A celebrated Yaqui artist from Tucson's Old Pascua community has been selected to create a signature piece of artwork that will greet guests inside the Pascua Yaqui Tribe's newest casino when it opens later this year.
Casino Del Sol announced Tuesday that contemporary Yaqui painter Marcelino C. Flores III has been commissioned to create an original mural for Casino Del Sol Vahi Taaʿam, the Tribe's third gaming property. The new casino is scheduled to open Nov. 15, 2026, at 1055 W. Grant Road near Interstate 10.
The mural, titled Aniam Yo'orine — Yoeme for "Respect the Worlds" — will celebrate Pascua Yaqui culture by drawing on traditional oral stories, the Sonoran Desert and the five spiritual worlds central to Yoeme beliefs.
Flores, a lifelong member of the Old Pascua Community, said the commission brings together many of the stories and artistic themes he has explored throughout his career.
"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.
The large-scale artwork will feature the five worlds of Yoeme tradition — Huya Ania, Tuka Ania, Tenku Ania, Yo Ania and Sewa Ania — while incorporating more than 30 Sonoran Desert animals and numerous native flowers. Flores said the mural is inspired by the Enchanted Waterfall in Old Pascua and the lessons he learned growing up about respecting nature, working hard and honoring cultural traditions.
Casino Del Sol leaders said selecting a Tribal artist from the Old Pascua community was an intentional decision.
"When we began thinking about who would create this work, the answer was clear from the start: a Tribal artist, from this community," said interim CEO Amanda Sampson Lomayesva. "Marcelino's work doesn't just reflect Yoeme culture — it lives inside it."
The mural also carries special significance because Casino Del Sol Vahi Taaʿam — whose name means "Three Suns" in the Yoeme language — is being built on Old Pascua Community land, where Flores was born and raised.
According to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the commission is part of a broader effort to weave Yoeme culture throughout the property's design. That includes the casino's 26-foot copper dome, designed to evoke the rising desert sun, and its signature restaurant, OP Grill, named in honor of the Old Pascua community.
Julian Hernandez said the project is about more than art.
"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," Hernandez said. "It is important that our young people see their language, stories, traditions, and worldview reflected in places like this."
Flores has become a well-known figure in Tucson's arts community, appearing as a featured folk artist at Tucson Meet Yourself while showcasing Yaqui culture through his paintings. He credits renowned Yaqui scholar and mentor Felipe Molina as a major influence on both his artistic vision and cultural foundation.
In a statement, Flores thanked the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council and Casino Del Sol leadership for what he called "the opportunity of a lifetime."
He concluded his remarks with the traditional Yoeme blessing, "Lios em Chiokoe Uttesiavu," meaning, "May the Creator be with you all."
