History of Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation Flag

As Raymond Hernandez, Linda Ximenez, Ramon Vasquez Y Sanchez, Mickey Killian, and Dr. Steve Casanova continue the fight and struggle to recover our ancestor's remains from the Archdioceses of San Antonio Catholic Church and University of Texas at San Antonio Archeology Department.

The Nation was reforming Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan using historical records, state records, and family history the above persons mentioned brought action through political, media, and legal action to help bring our ancestorial remains back to Mission San Juan Capistrano for re-interment. The victory was finally seen by our nation and re-interment was possible through the Tribal Council Members, to finally bring our ancestors to rest where they back home at Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Gilbert Zapata and Ofelia M. Zapata have been supportive of Tap Pilam. Gilbert Zapata was laid to rest 20 years ago. Gilbert Zapata Stepfather and Ofelia M. Zapata Mother of Anthony Hernandez and Jeannette Hernandez. Mrs. Ofelia Morales Zapata was born in Piedras Negras, Mexico along the Texas-Mexican border. As a young girl, her parents decided to relocate to Acambaro Guanajuato. Mexico, with her sister and five brothers.

Ofelia Morales Zapata was the youngest daughter of Alberto Rojas Morales, he was Aztec-Coahuiltican, and his parents died during the Mexican Revolutionary War, from 1910 to 1920. Alberto Rojas Morales participated in the war as a young boy.?

He later became a mechanical engineer/Inventor for the Northe Mexican Railroad Passenger Service, his son's as young men ended up working for the same railroad service. When people would ask Morales Senior what race was he? He would reply “Soy Indio Primero and Mexicano Segundo, mi gente para vivir en las tierras de Coahuila”.

Alberto Rojas Morales ran for Mayor of Acambaro Guanajuato, where the Morales family lived and worked in Mexico. Mr. Morales Senior was a respected man in his community and had accumulated wealth through hard work and invented a cooling system for system local motives. He also started a loan service to people in the community with very low-interest rates so citizens can build up their credit.

In her twenties she married Antonio Rendon Hernandez and brother to Raymond Hernandez Sr., the Father of Tribal Council Member Raymond Hernandez. She divorced Antonio R, Hernandez and several years later married Gilbert Zapata, a practical engineer at Alamo Cement Company.

Mrs. Zapata saw the nation needed a flag to represent the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan to the world. Anthony Hernandez designed the seal for the flag and his Mother, a professional seamster, choose the colors, materials, and design and sowed the nation's flag in the image that she felt would represent Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation. Ofelia Zapata had received the materials needed to make the flag; she did not want Anthony to see the Nation’s flag until it was completed.

As the flag was being made; Anthony’s Stepfather Gilbert Zapata was instructed not to let Anthony see the flag; until it was completed. Anthony’s Stepfather said your Mom does not want you inside the back house until she finishes making the Nation’s flag.?

Anthony’s Stepfather said here is $20 and go eat at Oscar’s Taco and by then the flag should be finished. When I returned to the house, Anthony’s Mother and Stepfather had finished making the Nation’s flag. Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan existed in Texas and Mexico before the Spaniards arrived; an old nation has a new flag to represent Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan.

Mrs. Zapata worked as a professional seamster throughout her career at Fine Silver, Four E Manufacturing, Julian Gold, and Evelyn Bridle Shop. She believed her two most crowning achievements were the making of an evening dress for the late Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson of the United States and completing an official nation’s flag of Tap Palam Coahuiltecan.?

She resided in San Antonio, Texas during her first marriage, then married Gilbert Zapata for the rest of her life and died on April 25, 2023, at St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital. Mrs. Ofelia Morales Zapata was the Betsy Ross flag maker of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation.

The Nation’s flag still stands standing at the American Indians of Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AITSCM), the official office of Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan, at 1616 E. Commerce Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205. Located East of downtown San Antonio.?

Ramon J. Vasquez is the Executive Director of AITSCM and spokesperson for Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation. AITSCM offers many educational and community-based programs that reflect the history, culture, artistic, social, agricultural, and spiritual needs of the nation and San Antonio. AITSCM can be contacted at https://aitscm.org and on facebook, about the organization, its mission and programs.