
Legacy: Honoring the Pomo People
Through paintings and photographs, Sandy Eastoak and Christine Cobaugh share some of their work that has been inspired by Pomo culture and the sacred land we all inhabit.
Sandy Eastoak
Dancer and Pelicans
I love the spiritual nature of Pomo Dancing. Dancing is offered as prayer. I painted this during the Gulf spill. I don’t know that this boy was praying specifically for the beings of the Gulf, but many dancers were.
Dancer and Turtle
dancer & turtle
even the
turtle
far away
swims
to health
by the
rhythm
of the
boy’s
feet
Thunder Woman and The Pomo Boy
thunder woman & the pomo boy
he is so small
his feather skirt
shocking up & away
the wind of his
tiny feet
sometimes
a slow dance
brings him to
animal stealth
he convinces
the rabbit spirit
he protects
generations
to come
Essie Parrish, 1902-1980
Essie Parrish is remembered for many things, including being an Indian doctor, historian, Spiritual Leader, basket maker, and for preserving Kashaya Pomo Indian culture.
Dancer and Swallows
Pomo dancing and the health of the Laguna de Santa Rosa thrived together for millennia before Europeans came. Here the beauty and speed of the dancer mingle with the beauty and speed of the Laguna’s swallows.
dancer & swallows
she dances
as her people
have danced for
1000s of years
so bravely
so beautifully
calling the swallows
back to full
abundance
feasting on
mosquitoes no poison
the wrongs of
men & women
healed
Bark House
Graton Rancheria represents both Pomo and Miwok people, who share elements of history and culture. This bark house, while similar to a Pomo structure, is part of the Miwok restoration at Point Reyes. This bark house was saved during the recent coastal and Point Reyes fires.
Salmon Heart of the People
n/a
Pronghorn Deer
When Pomo villages thrived along the Laguna de Santa Rosa, so did herds of pronghorn antelope. This painting is a dream and a prayer for their return.
Roundhouse
This ceremonial round house is part of the recreated Coast Miwok village at Kule Loklo, located a short walk from the visitor center at Point Reyes National Seashore.