TUCSON, AZ / AGILITYPR.NEWS / July 07, 2026 / Old Pascua Community Native Painter Brings Yoeme Oral Tradition and Sonoran Desert Imagery to the Interior of the Tribe’s Third Gaming Property, Opening November 15, 2026

Casino Del Sol, the award-winning resort enterprise owned and operated by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, today announced the commission of Yaqui contemporary painter Marcelino C. Flores III to create an original mural for Casino Del Sol, Vahi Taaʿam — the Tribe’s third gaming property, which is set to open November 15, 2026 at 1055 W. Grant Road at Interstate 10 in Tucson.

The work, titled Aniam Yo’orine — Yoeme for “Respect the Worlds” — will draw from Pascua Yaqui oral tradition, the natural abundance of the Sonoran Desert, and the five worlds at the heart of Yoeme spiritual life.

Flores is a lifelong member of the Old Pascua Community of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, where the murals of his neighborhood first sparked his passion for painting. Growing up immersed in the oral storytelling traditions of the Yoeme people, he developed a practice of visualizing those stories, embedding them and the cultural values they carry directly into his paintings. His work is rooted in Sonoran Desert landscapes, rendered through the lens of Yoeme cosmology. “I feel many of the elements, images, and stories I have been telling in my works for years are coming together in Aniam Yo’orine,” Flores said.

A recognized figure in Tucson’s cultural community, Flores has also been featured as a folk artist at Tucson Meet Yourself, the region’s celebrated annual multicultural festival, where he has represented the Yaqui/Yoeme community in the Pascua Yaqui Contemporary and Tribal Nations showcases.

Flores cites his elder and mentor Felipe Molina as a profound influence on his artistic vision and cultural grounding. Molina is a renowned Yaqui scholar, poet, and co-author of the seminal work Flower World: Yaqui Deer Songs/Maso Bwikam, as well as the recent Ethnoecology of the Yaquis.

At the center of Aniam Yo’orine are the five worlds of Yoeme tradition: Huya Ania (the wilderness world), Tuka Ania (the night world), Tenku Ania (the dream world), Yo Ania (the enchanted world), and Sewa Ania (the flower world). Drawing on more than eight oral stories from his upbringing in the Old Pascua Community, the mural weaves together more than thirty animals significant to the Sonoran Desert and flowers spanning the full breadth of the composition. Its inspiration is the Enchanted Waterfall in Old Pascua and the lessons Flores absorbed as a youth: respect for all living beings, the power of hard work over shortcuts, and the promise of blessings that await in the flower world.

“When we began thinking about who would create this work, the answer was clear from the start: a Tribal artist, from this community. Marcelino’s work doesn’t just reflect Yoeme culture — it lives inside it,” said Amanda Sampson Lomayesva, Interim CEO of Casino Del Sol. “That depth of meaning is exactly what we want guests to experience when they enter Casino Del Sol, Vahi Taaʿam.”

The mural carries particular resonance given its setting: Casino Del Sol, Vahi Taaʿam, whose very name is Yoeme for “Three Suns,” sits on Old Pascua Community land, the same community where Flores was born and raised, and where the Enchanted Waterfall that anchors his work flows. The commission deepens an intentional thread running through Casino Del Sol, Vahi Taaʿam and reflects the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s commitment to grounding every dimension of the new property in its cultural heritage. The signature 26-foot copper dome, already visible from I-10, evokes the sun rising over the desert landscape, while the property’s signature restaurant, OP Grill (Old Pascua Grill), honors that same community by name. Flores’s mural extends that vision inward, bringing the living world of Yoeme storytelling to the walls guests will walk among when the property opens this November.

“There is a deep sense of pride in seeing a Yoeme artist from the Old Pascua community commissioned to create a work that will welcome visitors to Vahi Taaʿam. There is a special significance to this partnership, as Marcelino’s artwork will stand on land that is deeply connected to our history and our people,” said Julian Hernandez, Chairman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. “Vahi Taaʿam was intentionally designed to celebrate and reflect our culture, from its Yoeme name to the artwork and spaces that honor the Old Pascua community. Through Aniam Yo’orine, Marcelino is creating a powerful expression of the values that have guided our people for generations and continue to guide our vision for the future. It is important that our young people see their language, stories, traditions, and worldview reflected in places like this. By investing in Yoeme cultural expression today, we help ensure that future generations remain connected to who they are and carry these teachings forward with pride.”

“Marcelino’s art reflects the richness of the Yaqui culture and bridges where we come from to where we are going. I love his passion and vision,” said Lesah Sesma, General Manager, Casino Del Sol, Vahi Taaʿam.

“As a youth I would visualize the oral stories in my mind. Growing up, I was inspired by the many murals in our community — most importantly, by the stories they held about our origins, our beliefs, and our culture as Yoemem,” said Marcelino C. Flores III. “I want to express my sincerest gratitude to the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council and the Executive Leadership of Casino Del Sol for entrusting me with the opportunity of a lifetime. Lios em Chiokoe Uttesiavu!” — a closing prayer in Yoeme meaning, “may the creator be with you all,” a blessing exchanged as one parts ways.