Hidden Histories of San Antonio is a reclamation of the identity and narrative of my Coahuiltecan Indigenous ancestors – a counter-history to colonial accounts of what is now southern Texas. It will use augmented reality, mesmerizing slow-motion portraiture, and recorded oral histories. It is a deeply personal, research-driven effort to challenge the very notion of history and how much truth we can expect to receive from its authors. An augmented reality mobile application will open a portal into non-linear exploratory storytelling, allowing participants to discover interwoven tales of migration, religion, colonization, and resilience, one fragment at a time.

I propose the creation of a site-specific visually driven augmented reality application centered at Mission San José, a UNESCO World Heritage Site my ancestors were coerced into building by Spanish colonists. It will include a more expansive look at the region’s history and present oral histories of the recent and distant past. It will also include expert testimonies, archival records, significant information about specific locations, and 3D scans of artifacts. This will enable participants to encounter an essential retelling of the history of my people through an accessible, engaging, and revelatory experience.

In most historical examples of cultural erasure, there remain fragments of the people – symbols, songs, some words. The last generation to have lived on mission land will be gone soon – what do they remember which has never been recorded and will be forgotten if we don’t ask them? How can we visualize the memories of our ancestors?