On Thursday, August 28th, the Ak-Chin HimDak Museum staff hosted two events in the community, that celebrated both the Historic Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) House and the Historic St. Francis Mission School.
Many attended the occasion which featured long-standing photos, memorabilia, desks, tables and documents. This year’s celebration marked the 13th year celebration for the BIA House and the 10th for the St. Francis Mission School. Upon entering the Mission School, in glass cases were items such as utensils, old bottle caps, a Folgers coffee glass container, saints and other historic collected items. The displays and overall exhibit(s) gave a clear sense of the life and times of the community from past decades. The Mission School was a place where young members began their education before attending other schools outside of the community. Before its total closure to any sort of activities, I do remember performing in a Christmas play that was organized by the St. Francis Catholic Church clergy in the late 70’s. The years following, the school was used more for a storage area before renovations took place and it was recognized as a historical site. One of the interesting exhibits featured Father Antonine Willenbrink who was an ordained minister that was assigned to the Ak-Chin and Gila River communities. During his time in both communities, he was able to learn the O’odham language and according to testimony, he mastered the language so much that it sounded like it was his first language, which earned him the nickname S-toha O’odham (White O’odham).
Father Willenbrink published various work in O’odham and in 1935 he translated the Catechism into O’odham, becoming the first person to publish religious work in the O’odham language.
Elders who served on the BIA House Project Committee in an advising capacity, included; Evelina Lopez, Johnny Lopez and the late Leona Kakar, Vera Antone, and Rupert and Frances Stephens. Mission School Building Advisory Committee included; Evelina Lopez, Linda Jose, George Lewis Jr., and the late Mabel Alvarez, Elena Norris, Deborah Baptisto, Alverna Florez, Vera Antone and Leona Kakar. As for the BIA House, it was built in 1925, under the guidance of the Indian Service Engineers and Farmer Rufus W. Hamilton, who was stationed in Ak-Chin. The house was constructed by the Indian Agency and the Ak-Chin Labor force. It took sixty barrels of cement, 3000 adobe bricks and one carpenter to construct the two-room house. The home has a screened porch and an underground basement. It cost $1,469.64 to build the home. Today, the BIA Agency House is used to host the Him-Dak’s yearly elder events. The museum honors the Elderly with a Valentine’s Tea Party and a Mother’s Day Tea Party. The anniversary of the BIA House is also celebrated every year at the house.