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Yesterday my wife and I hosted our annual Festive Sharing, usually held a couple of weeks before Christmas. Here's how the invitation read:
"In the spirit of less stuff, bring a gift to share, not to give away, something you or someone else created--non-manufactured.
"Come experience all the shares, like: A story, poem, song, play, dance or artwork, written, spoken, sung, performed or simply exhibited. Drawn, painted, sewn, photoed, carved or crafted. Baked, steamed, brewed, homemade, self-portraited, recently read, or--your choice. 10-15 min to present your Share.
"Food, hot mexicanococoa, primo margaritas, beer, sangria and other liquids. Bring a favorite dish or drink to richen the communal meal. Dress code, tribal-informal. Wear your fave, faded, baggy, flabby whatevers. Drinks & eats followed by the Sharing. First-come, first to share."
Our event is a mix of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and others, although our home barely accommodates the couple of dozen guests. It looks like a holiday party. Until the Sharing starts
And a teenaged boy performs his dance. Or a young lady sings.
A guitarist does an original composition.
A writer, her prose.
A man reading his favorite poet.
A self-produced documentary on remote-control airplanes.
A pot of jambalaya, and the story behind it.
A handmade fishing rod.
A fire-dancer out on the lawn.
You can't imagine the variety because there's no limit to what interests people or what they're capable of creating.
For our few hours, there's no worry about buying gifts or getting to the sale or wrapping presents. No one expects you to give any thing, No exchange of purchased presents. You give of yourself, and everyone receives that.
I enjoy the Sharing for its non-consumerist, non-materialistic, non-commercial qualities. It reminds me that once upon a time, our much happier ancestors gathered in forests, around campfires, on grassy plains or in caves, and had fun sharing what they'd made with natural materials and their own hands. Or shared a rock crystal or a bird's colorful egg they'd discovered. Maybe we were more like children then. Open to discovering, exploring, enjoying and definitely sharing that, with little or no stress.
Today we are social animals who've lost our tribe, our largest, safe grouping. We may still have our other circles--our close support group of 5, 15 sympathetic friends, 50 close friends. But the approximate 150 who once constituted our tribe hardly exist anymore. Social media friends in the thousands doesn't fill the void. And we suffer the loneliness, the vulnerability, sense of helplessness and lack of power, things we didn't so much have when we were part of a tribe.
That why there's cholo gangs, community and cultural groups where people regularly meet and engage with large groups. That why there's Ferguson marches. They're attempts not only to protest, but also to reacquire the power of our tribe. When we gather together in one place, we approximate a tribe; attending a rally makes us feel more powerful, less helpless.
Our neighborhood barrios, ghettoes and communities were once our modern-day tribes. Real estate development, eminent domain, gentrification and segregationist dispersal of working class people have eaten away at our communities. Now, in many cases, we don't know our neighbors and wouldn't want to. We can't imagine their being a part of our circle, our tribe.
I believe all the dystopias facing us and our descendants will again provide an enclosed environment where tribes will naturally arise out of dire necessity. As society--the economy, joblessness, debt, climate, deteriorating public services, and institutional violence--gets worse, our social genetics will induce us to gather with those who live nearby, like tribal villages of old, to protect ourselves and survive. And to prosper, for that matter.
I don't expect to report next year that I'm now a member of a thriving tribe. I'm simply doing what I can. What my genetic make-up and mind tell me is true and required. Our Sharing event is a piece of that. Try one for yourself. You don't need published authors, gifted artists, politicians or rich patrons to make yours worthwhile. You simply need to invite whoever comes to mind. And realize that in times past, they were integral to how we survived blizzards and saber-toothed tigers and enemy attacks.
It use to take a village to raise a child. You were one of those children and may need to be again.
Having a great sharing season,
RudyG, a.k.a. Rudy Ch. Garcia, Sharing host and author of fabulist mextasy tales
0 Comments on A Festive Sharing - old holiday tradition revived as of 12/13/2014 2:34:00 AM
I've been trying to digest the concept of Tribe that's appeared all around me in various forms this month.
Tomorrow, Sunday, the People's Climate Gathering-Denver will coincide with the larger NYC event where 100,000 people may march. They will also gather around the planet, one becoming increasingly unlivable for our species.
