Jason Martinez is a flamenco dancer and cajón player. He was introduced to the artform at the University of New Mexico, with instructors Eva Encinias-Sandoval and Pablo Rodarte. He has traveled to Sevilla, Spain and studied extensively at the National Institute of Flamenco under Joaquin Encinias and Omayra Amaya and with celebrated artists at …
Responsible Herbalism: In the Mountains with Vadi Arzu Erdal
Story and photographs by Lisa M. O'Neill Clouds fill the brilliant blue sky as I travel up the mountain with bioregional herbalist and bartender Vadi Arzu Erdal. The expanse of saguaros shifts to forests of conifers and sentinels made of stone. As the car climbs, we watch the barometer drop five, then ten, then twenty degrees, a reprieve from the …
Thinking Like a Folklorist: Barrio Stories as Theatre
by Marc David Pinate Atop the concrete courtyard of the Tucson Convention Center, a mother and daughter wandered, dressed for shopping downtown; Blind Mike played an accordion on the corner; mambo music spilled out from an imaginary nightclub; a grandmother made fresh tortillas on an outdoor stove. For four days, Tucson’s original Mexican …
Layers of Life and Beauty: The Papercuttings of Magdalena Nowacka-Jannotta
by Kimi Eisele To look into one of Magdalena Nowacka-Jannotta’s colorful and intricate papercuttings is to look into another world and wish you could go there. At least that’s how it is for me. Magdalena practices the art of wycinanki, or papercutting in the Polish tradition, a form said to have originated with the cutting of designs …
New Food Vendors at Tucson Meet Yourself
Food vendors benefit from Tucson Meet Yourself, bringing in a combined $350,000 on average each year. Many cultural groups use their earnings to support education and service activities throughout the year. Over 56 food booths will be present at this year’s festival, representing Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Greece, …
The Egalitarian Sound of Son Jarocho
by Kimi Eisele Michelle Téllez first heard the lively harmonic sounds of son jarocho music at a community concert in Los Angeles. The band playing was Mono Blanco, a well-known troupe from Veracruz, Mexico. “The sound drew me in. It was so fast and sharp,” said Téllez, assistant professor of Mexican American Studies at the University of …