Then someone reminds me that their ex-husband reported a hawk who swooped down on a pigeon conference in his yard in Maryland and scooped up one of the birds for dinner in his claws. The remaining pigeons were outraged and are still disturbed at the sudden loss of their friend and relative. Her ex was quite entertained, she reported.
So much for the natural pacific tendencies of birds, and humans.
I imagine the circle of guardians, ancestors, bored departed relatives peering over into the high drama/soap opera going on in this realm. Someone is always watching, so it's better to watch yourself, first. Several years ago in the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport between flights I inserted my last change into postal stamp machine. I had mail in need of urgent delivery and had to get it in on the run. I was tired, probably running on sugar and caffeine. (I notice that sugar, caffeine and exhaustion in combination are lethal to my temperament.) The machine took my change and didn't deliver the stamps. I pounded. No stamps. Pounded the machine again. No change, either. A tribal member who I've always admired for his elegance and class interrupted my fury. Talk about embarrassment. Being self-possessed is literally to have possession of yourself. When you are truly self-possessed, then no matter how stubborn and uncooperative a machine (bureaucracies are included here, like governments and utility companies) a human or even a capricious Mother and Father Nature (there has to be both in this realm of duality--and a Trickster leaping the track inbetween) you remain elegant, unruffled. That's what I aspire to--
Last Tuesday I hosted the Navajo poet Luci Tapahonso at UCLA. She met with my graduate American Indian Studies class and then later addressed Ken Lincoln's poetry, my writing workshop, and the UCLA community. She was gracious, and as usual: self-possessed. As she talked, sang, and spoke she recreated her family's hogan in the Public Policy classroom. We became her family. She passed on a Navajo saying in her introduction that encapsulated what I've been telling the students in both my classes since the first meeting. The saying is much more concise:
The sacred is on the tip of the tongue.
She also reminded us that everything we speak stands behind us.
Now that's a frightening thought--and very true.
The following day I was on my way to Okmulgee, Oklahoma to put in a couple of days of research and visits related to my ongoing creative project. I won't talk about it because to talk about it will wear it out. It's happened to me over and again. I visited some of the beloved old ones and I always enjoy those visits. Then you know what matters. Spent some time at the Creek Council House, digging in the collections. My favorite aunt used to work there and I loved the feeling of connection when I'd come upon her signature or name in my search. Also got caught up on the political stuff and once again feel dismayed, even defeated on behalf of all of us to hear it, to know it...but also motivated to keep on moving towards an artistic renaissance of the people. Also know again why I live so far away!! Yet, I'm still there in the middle of it.
Ted Isham curator of the Creek Council House and at the heart of the Mvskoke language revitalization efforts returned to LA with me to speak on language revitilazation and poetics of traditional Mvskoke speech. We held it on the UCLA campus, invited my classes, the UCLA community, the Mvskoke Creek community of the California area. No one from UCLA attended the wonderful meeting, complete with sofkee made by my cousin Eli Grayson who also gave us a sharp, ascerbic and brilliant political rundown on things in the Nation. Ted brought a clip of a Spencer Franks "performance" of a particular kind of Mvskoke oratory, a kind of profound and spiritual Creek rap. Overall, a wonderful presentation from Ted and another gathering of home in the midst of the city. On March 8th the young poet Sherwin Bitsui will be our last guest. March 15th is my last day at UCLA.
In the meantime, and after, lots of travel. Includes:
March 3-6 Arcata, CA 3rd Annual Native Children’s Authors Festival, March 5th Free Public Event, United Indian Health Services, Potawot Health Village, 1600 Weeot Way, Arcata, CA. Book signing from 4-5. With Shonto Begay and Shaunna McCovey.
March 10: Performance Willamette University
March 11, Powell’s Bookstore , Portland
March 12 Portland Powwow
March 17-19 Slippery Rock, PA
March 20-27 Honolulu
March 28-April 1 Dennison University, OH
Many dates in April and May. Here's some detailed info on the Border Book Festival in Mesilla (Las Cruces), New Mexico in April. Hope to see some of you there:
RE-INVENTING THE AMERICAS
2005 BORDER BOOK FESTIVAL TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Note: Check at the Cultural Center of Mesilla, the registration table on the plaza, or the venue for last minute changes.
THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2005
ALL DAY
Border Book Festival Community Outreach
School Visits by Visiting Writers and Storytellers at various locations.
See school outreach schedule for more information.
LUNCH
12 - 1:30
LUNCHEON FOR STORYTELLERS
RANCHWAY BBQ AND MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Hosted by BBF and Elsa & Chuy Rodríquez.
