Since arriving in Los Angeles time has gone so fast that it has taken me a while to process all that has happened over the last few days. Today I met with some of the descendants of the original eleven families that founded El Pueblo de Los Angeles. They belong to an organisation called Los Pobladores that was founded in 1981, when the City was commemorating its 200th anniversary.
Thanks to Robert Welham I had the chance to interview and photograph Rose Ramirez, Paul Guzman and Jeri Garcia at Olvera Street, the original settlement which has grown to become the metropolis of todays LA. If you happen to be near Olvera Street this Saturday you should check out `The Blessing of the Animals´, and old tradition that is revived every year where people bring along their pets or livestock to be blessed with holy water.
I will also like to thank Rose for bringing her granddaughter Luna, who at only 4 years old prove to be an invaluable assistant, giving Matt some much needed time off from holding the reflector!
I was also lucky to meet with both Irene Sepúlveda and Valerie Welham yesterday in Yorba Linda, a town founded with a land grant given to Bernardo Yorba in 1834.
I have read that half of the early conquistadors were Jews who had been expelled by the Inquisition starting in January, 1492. How many of the original expedition from New Mexico to California were Jewish, and did you find traces of them in your expedition? Do the original Jewish family names still exist?
Hi John, sorry for late answer but have been on the road as you know…. In this trip I only met with one family that could link their family tree to the Jews that came from Spain… their surname was Spinoza… But if I am honest I have not come across many of this families even I have heard lots about them too. thanks for visiting the blog, j