Program Schedule
Blessing: Ron Alec
Music: Lance Canales
We ask that all those who attend be respectful as this is a sacred ceremony,
not a performance.
Aztec Dancers
Radio Park
The Outdoor Marketplace will be a space for sharing information, cultures,
and food. Children will have a space to play while learning at the same
time. A time tunnel will be displayed as local, regional, and international
artists perform music, dance, and poetry.
This is a game with roots in pre-Hispanic cultures played by Mixtecos
at the ceremonial centers. It is believed to have had great significance
in ritual and ceremonial life, yet the exact meaning of this game is still
unknown. The game utilized a hard ball that could only be touched with
the elbow, the knee and the hip. The Mixteco community of the Valley is
making an effort to re-create this game.
Outdoor Market Stage
Tou Ger Xiong, a Hmong artist and activist, and Rosa Lopez, a Mixteco
cultural organizer and storyteller, will facilitate the opening ceremony.
By connecting immigrants’ history to the present and looking forward
to the future, the opening ceremony conveys that Tamejavi is about our
history and struggle to end racism, discrimination, and prejudice, and
advance justice, equality, human rights, dignity, and respect for all.
Drummers: Lance Canales & George Mbuthia
• Tou Ger Xiong & Rosa Lopez
• Tehrani dance by the Iranian Culture & Art Club
• Hmong Children dancers
• Bandari dances by the Iranian Culture & Art Club
• Sones y Jarabes de Jutla by Se’e Savi Children
• City Council Proclamation
• “This Land Is Our Land” by Mujeres Valientes
The 1924 Asian Exclusion Act prohibited all Chinese, Japanese, Koreans,
and Indians from immigrating to the United States. Also, by law Asians
could not become citizens, marry Caucasians, or own land. However, farms
and canneries still needed inexpensive labor. Thousands of young, single
Filipino males began migrating to the West Coast during the 1920s to fill
this need. Immigration laws did not exclude Filipinos because they were
U.S. nationals since the Philippines was a U.S. territory.
Mga Anak Ng Bayan
A student-based Filipino dance troupe formed in 2006, inspired by the
Sanpaguipa dance troupe from University of the Pacific. They will present
two dances: Pandango Sa Ilaw, which portrays dancers
carefully balancing candle lanterns, and Guaway Guaway,
a dance that originated in the rice harvest in the Philippine countryside.
At the end of the 19th century the first Armenian communities began
settling in the Central Valley, playing a critical role in the raisin
industry, the largest in the world. Around this time, however, the darkest
moments of Armenian history began—the Armenian Genocide of 1915
is known as the first modern, systematic genocide, with the massacre of
more than one million Armenians. Today many Armenians call the Valley
home, making their group one of the largest populations of Armenians outside
Armenia.
Arax Dance Group
Arax will present a set of traditional men’s and women’s Armenian
folk dances practiced in the villages of Armenia and passed down through
generations of immigrant families.
“ We are pleased to share this part of our culture with you.”
The 1930’s marked a particularly unstable time for the US, which
was then experiencing the aftermath of the stock market crash and, consequently,
the Great Depression. At the same time, American prairie lands were forced
into use beyond their natural limits to capture the profits of World War
I, causing a series of catastrophic agricultural events called the Dust
Bowl. As a result, about 300,000 people from Oklahoma and Texas, including
a group of African Americans, migrated to the Valley and are now settled
primarily in Bakersfield.
Jan Goggans
An assistant professor in Literatures and Culture at the University of
California, Merced, Jan Goggans has taught courses on the Great Depression,
California literature, and American protest literature. Goggans is currently
completing a book titled California on the Breadlines. Jan will present
visual, fictional, and poetic responses to the great wave of migration
to the state of California that occurred during the Great Depression.
Kenny Hall
As one of the fathers of bluegrass, Kenny Hall is a master mandolinist
and fiddler in old-time music styles as well as an inspiration to hundreds
of musicians from around the world. Born in 1923 in San Jose and blind
from birth, Kenny now resides in Fresno, spending his days performing
and teaching mandolin.
