Assignment for Professor, Afia Walking Tree, M.Ed.
Spring Semester 2013
Course: Indigenous Wisdom, Holy Names University, Sophia Center
I was the seventh born child. My mother said “Please dear God, not another one!” It was 1971 and abortions were introduced in clinics, yet her Catholicism kept her from aborting me. I was a pro–life child.
My father used to take me on walks to feed my brain….” Make sure you marry a man who is kind and generous, who comes from a good family and who is healthy—it’s very important that they are healthy!”
Mi papa, Octavio Duran Boubion otherwise known as “Dio” to his intimates was plucked out of the barrio of Boyle Heights in L.A. at age 14 by Father Servedo. “Do you want to become a priest? Father Servedo asked when Dio visited his best friend Ed at the seminary in Dominguez Hills. “Oh yes!” He said when he saw how beautiful the seminary grounds were, how good the food was, how safe he felt in the company of priests.