The Medicine Wheel: An Indigenous Presence at the Headwaters of the San Antonio River
Mabee Library Auditorium, University of the Incarnate Word
4301 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209
Medicine Wheels are stone structures with cosmological and geographical significance, built by Native Americans across North America over the past 10,000 years. This presentation is on the history and purpose of these structures and how Headwaters plans to incorporate one into our landscape as a way to educate the general public. Our limestone wheel will correlate with the Blue Hole and related springs found depicted in the Rock Art of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands. Through analyses of geography, astronomy, archaeology, and oral history, it is believed the Rock Art is a 4,000 year old map of Texas and record of indigenous cosmology. The Headwaters Medicine Wheel will be a reflection of this Rock Art and serve as a guide towards stewardship of the Sanctuary. Alex Scott Antram and Gary Perez will be co-presenters. Ms. Antram is an environmental anthropologist and Executive Director of Headwaters at Incarnate Word. Mr. Perez is the past Custodian of the Native American Church National Trust in Mirando City, Texas. His ancestors were Pachal, a band of local indigenous people that together with many other bands of indios comprised the Coahuiltecans of The Hokan Linguistic stock. He regularly lectures on the spiritual and cultural interpretations of the White Shaman Panel, including the Four Fountain Springs of Texas -- one of which is the Blue Hole.
