San Juan resident, Teresa Lavagnino, witnessed a scene in the Bank in San Juan in which a woman was explaining that she had sold her cattle and gave up her ranch due to the lack of rain. A deacon at the local church said that he would have his congregation praying for rain and Reyna said that the whole town needs to be praying for rain. Lavagnino asked her if she was serious and agreed to spread the word if Reyna would organize the ceremony. On short notice, tribal people were gathered from Monterey and Salinas and Indian Canyon assembled to help her to lead the ceremony including Sonne Reyna, Monique McComas, from Monterey, Ann Marie Sayers, Kanyon Sayers Rood of Indian Canyon.
Members of other tribes and non-tribal people as well have joined in the last two months of raindancing, including Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez, and Hollister Planning Commissioner, David Huboi.
The San Juan Rain Dance has been covered by the San Jose Mercury News and the LA Times, as well as NBC affiliates. They danced, it rained! Let’s keep dancing!
They have pledged to come back each Sunday.
To join the raindance, come to the Plaza Lawn between the Mission and the Plaza Hotel at 9:30am.
Bring water in a reusable container to be used in the ceremony. Bring rattles and rainsticks, if you have them. Women are encouraged to bring and wear shawls.
No experience necessary, but you must want it to rain!