When my dog and I attend the Denver rally, I already know what I'll be thinking--that a different species, Neanderthals, could have replaced us on those streets, if not for better methods of survival that our species possessed. Possessed, as in past tense.
Among the theories about the Neanderthals' disappearance are 1. that our technological superiority doomed our extinct cousins, and 2. that homo sapienspracticed superior divisions of labor within their tribes.
In the British sci-fi film, The Machine(2013), a CIA-type says about us, "The technologically advanced tribe always wins." He obviously learned nothing from the Vietnam War or Iraq or what goes on in Gaza. But Western science tends to attribute everything positive to "progress" and technological superiority, even if it's undeserved. Like when it ruins a planet for that species.
I attended one workshop of The Americas Latino Eco Festival in Boulder last week. Entitled "We Stand on Their Shoulders,” it was led by community organizer/facilitator Daniel Escalante.* Participants were to discuss ways that Latinos have been living sustainably for thousands of years, due in large part to our spiritual relationship with the Earth and its inhabitants. We were to share ancestral stories of how they lived green. And to "come with an open heart and a commitment to listen to each other with the intention of learning."
What I learned was that I was hearing the concept of Tribe from many peoples' words and thoughts. That linked to point number two, above, about our social superiority over Neanderthals. However, modern Western society has replaced our tribal superiority with corporate, governmental and class divisions of labor that we all live under. Divisions that have taken the power away from our tribes and given it to the 1%. A 1% intent on planetary self-extermination.
Escalante's workshop also reminded me of "In Lak'ech Ala K'in," a Maya (not MayaN--that's their language) phrase translated as, "you are my other self." It's often explained as a spiritual culture of empathy and collective effort, like at the artistic exhibition being held in Denver through next month.
"We stand on the shoulders of those who came before." At one time our species all did stand on those shoulders, and some of us are attempting to revive such a way of life. To learn how our tribes succeeded and how we can change ourselves for the same purpose. The purpose of survival.
If our ancestors hadn't practiced "you are my other self," if they hadn't stood on each other's shoulders, the tribe over in the next valley could have exterminated us like we exterminated the Neanderthals. If we hadn't practiced and believed such concepts, our tribes wouldn't have made it through years of drought or glacial eras. But we did and we did survive. Up to now.
"It takes a village to raise a child." Whether it's actually an ancient African proverb, you hear it come up whenever a community rallies to support a kid who suffered a tragedy of some form. However, the phrase should be logically extended. If it takes a village to raise one child, doesn't that mean that every child should be raised by a village? Not just the kid on prime time.
Clinton's book of the same name wasn't received well by conservatives, one responding, "No, it only takes a family to raise a child." Does it? Our Western society has steadily eroded our tribal connections down to family, with mixed results. Alienation, angst, drug addiction, suicide, mass shootings, teen pregnancies and a few other problems might appear differently if more than families were involved in nurturing our children. Perhaps.
Definition of Tribe: "a people united by ties of descent from a common ancestor, community of customs and traditions, adherence to its leaders; a local division of an aboriginal people."
Our modern-day family is what remains of the old tribes. Of the village that raised our children. Of the tribe that was superior to other homo species. Of the tribes that stood on ancestral shoulders and said, you are my other self. Facebook and other circles of "friends" lure us with their tribal attributes. Could such technology return to us what we need to deal with the 1% and climate change and enable us to survive? Seems unLikely.
Especially because tribes were "local." Local like "buy local," support local, small farmers, etc. Such organic-food movements also ring of Tribe.
I wrestle with the concept of building my own tribe, not to lead but to belong to. Our tribe, one of many. Locally. Of necessity, including my non-Chicano neighbors. Something larger than my family or extended family.
Tomrrow when I head to the Colorado Capitol Building at Civic Center Park in Denver for the Climate rally, I'll be wondering how many years my species yet has to prove itself superior to the precipice we've allowed our village-idiot leaders to lead us down. And maybe I'll see you, at 12:00pm. In future posts, I'll work more on this Tribe concept and am interested in hearing other's thoughts.
* Daniel Escalante manages Casa Taos, a small retreat center in Taos, N.M., for activists, educators and families. The center is a living example of green living and draws on the ancient ways of Latino and Indian people, while incorporating current approaches to caring for mother earth. I highly recommend its affordable options when visiting northern N.M.