The Fusion of Native and African Cultures
Performed by the Rhythm Town Orphans, a group with roots in the Central
Valley whose musical background goes back to the 30’s and 40’s
during the boom era of the blues. The main instrument used is the cigar
box guitar, which came out of the Dust Bowl and gave people in poverty
the chance to make music, an instrument that is at the very roots of American
music.
In 1942 the United States signed the agreement that created the Bracero
Program originally designed to bring Mexican agricultural workers to harvest
sugar beets in Stockton, California. The Bracero Program soon spread throughout
most of the United States. By 1945, the quota for the agricultural program
was more than 50,000 braceros to be employed in U.S. agriculture at any
given time, and 75,000 for the railroad program. The railroad program
ended promptly with the conclusion of World War II in 1945, but the agricultural
program survived in various forms until 1964. Braceros made significant
contributions to U.S. economy, yet now in their elder years, they continue
involved in a struggle to reclaim a percentage of their wages withheld
by the Mexican government.
Carmencristina Moreno
Carmencristina’s parents taught her to play the Mexican folk
guitar in the different regional musical styles of Mexico, but having
been raised in the USA and influenced by many North American musical artists,
she has become musically bilingual. Moreno has composed many of her own
songs, has performed in a multitude of venues, and has made personal appearances
on radio and television, as well as played dramatic roles in major films
and TV series. She hopes that her music “will build bridges between
the different cultures, especially those here in the San Joaquin Valley.”
Beginning in the 60’s, reform movements changed the social climate
of the U.S. as people began to challenge the inequalities they witnessed
in their country. At the same time that the Black Power Movement in the
South raised issues of Civil Rights for African Americans, the United
Farm Workers of America fought for similar basic liberties for farm workers
in California and Florida.
Civil Rights: Francine Oputa
Performing artist, storyteller, cultural historian, among other occupations,
Francine L. Oputa was born and raised in Pacoima, California. She traveled
to the San Joaquin Valley to attend college where she received her M.A.
in Mass Communication at California State University, Fresno. Ms. Oputa
is currently the Director of the Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute.
Farmworkers Organizing: Mujeres Valientes
A local musical group with a repertoire of traditional Mexican & political
grassroots tunes.
Filipino Experience: Herb Jamero
A Filipino writer of short stories and poetry, his stories narrate the
experiences of his parents migrating from Hawaii as part of the 1920’s
Sakadas and his observations of growing up during those times.
The Peace Movement: Raging Grannies
The Raging Grannies are a local group of grandmothers who use old tunes
to express their displeasure with the injustices of our society and our
government. They hope for “a more harmonious world in which everyone
has equal opportunities.
Internal challenges against the U.S. government’s actions escalated
during the Vietnam War, which lasted from 1959 to 1975 and resulted in
the deaths of more than 1.5 million people. As one of the consequences
of the war, the Hmong people from Laos fled to escape persecution, many
of them eventually settling in the Central Valley along with other Southeast
Asian immigrants in the late 70’s and 80’s.
Mai Der Vang
As a Hmong-American, Mai Der has been writing poetry since age 11. Although
she was born in Fresno, many of her poems reflect the nostalgia provoked
by the loss of a sense of homeland.
Wilson Vang
As a teacher, father, and shaman, Wilson is eager to share the history
and significance of the qeej (instrument) to Hmong culture. He explains,
“Qeej has been passed down from father to son and generation to
generation. It is used to entertain during happy occasions such as the
New Year and weddings, as well as being culturally significant in funeral
services to accompany the spirit to its ancestor.”
Tou Ger Xiong
Tou Ger is a Laos-born comedian and activist who came to the U.S. with
his family as a war refugee. In college he developed a passion for the
performing arts and created Project Respectism, an educational service
project that uses comedy, storytelling, and rap music to bridge cultures
and generations.
Lao Community Cultural Center of Fresno
This group will present Lao traditional dances that are performed for
such special occasions as the New Year, ceremonies, and weddings. The
country of Laos is very diverse and so are its dances. “We have
prepared these dances to be included in the Tamejavi Festival.”
At the same time that Southeast Asian refugees were migrating to
the U.S., Mexican migration also increased, but it began to take on a
new form that we see today. As opposed to the young Mexican men who were
brought to the States during the Bracero Program, indigenous families
began to arrive in the Valley from the south of Mexico. Currently, about
40,000 of these families reside in the Central Valley.
