Cupe

The grounds at the Pala Mission were strewn with bright confetti. Haunting Native American chants filled the air. All this vibrancy was just part of the Pala Mission Fiesta, which was a colorful event due to the melding of cultures at the Mission San Antonio de Pala, a historic adobe chapel, but most importantly, an alive and functioning Roman Catholic Church. Pala Mission is now the only California mission that actively ministers to the Native Americans.

Each year, since the mission was founded in 1816, some kind of fiesta has been enjoyed. This year, it was a two-day event held on Saturday, October 7, and Sunday, October 8.

The unmistakable Latino persuasion, which is mostly influenced by Mexican, South American and Spanish immigrants, was present in the homemade tamales, nachos and confetti eggs, which are called cascarones. The eggs are hollowed out, filled with confetti, sealed with a tissue top and painted bright colors. These eggs are broken over the heads of others as a blessing. The falling confetti symbolizes the power of the Lord.

Also evident was the American culture present in the inflatable slide, climbing mountain and miniature Ferris wheel.

The Latinos, as well as the other Americans, are immigrants; however, the only participants in the fiesta who are not immigrants are the Pala Band of Mission Indians represented by the Cupeño and Luiseño tribes. The Cupeños’ ancestors have been living in the Southern California area for well over a thousand years and in the Pala area for about one hundred years.

In 1903 the Cupeño were forced by the United States Government and John G. Downey, “owner” of the Warner Springs Ranch to leave their ancestral land and relocate to Pala. In the ensuing one hundred years the Cupeño, as well as the Luiseño, have created a community in the Pala Valley, some living in adobe houses. A bustling general store has been in existence since the late 1800s.

The influence of the Native Americans was the most evident with fascinating ceremonial dances and songs. A line of men were shaking gourds, swaying, chanting and sometimes dancing traditional Native American dances. Intricate bead headpieces, some adorned with feathers, were worn by women in colorful native attire who also performed various dances.

Deanna Subish was busy making Indian Fry Bread, which is a treat when topped with sugar and cinnamon, but marvelous as a Cupeño Taco. The bread is made with flour and baking soda then rolled like pie dough and deep-fried to a golden hue. To make the taco, the fry bread is piled high with a spicy mixture of ground beef and pinto beans, then topped with lettuce, diced tomatoes and shredded cheddar cheese. Needless to say, it was the most popular food booth at the festival!

Mission San Antonio de Pala, or Pala Mission, was founded in 1816 by Padre Antonio Peyri and suffered devastating damage in 1916 during torrential rains. Workers, who used the same adobe, rebuilt the structure within a year.

The thick adobe walls of the chapel foster a cool and inviting atmosphere. Near the altar, flames from votive candles flicker and glow in red glass vessels. The terra-cotta floor tiles are scarred from almost two hundred years of footfall.

The cemetery is as old as the mission. Stone crosses and headstones, as well as wooden crosses, denote the graves of not only the Native Americans but of Spanish pioneers. Many of the graves are unmarked, and several wooden markers are so old they are missing the crosspieces. The bell tower itself is a work of restoration; however, the bells, cast in Mexico, have been ringing for 190 years.

A courtyard garden, accessible through the gift shop, is enveloped by shrines, and a fountain where the tranquility of 190 years of worship is evident. (The mission staff maintains that much of the landscaping is original.) Pala Mission parishioners are fortunate to be able to attend a church so infused with history.

At the Pala Mission Fiesta, Native American chants rose and fell like waves of wind reaching to the stark mountains and beyond. A slightly warm breeze stirred the dry fall foliage. The rousing aroma of Cupeño Tacos drifted through the valley, which has welcomed the familiar scent for nearly a hundred years.