|
SACRED SPRING
POWWOW Poster
CONDOR DANZA Poster
INDIGENOUS ARTS
SUMMER CAMP 2016
Students play Native American flute
Learn how to play indigenous instruments
Perform Aztec danza at the grand finale of the camp
Paint and construct a dynamic, three dimentional mural
Learn songs in Nahuatl and Coahuiltecan languages
Honor Sociedad Cuauhtemoc for donating their Hall in co-sponsorship of the camp
Dress in their performance regalia
Provide college student interns who are role models for continuing education
REPATRIATION
T-SHIRT
NOW AVAILABLE
Limited edition, $20 each
Fundraiser for Repatriation Program
|
. |
MERMAID WEEK SMTX 2016
CONDOR DANZA - GRAND FINALE FOR MERMAID WEEK
Sept. 15th | 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM | Cuauhtemoc Hall | 1100 Patton St. | San Marcos, TX
Indigenous Cultures Institute was invited to join the Mermaid Society and present its pre-powwow show as the grand finale of the first Mermaid Week SMTX 2016 festival, scheduled from September 10th through the 18th. The indigenous Condor Danza event is set for Sunday, September 18th from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM at Cuauhtemoc Hall on 1100 Patton Street in San Marcos.
“We are thrilled to be part of this wonderful new festival that will be a signature art event in San Marcos,” says Institute executive director Maria Rocha. “And our Condor Danza will be a thrilling closing event with two professional Aztec dance companies from Dallas, Texas performing, and a breathtaking Native American art auction.”
According to Mermaid Society SMTX literature, the society is a grassroots community organization committed to strengthening connectivity among like-spirited community partners. These entities work creatively and collaboratively towards a shared vision in support of the arts, river stewardship, historic preservation and a local living economy.
The two groups from Dallas are Cuicani In Xochitl, which includes a mesmerizing flute player, and Mitotiliztli Yaoyollohtli that features a family of dancers with children. They will dance at Cuauhtemoc Hall which features a large central dance area and seating for 400. The Sociedad Cuauhtemoc donated the use of their facility as a gift to the San Marcos community.
 The art auction will feature exceptional art such as a dramatic red-ink Geronimo serigraph (photo right) on raw black paper by J. Nicole Hatfield (Comanche-Kiowa) from Oklahoma, an ancient-medicine-man acrylic painting by Arnulfo Peña (Mescalero Apache) from Watauga, Texas, a four-piece beaded jewelry set by an indigenous artist from Chiapas, Mexico, a set of dolls dressed in traditional Huichol-style clothing, a beaded medicine bag by Native artist Virgie Ravenhawk and more, plus items from local merchants.
INDIGENOUS ARTS SUMMER CAMP - HUGE SUCCESS
On Friday, July 15th we completed our fifth annual Indigenous Arts Summer Camp. Again we raised the bar even higher, with the absolutely most successful camp yet. The grand finale was wonderful and demonstrated the abundance of knowledge that the children acquired.
One of our instructors said that what we accomplish, by working to restore the indigenous heritage to our children, is nothing short of a miracle. Indeed, we are accomplishing the unimaginable – restoring our cultural heritage.
Through the vehicle of the Arts, over 30 Hispanic children learned that they are indigenous; and 11 non-indigenous students thoroughly enjoyed learning about a different culture. They experienced their beautiful and vibrant culture, and demonstrated their new-found knowledge of their Native American heritage and their stewardship of Mother Earth.
The students learned how to sing songs in the Nahuatl and Coahuiltecan languages, played the Lakota Love Song on their Native American flutes, created symbolic dance regalia, painted and constructed a three-dimentional mural for the stage backdrop, learned the Aztec danza that honors the four elements, created tapestry pieces and paper flowers to decorate the performance hall, and took an educational field trip to the Sacred Springs.
OUR SUPPORT
This year our staff was enhanced with the addition of Marleen Villanueva, pursuing her Master’s degree at U.T. Austin in Indigenous Studies and Education. Marleen also contributed her danzante tradition and ceremonial background plus her experience as a teacher.
We also added two outstanding indigenous instructors, Paulina Dosal-Terminel and Tanya Gantiva, who helped us expand our visual arts component to six art projects that included an initial interpretations of the students home, paper flowers for decoration and the program gifts to family, tapestries to decorate, ceremonial t-shirt painting, headband/waistband painting, and a layered mural of the four elements that was unbelievable in beauty and depth for the stage backdrop. They were recruited by U.T. Austin professor Heidi Powell (Eastern Oklahoma Delaware-Lenni Lenape).