Rancheritos de Oaxaca & Martha Toledo
Rancheritos de Oaxaca is a Mixtec music group from Madera that performs
traditional violin Mixteco music. They are glad to be able to “share
the music and cultural traditions of the Mixteco people.” Martha
is a Zapotec singer from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Rocio Prospero Maldonado
Professor Prospero is well known throughout Mexico as a researcher and
performer of the P’urhepecha pirekua, having given concerts and
conferences in museums throughout Mexico as well as in the U.S.
Se’e Savi
The Madera dance group Se’e Savi will present dances from the Mixteca
region of Oaxaca. They will perform the Dance of the Diablitos, a dance
that tells the story of the transformation of pre-Hispanic rituals during
the conquest and process of evangelization.
Although Iranian students studied in the U.S. before 1979, a large
group of immigrants arrived in the Central Valley at the height of the
Iranian Revolution in order to escape the theocracy-based policies that
the Islamic Republic would impose on its people. The tense relationship
between the U.S. and Iranian governments climaxed with the hostage crisis
of 1979, which left Iranian-Americans in the U.S. facing racial profiling
and discrimination.
1. Esfehan by Iranian Cultural and Art Club MYRNA: DOES “by”
belong here?
This local arts group will be playing the santur and the tunbak, traditional
Iranian and Middle Eastern instruments that have been in existence for
a thousand years.
2. Ballet Afsaneh
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ballet Afsaneh, whose name comes
from a Persian word meaning “fairytale” or “legend,”
presents a repertoire of traditional and contemporary numbers that combine
the dance, music, and poetry of several regions of Iran.
For more than a century, immigrants from all over the world have
faced persecution, inequality, and hatred. Currently, post-9/11 racism
is affecting the established Muslim and Arab communities that call the
U.S. home. ICE raids are separating Mexican families in the same way that
Chinese families were separated at the turn of the 20th century. The current
anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. and in the Central Valley reminds
us that all of us need to learn about each other’s similar histories
in dealing with these kinds of struggles. In doing so, we can learn from
our neighbors in the Central Valley and around the world.
Survivor
Dubbed “Survivor,” John Blake survived the projects on the
lower east side of Manhattan, NYC, and years of hardship and drama. He
claims that poetry has saved his life. In 2006, his first year of slam,
he was a Nuyorican four-time semifinalist and competed at Fresno Slam
2006. His book of memoirs is set for release in August of 2008.
Shadokat
A native of New Jersey, Shadokat has exploded upon the spoken word scene,
rousing audiences across the United States and Europe, through the use
of hip hop-influenced style and cynical humor to speak on various topics
including social awareness and community.
Burlee Vang
Burlee is a local Hmong poet who has received local and national attention
for his works, including the Paj Ntaub Voice 2006 prize for poetry. Published
in the Paj Ntaub Voice literary journal, Random House’s 20-Something
Essays by 20-Something Writers: Best New Voices of 2006, Heyday Books’
Highway 99: A Literary Journey Through California’s Great Central
Valley, and RUNES: A Review of Poetry, among others. Burlee is currently
working on a funded memoir entitled Threads Between Earth and Sky.
Peasants Uprising
From Lindsay, California, Peasant Uprising brings punk rock to the stage
and delivers a dose of reality that raises social awareness ignored by
the mainstream media.
Talento Norteño
Talento Norteño is a versatile group performing Mexican music (música
regional) to “remind people that Mexican (Spanish) traditional music
is not being forgotten.”
Patrick Contreras
Patrick Contreras’ music can be described in one word: eclectic!
In 2000 he joined the progressive/rock group Zambra, until eventually
touring solo to great acclaim. He has opened for and worked with artists
such as E-40 and Digital Underground to Bela Flack and Mariachi Imperial.
In 2007, Patrick debuts his album American Gypsy, which will be a new
sound for Violin and Music.
Mezcal
Born in the belly of the San Joaquin Valley, Mezcal has become a local
sensation. Their Latin grooves have taken them on many journeys, from
a Dinuba packinghouse to the Rose Bowl Cinco de Mayo Festival celebration.
