The story behind the The Twin Sisters of the Water mural
​as told by Julia Bogany:

In the lands of the Tongva at a place called Nooknga Touching of the Water, two young daughters during a full moon on a summer night came forth. Yaan’ala First Moon and as the sun rose bright, Muuy’laat hidden from the sight the chief announced Ahnee’ala No Moons. Together they were never separated, always together. Their Grandmother always told them to look out for one another. Eight summers later while gathering chia and roots at Nooknga, No Moons walked away, leaving the First Moon trying to get fresh chia near a brick which it grew out of. Reaching over it gave way and First Moon cried out. But No Moons was in some tree field and she never heard her fatal cry. No Moon soon realized her straying and ran back only to see First Moon’s basket on the ground. Yaan’ala! Yaan’ala! She called frantically. Going to the dropped basket she looked over and gave a horrific cry. It shook the sky, and the birds scattered in the west. Crying, still crying a bright light engulfed behind her. Creator came forth gripping his heart, "my daughter, my beloved daughter please you are breaking my heart". She knelt down,  "Creator my sister. What have I done?" Creator held her close. "Do you trust in me?" She looked into his gaze, "Yes you are the beginning."  "Go to your sister and be two as one."  "How can this be, she’s so far?" she replied. "Believe in me and walk out to her."  "If I do, I'll die." "Do you trust in me?" "Yes." No Moons said. "Don’t look down and I'll hold you."  She did this and before her spirit left, Creator took his daughters, held them together and formed a twisted shell. Pulling it apart he placed them together into water. They began to move as one and he saw true beauty. "You are the twin sisters of the water. Sacred shell of womankind, live in beauty for all time."
Water Mural 
by Joe Galarza • 2017  - Pitzer College Scott Hall

Sacred Grandmother

Sacred Grandmother Mural 
by Joe Galarza • 2017  - Pitzer College Scott Hall
This mural was conceived in collaboration with Tongva Elder Julia Bogany and used as a teaching tool with students at the Claremont Colleges.  Thanks to Violet Luxton.

Tongva History & Culture Mural

Picture
Tongva Mural 
by Joe Galarza • 2017  - Pitzer College Scott Hall

ABOUT THE ARTIST 

My colonized name is Joe Galarza , my Indigenous name is Pepeyotl which means ‘one who gather’s medicine’, I am a painter, muralist, sculptor, ceramicist, musician, instrument maker and arts educator who grew up in El Sereno, an area of Los Angeles surrounded with gang violence and much self-hate and use art as a decolonizing tool. I have been painting murals for the past 25 years using art with the intention for social change and healing of community. My experiences with art and education include work in correctional facilities and afterschool programs with at-risk youth and also teach at The University of Redlands. I have also worked with youth as an artist in residence in various indigenous communities where I was invited to create a visual history of each community by gathering stories passed down through oral tradition and putting it into a visual and historical reference as a mural. These projects where at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Pine Hill Indian Reservation, and Pinoleville Pomo Indian Reservation also I am, currently working with tribal Tongva Elder’s of the greater Los Angeles area at Pitzer College to preserve their history and preservation through Muralism.