Luncheon provided for storytellers; other paying customers welcome to join. Reservations/information: 523-7361.
EVENING
7:00 p.m. DINNER FOR VISITING STORYTELLERS
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2005
ALL DAY
Border Book Festival Community Outreach
School Visits by Visiting Writers at various locations.
See school outreach schedule for more information.
MORNING
9-11:00 a.m.
VISIT WITH AN ARTIST. STUDENTS FROM MESILLA ELEMENTARY WILL VISIT WITH FEATURED ARTISTS. RECEPTION BY THE ROTARY CLUB. FOUNTAIN THEATRE. FREE.
TRADE SHOW SET UP ON PLAZA. ALSO APRIL 16 FROM 7-9:30 A.M. 4-6:00 p.m.
RECEPTION FOR TRADE SHOW PARTICIPANTS AND VISITING WRITERS AT THE CULTURAL CENTER OF MESILLA
We invite all Trade Show vendors and authors to join us for a reception in their honor at the Cultural Center of Mesilla
LUNCH
AFTERNOON
1-2:00 p.m. LOS OJOS DEL ALMA/THE EYES OF THE SOUL, A THEATRE PIECE IN SPANISH WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY ALICIA LIBERTO. PERFORMED BY MEMBERS OF THE EVENSTART FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM OF THE LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN SPANISH. FOUNTAIN THEATRE. DONATION.
3-4:00 p.m. ESPEJOS Y VENTANAS/MIRRORS AND WINDOWS, A READER'S THEATRE PIECE ABOUT THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE. WRITTEN BY MARK LYONS AND DIRECTED BY BERTA CANTU. SPANISH. FOUNTAIN THEATRE. DONATION. 4-6:00 p.m.
RECEPTION FOR TRADE SHOW PARTICIPANTS AND VISITING WRITERS AT THE CULTURAL CENTER 3-5:00 p.m.
TRADE SHOW SET UP ON PLAZA. ALSO APRIL 16 FROM 7-9:30 A.M. OF MESILLA
We invite all Trade Show vendors and authors to join us for a reception in their honor at the Cultural Center of Mesilla
EVENING
7:00 p.m.
READING BY H.G. CARRILLO AND ANA CASTILLO. MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER. RECEPTION FOLLOWING. $7
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2005
ALL DAY
Exhibits
Exhibits
MESILLA VISITOR'S CENTER
Open Mic Readings Free
Pick up schedule at the BBF booth on the plaza or check at the venues.
Andeles's
The Bean
STORYTELLING TENT ACTIVITIES 10 - 5
Free Readings/performances by authors, children, publishers, and storytellers. Children's activities. See separate schedule or check at the venue.
MESILLA PLAZA
BOOKSIGNINGS BY AUTHORS 10 - 4 Free
Authors will be signing books at the BBF booth and at various publishers' booths.
Pick up schedule at the BBF booth. MESILLA PLAZA
Trade Show Libros y Más 10 - 5 Free
Vendors include: artists, writers, publishers, non-profit organizations, photographers, children's books, food, designers, etc. Pick up map of vendors at the BBF booth.
MESILLA PLAZA
9:00-11:00
WORKSHOP: CHILDREN OF THE AMERICAS: WRITING FOR THE GENERATIONS: WHAT TO SAY AND HOW $7
Workshop with Amada Irma Pérez. SAN ANDRES HIGH SCHOOL.
9:00-11:00
WORKSHOP: THE JAZZ OF WORDS. H.G. Carrillo.
The Fountain Theatre
10 - 11:30
PANEL: CRISIS IN THE AMERICAS . $5
Moderator: Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER
11:45 - 1:00
RE-INVENTING THE AMERICAS PANEL $5
Sherwin Bitsui, Joy Harjo and H.G. Carrillo. Moderator: Denise Chávez
MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER
LUNCH
AFTERNOON
12-1:00 p.m.
ESPEJOS Y VENTANAS/MIRRORS AND WINDOWS, A READER'S THEATRE PIECE ABOUT THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE. WRITTEN BY MARK LYONS AND DIRECTED BY BERTA CANTU. SPANISH. FOUNTAIN THEATRE. DONATION. 1:00-2:45 p.m. Make a Moblie with Neecy Twinem, children's illustrator, artist and author. The cost of the workshop includes a book. Limit 20 participants. BBF Storytelling tent on Plaza.
