Before her death, she passed invaluable knowledge to Smithsonian linguist John P. Harrington, preserving Mutsun folklore, culture, and language.
Mondragon, inspired by Solorsano’s efforts, has launched the Mutsun Tribal Foundation. His goal: to secure land for ceremonies, educational programs, and nature retreats, fostering a reconnection to Indigenous heritage. Mondragon also hopes to pursue federal tribal recognition and establish a museum dedicated to Mutsun artifacts. He envisions a future where the Mutsun legacy, long overshadowed, is finally recognized and cherished. As he steps into the role of caretaker for his ancestors’ rich history, Mondragon is determined to ensure that the Mutsun tribe is no longer forgotten.
Source: Monterey County Weekly
