Photo: Lindsey Jones
NESTLED IN A VALLEY OF CHARM, LIES THE PICTURESQUE TOWN OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO. APPROXIMATELY 14 SQUARE MILES IN SIZE, AS A NATURAL BEAUTY WITH RICH HISTORY, IT REMAINS THE BELOVED HOME TO MANY DIVERSE CULTURES. AND THAT’S WHAT KEEPS IT SPECIAL.
T
hese ethic communities carved out a home with the na- tive peoples here during the past 200 years. They sought economic opportunities. They established their oasis in
the sand from its plentiful lands. Today, their cultural heritages still define San Juan Capistrano’s irresistible allure - through artistic development and evolution.
THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY The Native Americans of San Juan Capistrano lay the foun- dations for a truly sacred town. Their deep roots were planted 10,000 years ago. When these hunter-gatherer tribes first arrived, they found
a paradise ideal for farming. They discovered a cornucopia of edible fruits, seeds and nuts. Streams teemed with salmon and an abundance of rabbits roamed among the sage bush. So, the Acjachemen tribes — once nomadic — decided to settle down. By the time the Spaniards arrived in 1776, the Acjachemen people, now experts in the seasonal diversity of the region, were using specialized tools for processing foods. The advent of Ca- tholicism with the Franciscan padres gave rise to the construc- tions of missions to colonize the New World. In this partnering of the European newcomers with the natives, a cultural exchange sprang. The local people shared their knowledge of medicinal native plants and agricultural disciplines while the Spaniards educated the tribe with the introduction of measurements and mathemat- ics. The missions of California represent their masonry and teamwork. But with progress came blight. Native American populations,
lacking the immunity to combat Western diseases, quickly plum- meted. Today, the Acjachemen play a vital role in the cultural identity of San Juan Capistrano. Their native culture, once thought to be lost under the dominance of European settlers, re-emerged in 1924, when San Juan resident Viola Dennis, an Acjachemen Indian, penned their first language dictionary. “Viola started out with a glossary of 40 words,” said family member Wick Lobo. “That grew into 220 words.” As testament to its important role in American Indian heri-
tage, a copy is housed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washing- ton D.C. A family heirloom, Lobo still has the original. The San Juan Capistrano Juaneño Band of Mission Indians
are smaller today, numbering around 1,900. Long gone are the days when 12,000 tribe members occupied these territories. The Juaneño influence, however, on the landscape of San Juan Capistrano is indelible. Active politically, the Juaneño Tribe’s aim is to manage their influence with integrity in the years ahead.
THE BASQUE COMMUNITY “It really is the people and personalities that have served our
community that makes San Juan Capistrano what it is today,” Renee Lacouague Bondi said as she reflected on her family’s role in shaping the city’s destiny. During the 1870s to 1900s, the Lacouague family, like many
families from the Basque regions of France and Spain, came to America in search of a better life. Captivated by the area’s natural beauty, mild climate and rich, fertile farming land, the Lacouagues settled in San Juan Capistrano with their sights set
San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce | Business Directory & Visitor Guide 21
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52