Zapotec Food
By Amalia Aquino
Mixtec Food
By Rosa Lopez
Hmong/Southeast Asian Food
By May Lee
East Indian Food
By the UC Merced Students Club
Mediterranean Food
By Diana’s Restaurant
Nieve (Ice Cream)
By Longorio Reyes
Aguas Frescas
By Juanita Pedraza
Drinks
By The Fresno Art Museum
Volunteers’ Tent
Volunteer headquarters
Pan Valley Institute/American Friends Service Committee Tent
Information about PVI and AFSC, need more descriptions
Media Tent
Media and documentation team headquarters. Some documentaries about the
story of the Central Valley will be shown.
Performers’ Tent
A tent for performers to prepare for what they will share on stage.
Sponsors’ Tents
Places for Tamejvi sponsors to participate at the festival and inform
attendees about the services they provide.
Oaxacan Hand-made Jewelry
By Victoria Avila from Lindsay
Traditional Oaxacan Clothing
By Ezequiel Padilla
Hmong Needle Work (Padao)
By May Lee
Native American Arts and Crafts
By Samantha Canales
Madera Community Garden
By members of the garden
Flowers
By the Pan Valley Institute
MINI BOOKSTORE
The idea for a mini-bookstore came about from the need to open a space
for local authors to expose their works and provide opportunities to learn
about the different ways writers are documenting the migrant experience
in the Central Valley.
The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP)
A multicultural organization of volunteers offering experimental workshops
to
empower individuals to lead nonviolent lives through self-affirmation,
respect for all, community building, and trust.
Samantha Canales
Samantha has lived in the diverse region of California’s San Joaquin
Valley for more than ten years. Although she is a third-generation artist,
she chooses to reach even farther back in time to “keep a line of
connection to the old ones” and to the old ways of being able to
create “art” from the natural world around her. As all indigenous
cultures have done throughout time, Samantha uses her art as a way to
tell stories. She believes that what is held within these stories has
the power to teach, transform, and heal.
Boonma Yang
A Hmong artist from Merced, California, Yang graduated from the Academy
of Art University in San Francisco with a B.A. in Fine Art. During his
four years at the Academy, Boonma did a series of paintings that reflect
the culture, values, religion, history, and political issues presently
experienced by his people after more than 30 years of living with the
memories of displacement.
Rattananan K. Moerdyk
Born June 2, 1976 in Bangkok, Thailand, Moerdyk graduated with bachelor’s
degree from Chiangmai University in German language with a minor in Tourism.
She worked as a tour guide for six years and did not learn how to draw
until she was 24 years old. “For my inspiration, I draw anything
that I feel connected with. I just realized that my work relates to the
soul and spiritual and secret power within ancient or modern style.”
The History Time Tunnel highlights the major historical events that have
influenced migration to the Central Valley, thereby making it one of the
most culturally diverse places in the world. The tunnel reflects the great
contributions of various cultural communities who have struggled to adapt
to new living conditions under extreme pressures and uncertainties. This
historical testament to the richness of the Central Valley’s history
is presented through visual arts in photographs, crafts, and textiles.
In addition to story telling by members of some of the communities represented
at the tunnel, there are individual readings and other presentations—a
schedule of these can be found outside the Tunnel.
These sections of the time tunnel will narrate aspect of the history
of the following communities:
Section 1: Native American
Section 2: When California Was Mexico
Section 3: The Chinese Community in Fresno
Section 4: The Japanese community in Fresno
Section 5 Filipinos in the Central Valley
Section 6: The Dust Bowl
Section 7: African Americans
Section 8: Braceros
Section 9: Hmong Refugees
Section 10: Mexican Indigenous Peoples
Section 11: The Central Valley Now
Sponsored by the Fresno Art Museum, Family Day invites you to learn more
about cultural traditions throughout the Central Valley. Bring your family
to experience a day of cultural fun, with many hands-on art activities
in our Child Space area honoring our Latino, Hmong, and Native American
cultures. Guest Salvador Ramos will demonstrate how papel picado is made,
and Tou Ger Xiong will discuss traditional Hmong toys. |