1:00 - 2:45
PANEL: TRANSLATED WORDS $5
Liliana Valenzuela, Sharon Franco, Jorge Argueta, Claude Fouillade. Moderator: Dr. Cecilia Pino.
MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER
2-4:00 p.m. Donation
HOMENAJE A RICARDO AGUILAR MELANTZÓN. A TRIBUTE TO MEXICAN POET AND NOVELIST, RICARDO AGUILAR MELANTZÓN BY STUDENTS, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. In Spanish and English. Fountain Theatre.
Donation for Aguilar Melantzón Scholarship Fund
3:30-5:00 p.m. Donation
STORYTELLING EVENT FOR FAMILIES WITH JOE HAYES. Booksigning following.
MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER
5-7 DINNER AT LA POSTA.
Reservations/information: 524-3524.
EVENING
7 - 9
PREMIO FRONTERIZO GALA $10
Music and Readings
Music by Onda de Valle with El Güero del Chuco.
Presentation of the Premio Fronterizo Award, The Sunshine Community Service Award, and the Cauthon Volunteer Award.
Reading by Sherwin Bitsui and Joy Harjo.
MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER
8 - 12
¡PACHANGA! DANCE FOR FESTIVAL ARTISTS, ATTENDEES, AND GENERAL PUBLIC $7
PALACIO BAR IN MESILLA
SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2005
ALL DAY
EXHIBITS
MESILLA VISITOR'S CENTER
OPEN MIC READINGS Free
Pick up schedule at the BBF booth on the plaza or check at the venue.
Venues: The Bean, Andele's
STORYTELLING TENT ACTIVITIES 10-5 Free
Readings/performances by authors, children, publishers, and storytellers. Children's activities. See separate schedule or check at the venue.
MESILLA PLAZA
BOOK SIGNINGS BY AUTHORS. 10-4 Free
Authors will be signing books at the BBF booth and at various publishers' booths.
Pick up schedule at the BBF booth. MESILLA PLAZA
TRADE SHOW LIBROS Y MÁS 10-5 Free
Vendors include: artists, writers, publishers, non-profit organizations, photographers, children's books, food, designers, etc. Pick up map of vendors at the BBF booth.
MESILLA PLAZA
MORNING
9-11
Workshop: The Legacy of the Ancestors: Writing Through One's Historical Trauma to Celebrate the Power of Roots
Various Writers.
FOUNTAIN THEATRE $7
9-11
Panel: Panel in Spanish with Fernando Garavito, Liliana Valenzuela, Jorge Argueta SAN ANDRES HIGH SCHOOL $5
9-11
Workshop: I AM FROM with Jessica Blanchard
SAN ANDRES HIGH SCHOOL
$7
BRUNCH 11-1 Native Foods Brunch with a celebration of music, art and dance from the Americas. $25 Join us for a wonderful taste of the Americas as we feature a cornucopia of foods native to our hemisphere. If you haven't tried a nopal shake you don't know what you've been missing. Enjoy the arts of the hemisphere while you eat! MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER. Reservations necessary.
AFTERNOON
1:30-2:30 LOS OJOS DEL ALMA, THEATRE PIECE IN SPANISH WRITTEN BY ALICIA LIBERTO AND PERFORMED BY MEMBERS OF THE EVENSTART FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM. DONATION.
FOUNTAIN THEATRE. DONATION.
1-2:00
STORYTELLING: STORIES OF THE AMERICAS WITH JORGE ARGUETA, JOE HAYES, NEECY TWINEM AND OTHERS.
STORYTELLING TENT
1 - 3
READING IN SPANISH: LILIANA VALENZUELA, FERNANDO GARAVITO, LEVI ROMERO, CECILIA PINO $5
MESILLA COMMUNITY CENTER.
1 - 2:30
PANEL: LAS COMADRES PARA LAS AMERICAS. MODERATOR: GINA NUNEZ, AMADA IRMA PEREZ, BERTA CANTU, MARIA LUISA GONZALES AND LAURA GUTIERREZ SPENCER. $5.
SAN ANDRES HIGH SCHOOL
3:15-5:00
READING: WRITERS AND TRANSLATORS:
DENISE CHÁVEZ, LILIANA VALENZUELA, BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ AND CLAUDE FOUILLADE. $5
MESILLA COMMUNITY THEATRE.
7:00 p.m. JUST CAN'T LEAVE THE FESTIVAL? JOIN US AT SEVERO'S RESTAURANT IN LA MESA, NM FOR SOME GREAT GREEN CHILE ENCHILADAS. RESERVATIONS: 524-233-3534.
No comments:
Post a Comment