Uncle Henry's Kiss

I first learned about Uncle Henry Rodrigues through a friend who writes about Southern California Indian casino's. In my search for my Mescalero Apache father, I shared with him how much I would like to meet with any Native American elder who could show me the way to my father. "I know someone, and he is very easy to talk to" - said my writer-friend, David Ross. "Uncle Henry is a LaJolla (Luiseño) elder, and I recently interviewed him. He is a real medicine man. And what is so unusual about Uncle Henry is that he is willing to share information about Native American lore".

Uncle Henry Rodrigues

Uncle Henry was killed by a drunk driver one April morning, on the way out of the LaJolla reservation, in the foothills of Palomar Mountain. This is the best I can do now – learn about “Uncle” Henry and the legacy he left to the LaJolla tribe, the Luiseño’s and the world. "Here is a face of man who suffered much", I thought to myself when I finally saw his photo. Wisdom and sorrow are reflected in creases of many years. Uncle Henry ’s last wish was to have his ashes scattered over the San Luis Rey river, where he grew up as a young member of La Jolla Indian Tribe in Pauma Valley, in the foothills of San Bernardino Mountains.