In this episode, we delve into the life and legacy of Father José María Suárez del Real, a Mexican Franciscan missionary in 1840s California. Through anecdotes and historical context, we explore his role during the mission secularization period, his challenges in Alta California, and his impact on the local communities and California history. The episode sheds light on a tumultuous era of California's past, often overlooked in simplified historical narratives. Tune in to better understand this critical period in California history.

00:00 Introduction to Father Real
01:02 Complexities of California History
02:27 Introducing Father Jose María Suárez del Real
04:05 Arrival of the Franciscan Missionaries
05:32 Challenges Faced by the Missionaries
08:58 Secularization of the Missions
11:38 Struggles and Adaptations
18:35 Conclusion and Further Insights
19:06 Support and Resources

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In Part 2 of our conversation, we delve into the 1775 sacking of Mission San Diego de Alcalá, a pivotal event in California's history. Richard's detailed research challenges mainstream historical accounts and highlights the specific involvement of the Tipai subgroup of the Kumeyaay people in the attack.

Richard discusses the complex motives behind the sacking, including religious conflicts, cultural grievances, and retribution for abuses by Spanish soldiers.

We also explore the nuanced aftermath of the event, the Spanish military's response, and the broader implications for Spanish-Kumeyaay relations.

This episode offers a deep dive into the anthropology and ethnohistory of the Kumeyaay, providing a richer understanding of their complex relationship with the Spanish, Mexican and U.S. governments.

00:00 Introduction to the 1775 Sacking of Mission San Diego
00:57 Excavation and Historical Research
02:32 Anthropological Insights and Clan Dynamics
04:46 Motives Behind the Attack
05:34 Aftermath and Spanish Military Response
11:56 Cultural and Religious Implications
31:27 Long-term Effects and Legacy
44:43 Modern Reflections and Career Advice

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In Part 1 of this interview, I speak with archeologist Richard Carrico, a prominent expert on the Native peoples of California, especially those in the San Diego area. Carrico shares his intriguing journey into archaeology, beginning with his service in the U.S. Army and a twist of fate that led him to discover his passion for archaeological studies.

Richard details his educational path and various pivotal excavations, including working on the Presidio of San Diego and the Bancroft Ranch House. Carrico emphasizes the importance of understanding Native cultures, highlighting his ethnographic studies and collaboration with the Kumeyaay people of Southern California.

This episode is a rich exploration of historical archaeology and the stories that shape our understanding of Native Californian history.

Richard's book: Strangers in a Stolen Land: Indians of San Diego County from Prehistory to the New Deal

00:29 Introduction to Richard Carrico
01:18 Richard's Journey into Archaeology
02:35 Early Career and Mentorship
05:01 Professional Growth and Historic Archaeology
07:25 Transition to Commercial Archaeology
09:45 Balancing Academic and Commercial Work
17:59 Focus on Kumeyaay People and Ethnography
26:02 Challenges and Diplomatic Skills

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This solo episode explores how two ambitious foreigners, one a Scotsman and the other an American, navigated life in Mexican California during the 1830s and 1840s.

Though both shared a common language and elite backgrounds, their approaches to Californio society couldn’t have been more different. One embraced the culture, marrying into a prominent local family and becoming a trusted insider; the other kept his distance, building wealth and connections among fellow Americans while remaining aloof from his Californio neighbors.

As California’s fate shifted with the U.S.-Mexico War and the Gold Rush, these contrasting strategies had lasting consequences. Their stories offer a window into the opportunities and tensions in a society on the brink of transformation, as outsiders either integrated into or clashed with a tightly woven world of family and alliances.

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In Part 2 of my interview with Eric Plunkett about early explorations of California, we begin with the shipwreck of the San Agustin in 1595 at Drake's Bay, recognized as California's first shipwreck.
Eric goes on to discuss Pedro de Unamuno's overland incursion in 1587, which included the first recorded conflict with native people in California.
We then explore the extensive and officially sanctioned expeditions of explorers like Sebastián Vizcaíno, who mapped much of the California coast and named several well-known places.
The episode highlights California's early role in global trade routes and its significant connections with Asian markets. Through these stories, you will gain a new perspective on California's place in the broader context of world history.

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Join host Damian Bacich and guest Eric Plunkett as they dive into the fascinating early maritime history of California.

Plunkett reveals surprising details about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo's 1542 expedition, including his connection to Cortez and the fall of Tenochtitlan. Learn how Cabrillo documented Chumash village names that remained unchanged for centuries and how Native American trade networks helped Spanish explorers communicate across vast distances.

Discover lesser-known stories of the Manila Galleons, shipwrecks, and a possible "California Cabeza de Vaca" - a Spanish pilot who may have walked from Northern California back to Mexico City in the 1580s.

This episode challenges common assumptions about early California history and reveals the complex web of exploration, trade, and cultural exchange that shaped the region long before the mission era.

Eric Plunkett is a historian based in San Juan Capistrano specializing in early California exploration and indigenous history.

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In Part 2 of my interview with Helena Hazleton, Museum Director at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, we discuss its later history and some features that make it stand out among missions.

Main topics of Part 2:

• The mission's unique architecture, including its distinctive dome and lavandería
• Rare Spanish colonial artworks, some with surprising origins
• Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, son of Sacagawea, and his role at the mission
• How Mexican and Irish Franciscans worked to restore the mission
• Connections to Aztec and Maya art and the mission's adaptation to frontier life
• The historic mission cemetery

After listening to this episode, I'm sure you will want to visit the King of the Missions.

For more information:
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia

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In this episode, I interview art historian Helena Hazleton, Director of the Museum at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, California. In this captivating conversation, Helena shares her expertise on one of the largest and most productive California missions.

Main topics of Part 1:
- The unique history and founding of Mission San Luis Rey in 1798
- How the mission survived the devastating 1812 earthquake
- The story of Father Antonio Peyri and his influence on the mission's success
- The remarkable tale of Pablo Tac, a young Luiseño who wrote a grammar of his native language
- The mission's decline during Mexican rule and its abandonment
- Abraham Lincoln's role in returning the mission lands to the Catholic Church

Helena provides fascinating insights into the mission's architecture, its relationship with local indigenous peoples, and its place in California history. This interview offers a wealth of knowledge about one of the state's most important historical sites.

For more information:

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia

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