Here’s the story of a young French, Spanish and Apache artist and Indian MC rider. Peter Oropeza is a man of spirit in a world of greed and quarterly reports. Through life’s peaks and valleys he’s sought meaning and direction. “It’s not about just making money,” Peter explained. “I needed a way to feed my family and my soul.”
Peter is a professionally trained artist and designer who grew up around his grandfather’s estate in Guadalupe Canyon, Mexicali. He experienced the spiritual ways of the native Indians and the deep Catholic faith. He drew and designed for cartoon publishers and apparel manufacturers such as David Segal.
He hit the top of his game in his mid 30s and lost a major account in 2000 just as his 40th birthday approached. The upheaval in his life caused him to research his roots in the Canyon of the Serpent not far from his Grandfather’s ranch. An artist looking for direction, inspiration and guidance, he sought his grandfather’s knowledge, and spiritual encouragement in the vortex of the bolder crusted mountains surrounding El Canon De Las Bivoras.
As 2001 approached and the beginning of a new millennium, his sister died and he dreamed of her during his search. Artists and writers are like that. They see beyond bottom lines and check books and find stimulation in shapes and images. Like a Bike builder who picks up an old brass doorknob and builds a bike around it, Peter started to form his own triangulated vortex as symbol of his sister, a spiritual guide towards growth and knowledge and ultimately a logo design for his new company. He told a candle maker in San Pedro about his dreams and the man made him a pyrimad candle to take to the desert canyon as a tribute to his sister.
As the calendar neared Jan. 1 2001, Peter rode his dirt bike to see his grandfather, then slipped into the night, to ride to the Canyon of the Serpents to pray, reaching out to his sister amongst the boulders with his candle in a back pack. The night contained a spiritual resonance and as he prayed in the sand by only the glow of the candle, coyotes began to yelp. He tried to protect the candle from the gusting winds with a Mexican blanket. The Coyotes neared, screeching their shrill screams in the New Years night. As he finished his prayer, the howls grew, wind roared and the sand blew like ghosts screaming of the terrible past mankind reeked on the earth during the former millennium. It creeped Peter out and he jumped on his dirt bike and headed back to his grandfather’s ranch for the safety of his family.
The next morning he returned to Snake Canyon to retrieve his sacred candle and his blanket. As if the gods attempted to bury the evils of the past in the sands of time, his items of prayer were nearly buried in canyon dust. As he lifted the blanket to shake it out, the brilliant new years desert sun lit a black silhouette of candle smoke. “I couldn’t have drawn a better profile of an Indian warrior,” Peter said.
Suddenly his life came into focus. A code emerged to represent the faith of the past and direction for the future. To Peter, the name DiOro represented his meaning of life. “Don’t let the past, the greed of explorers who discovered and destroyed much of Mexico, or the Conquistadors of Spain who killed native Indians, destroy your integrity, love or family. Maintain your values, guide your children and don’t be pulled off the highway into the arms of temptation.”
The silhouette represented the native strength. The triangle denoted his code for family, integrity and faith, and the sun represented god. He loves to ride choppers and his notion about being sucked off the road by temptation applies to the rider in all of us. “I love the open road, but I know the enticement it can bring,” Peter said. “It’s a test every time we hit the highway.”
Don’t I know what he’s talking about. My middle initial should be T for temptation. So now, with Peter’s family of Yelena, his girl, son Richie (18), Miliano (4) and Eros (just 1) at his side he’s developed DiOro clothing for riders. “I’m not selling mainstream or through distributors,” Peter said. “I sell only retail and directly to bike shops.” He produces work for Commercial Advertisements, Fashion & Motion Picture Entertaiment Industry, utilizing his talents to produce his clothing line which includes denims, T-shirts, vests, jackets and acessories. “Everything is made in the U.S.A.”
We’re going to support Peter’s growth and code. He’s got a lot of heart. Let’s watch how he does as he moves forward.–Renegade
