Francisco “Paros” Baltazar, Pascua Yaqui Regalia. Tucson, AZ  |  2022

Paros Baltazar makes traditional regalia worn in the Yaqui Deer Dance ceremony of the Pascua Yaqui people. He prepares Yaqui youth for the ceremony and teaches them to make regalia. He has been dancing in ceremony since he was five years old and learned the regalia artforms from Luis Maaso, an elder from the Rio Yaqui community. He is committed to ensuring that the deer dance continues and works with Yaqui children, preparing them for the dance and teaching the art of regalia. He worked with his daughter, Leilani Perez, to make regalia for the annual Cuaresma ceremony, teaching her to make abalone shell necklaces, embroidery, and handkerchiefs.