What do you do when you’ve got a portfolio full of the most astounding, town-leveling, make-them-throw-their-panties-on-stage artwork ever seen by a children’s publisher anywhere?
You ask someone to critique it.
Yep. You solicit feedback. Ask for comments. Get a fresh perspective (because, as Anton Ego would painfully remark, you’re probably “fresh out.”)
Listen, I get it. You’re awesome. Your work is trippin-dicular, Dude. You rock the casba, rock the casba.
As an artist, a certain amount of confidence in your work is essential. You can’t go around meekly asking everyone, “Is this okay? Do you like this? Do you approve?”
You wont get anywhere and you’ll get smashed down by those people who love to smash meek approval-seekers. On the other hand, well-meaning friends and moms who want you to be happy will pump you up with praise that may or may not be warranted. “Everything you do is art!”
You won’t get anywhere, but you’ll feel better.
What to do, what to do…
One thing you can do is seek out honest feedback from people who understand your market and your industry. Last week, a small group of Portland illustrators got together with the sole purpose of reviewing and critiquing each other’s portfolios. Okay, there was beer, too. Dual-purpose, admittedly.
Most of us are trying to learn more about the children’s publishing market. This kind of small, focused group is perfect because everyone is speaking the same language. Throw a tattoo artist or animator in there and it wouldn’t be as effective for them. Personally, I got some totally fresh perspective on my portfolio that I was able to apply right away.
Things I didn’t see. Stuff I hadn’t considered. Feedback I needed to know.
We’ve also decided to start meeting on a monthly basis. Another rock-solid benefit of a group like this is, well, simply the people. We now have a small tribe of individuals who share a goal, will cheer each other on, and still be honest enough to say, “I don’t think that’s working for you. Did you try…”
It doesn’t really matter what level you think you’re at as an artist. You think you’re awesome; here’s what you need to work on. You think you suck and don’t deserve to be at the same table; actually, your stuff is pretty cool. Either way, you need someone to tell you.
Artists have the worst time accepting feedback on their work. It’s inherently subjective and tailoring art to appeal to the masses is exceptionally difficult, if not impossible (and why would you want to?). That’s why it’s so important to seek out the feedback. Don’t let yourself get trapped in a repeating pattern of sending out samples that just aren’t working for you. You have a whole lifetime to try new things, improve your skills, learn about your audience.
Are you an animator? Find a local group to compare notes with. Tattoo artist, graphic designer, writer? You have a group out there, too, you just have to find it (and put it together).
My favorite Storyboard Artist Karen J. Lloyd also talks about that most awesome of teachers, Feedback. Learn something from her!
A quick shout-out to my PDX Illustators group. You all rock the casba. Thank you for showing up and telling me what I needed to know.
Are you a member of the tribe? Which tribe? What is a tribe, anyway? We explore the notion of "tribe" with several guests:
> Aaron Kula is director of the Klezmer Company Orchestra, the ensemble-in-residence of the library at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. We spoke to him about the KCO's CD Beyond the Tribes. Scroll down for a video that includes music from the CD and commentary from the orchestra.
>Tiffany Shlain is a documentary filmmaker, director of the Moxie Institute, and founder of the Webby Awards. We spoke to her about her short film The Tribe, which "enlists pop icon Barbie to tackle the challenging issue of Jewish identity." Scroll down to watch a trailer for The Tribe, the entire 18-minute film, or a promotional video for Tiffany's next film Connected: A Declaration of Interdependence.
>Rafael Goldchain is a professional photographer. His installation Familial Ground is the basis for his new book,I Am My Family: Photographic Memories and Fictions, a family album in which Rafael plays each role. Photographs from the book were recently exhibited at Galerie Claude Samuel in France, the gallery of a newly-discovered family member! We heard a little about this book during our Book Expo America series, and called Rafael to learn more. Scroll down to see selected images from I Am My Family in the Visual Aids section.
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Great podcast. I liked the Tiffany Shlain interview. I never knew the inventor of Barbie was Jewish. The Rafael Goldchain project reminds me of Hilary Carlip's recent book where she created characters based on found grocery lists and had herself photographed costumed as the different characters. It's intriguing to me when people take on all these different roles and explore varied personnages.
"In the spirit of less stuff, bring a gift to share, not to give away, something you or someone else created--non-manufactured.
love this! So cool.