P’da Hau

Berkeley, Monday, June 15, 2026 3:17 am

Names stay in the mind map, from visiting places, lectures or depending on one’s routine from conversations more often. But also from reading. And from work and so on. Space exists somewhere. Visiting and conversations could be the more memorable.

On September 17, 2024, I learned about the Garcia River (P’da Hau in its Pomo name) by a friend who was born in that area. In Point Arena.

Over time, probably since Fall 2021 or 2022 I have learned, roughly, things related to Pomo, Ukiah. It comes time by time in conversations.

Or a bit, even by news, and conversations. News around July 2025, and conversations in November 2025 and January 2025, where the topic of Potter Valley Hydropower project came up. I believe it has its dam or two dams in the Eel river and diverts water to the power house, which is in the Potter Valley, and in the Russian River watershed.

About a week ago on June 5, 2026, Clear Lake was part of the conversation. I have not been on those places yet. But Clear lake is in Lake County. Not in Mendocino, which is more about the reason of this post of remembering those names, even in days of not necessarily good sleep, and when taking now and then (in terms of days) a glass of wine, but worst of all, on a few days, when I have slipped on a few videos. Screening time is the worst. It might have happen for three days since I made a post on the same subject on June 2. Of course there will be more distractions with the world cup, motor racing, but those are not relevant. The clock does not stop.

I said on another post that county, is condado in Spanish, a administrative place which at some point, likely in monarchies was administered by Condes, probably in France. I do not know the history and etymology of Condé, Condado, County.

But also several words in the American English, but I think also in the Anglo Saxon English has some French and Frisian in them. Condé, County, Condado is a question mark for now. Although, it is quite important, because they have an administrative office and power in the States of United States. It is with the American administrative structure. It was not inherited I believe from the Spanish, then Mexican governmental administrative structure.

I know a bit about the history of California. Not in that much detail but its came from an Island in described in the book Las Sergas de Esplandian. I double checked this knowledge now in wikipedia. Long time ago I skimmed that book from the library. There might be a movie about it by or with Sean Penn, which might be from the 200ish. I watched a few years ago. He was mad, but crazy map. He was tracing a treasure from an old map buried in a curried Costco place. I might have completed the film. I do not recall. At the end his daughter or young friend, do not recall those specifics now, fully sympathized with that dream of treasure haunting. In case, regardless the film content, I recall I believe they mentioned the reference to the book, Las Sergas de Esplandian in that film. I do not know now what are Sergas neither what is Esplanidian.

What I know is that priest were and are quite well read and educated. Usually, I believe, would need to confirm, they were part of the “discovery” missions.

Under the Spanish Empire administration the entire California was a gigantic provincia. I might learn more about this at some point. Under the Mexican administration, which lasted from around 1822 until 1844 (I am not fully sure about the exact years). I believe it was at least two provinces. I was about to read a book about this. I might include the reference, if time allows me to read it which is a complicated thing. However, from a conversation around late November 2025 and early December 2025, some focus of my posts will be on place, in the context of learnings. The conversation of that time, not my idea was a website about the rivers visited. In my case, some times is a need of clarity, to learn a bit more about a place I mentioned in conversation or heard about, or that I have failed to explain well, or did not explain, or did not understand live during a conversation, or made an inaccurate explanation.

Well, Antonio de Mendoza, many years ago, around the 1522. Facts would be needed here. So be aware to double check those or suggest corrections if you are reading. He was virrey of Peru. I do not know what is virrey. Is that the second in command? How big was Peru then? His successor, I believe, or hope that I am correct, was Andres Hurtado de Mendoza. He ordered to found Cuenca in Ecuador, through, Gil Ramirez Davalos. That might have been around 1542 or 1547 or 1552 or so. It was on April 12 though. Again, they have kept good records. I am not keeping track of the dates here, unless I do a revision.

I am writing this, because sometimes I have struggled to understand the meaning of Mendocino, which is a county in California. Even, sometimes, and this is because lack of understanding, and very likely for not being there yet, I have thought if they meant Montecito. Of course, depend of the context of the conversation, and if the interlocutor made a reference to a beach or debris flow, which is common in both places. And because I actually have been in Montecito. Ok. Montecito. South Cal, south of Santa Barbara, might be following Cabrillow street at some point, comes from the diminutivative word Monte. In this case is monte is the Spanish like alla en el Monte grande alla donde vivia… habia una…. lara lara la que alegre me decia que alegre me decia… voy… Sorry that is alla en el Rancho Grande, which was likely the case. Monte is not the similar to the French Mount. Monte is more like a bush, or woodland. The use of diminutives is not well seen by me, but that is OK. In this context can work, and it use in every language, like little Italy, to describe a place etc. Montecito is little woodland. Montecito is in Santa Barbara county (I just confirmed that information in a google search. At the end here it is about getting the name of the places right). Again, easier to remember where one has been.

OK. Mendocino means de Mendoza. I do not know this story. But what a power of the virey of Peru. He sent, likely, the expedition to explore the land further north. Also, great navigation skills. We do not talk that much about ships in general, although ships have been quite present in the disruption of the world, particularly gas prices in the last three months. So the Straight of Hormuz, and ships has been actually present in the conversation, meaning media outlets at large in current days.

I do not know the exploration journey, but they founded Cabo Mendocino, or Cape Mendocino on March 1, 1543. (I checked Wikipedia for the date).

Well, Mendocino Cape is not anymore in Mendocino County (Condado). It is in Humboldt county which is north of Mendocino County but south of Del Norte County, which is South of Oregon (wikipedia). Well, I do not know, at least yet, about the history, timeline, of the creation of those counties.

But I understand a bit more now. I have not been there yet. I thought, somehow, that Mendocino was the upper more county, and that Redwood National and State Park was in that county. I mentioned, asked that today. So, I thought that it could have been six hours driving up there. Now, I know, a bit better, though, I do not know it yet.

Yesterday evening, I learned about Manchester, particularly Manchester State Park. I did not have follow up question in detail about the trip. Might be the conversation diverted, and/or I was shown a map on a phone. I see that it is quite close to Point Arena and Garcia River, which I have been described in detail in the past.

Well, I think now I can understand better about Mendocino as well. In this brief internet search, and recollection of some of the memories from conversation, I learned that the Mendocino County (condado) seat is in Ukiah. Of course, what are the responsibilities or what a county seat covers would be some of the further questions to learn.

Other questions would be about ayuntamiento or City Halls, which cities have it, and if any city does not have them.