Also joining our Camp Team was Monica Garza as our Nutrition Coordinator and her assistant volunteers Cindy Reyna and Tina Morales. This year Esmeralda Perez also joined our team and volunteered as backup in our logistics work and in our program delivery. Also joining us was our new intern Marisa Diaz, a student at Texas State University. Thank you to Irma Gaitan who took off work to volunteer at our camp. And thanks to Maria Martinez who brought her two danzantes-children Jailee Mazahuatl and Mixcoatl who joined our grand finale and pledged her support to our work.
Our success hinges on those gifted and highly skilled professionals who stay with us every year. Despite their regular professional positions, they take a week off and join our effort. Laura Benavides, Oscar Franco, Emily Aguilar-Thomas, Evelio Flores, and Roxanne Schroeder-Arce are the heart and soul of this camp. And during fives years in a row, Nico Gonzales, 15 years old, has risen to youth leader.
Cuauhtemoc Hall has become a home to our camp thanks to La Sociedad Cuauhtemoc. We document our work each year with the most professional and culturally sensitive photos by our gifted photographer relation, Rene Renteria, and our good friend who videotapes our grand finale Jeremy Garrett. This year San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District added buses for our field trip to the Sacred Springs, to the breakfast and lunches that they contribute to our camp. David Montaña is now coordinating our bus service needs – and he’s the best.
OUR FUNDING
Each year we receive the majority of our funding from the San Marcos Arts Commission, and minor grants from Hays County, San Marcos Lions Club, and Texas Commission on the Arts. But this year, with increased students and subsequent financial need, our friends and relations stepped forward and donated money. Hays County Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe, Lalo and Maria Rodriguez, David and Felipa Montelongo, Michael Diaz, Cheryl Gilpin, Justin Scott, Sue Sharpston, Dave & Gail Thomas, Toni DeAztlan-Smith, Esther Garza, and Ben & Irene Rocha – all donated personal funds to our camp.
SACRED SPRINGS POWWOW
Saturday, OCT 8th | 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Meadows Center | 201 San Marcos Springs Drive | San Marcos, TX
The most spiritual outdoor powwow in Texas, on the shores of the Sacred Springs.
A
powwow is a festival celebrating Native American culture with drums, dancers
dressed in phenomenal regalia, and Native foods, arts and crafts. Forty exceptional vendors will sell their art and crafts, and Native food at the Powwow. Beautiful blankets, horse hair pottery, Kachina Dolls, Southwest jewelry, dreamcatchers, and much more will be available. Shop at the booths, stop in at the Native Culture Tent, take your children to the Youth Art Tent for fabulous educational activities, and watch the incredible dancers in the Arena Tent. This is a POWWOW you won't want to miss! For more information, click here.
REPATRIATION BURIAL GROUNDS PROJECT
MOVES FORWARD
The San Marcos City Council subcommittee on repatriation met on July 18, and Dr. Mario Garza and Maria Rocha attended as members. Present were Council Members Lisa Prewitt, Jane Hughson, and Jude Prather, City Manager Jared Miller, Parks Director Rodney Cobb, Assistant Parks Director William Ford, Parks Operations Manager Bert Stratemann, and City Attorney Michael Cosantino.
Good news. The subcommittee worked out all the details so that we can move forward immediately to establish the Repatriation Burial Grounds.
1. A three-week notice must be given for a public hearing on establishing the burial grounds.
2. After the public hearing, City Council votes to create the repatriation burial grounds.
3. The City Attorney is drawing up the memo of understanding between the City and our organization/tribe, to set the rules on how
the burial ground will be established, maintained, and used. This should be ready soon.
4. Texas State University will be contacted regarding the age at which a set of remains is officially considered ancient.
5. The City will order and purchase the fence and then work out payment details with Texas State University, in order to expedite this
process.
Council Member Lisa Prewitt led the way in addressing the obstacles that stopped our repatriation ceremony on April 3rd.
Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support. Now we can proceed with the reburial of the one relation that has been given to us, and make plans to rebury the five other people we’ve requested from Texas State University and three we’ve requested from U.T. Austin.
We will keep you posted. Thank you again for helping us with this critically important issue.
|
