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In her post at the beginning of the month, Aline talked about books which help young people gain some insight into what it means to be a refugee, in light of World Refugee Day on the 20th June – and in fact we decided to bring her post up to the top on Friday to keep the day at the forefront of our minds.

She mentioned Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Williams and Khadra Mohammed (Eerdman, US 2008) and this really is a particularly special book for giving an idea of what life is like for children in a refugee camp.

Two other books for younger children which also highlight some of the difficulties faced by refugees but also, crucially, that in essence children are children the world over, are:

A True Person By Gabiann Marin, illustrated by Jacqui Grantford (New Frontier Publishing, 2007), in which a young girl, Zallah, is living with her mother in an Australian immigration detention centre, while they wait to hear if they will be allowed to stay in Australia - see our full review here; and…

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ted Lewin (Clarion Books, 2006), which tells the story of Farah, who has recently arrived in the US from the Middle East. She is not finding it easy to cope with a new culture and language – but on this, her second day of school, she is going on a field trip to an apple orchard and it is a chance for Farah and her classmates to make the first steps towards friendship and learn that there are ways to get over any barrier of language. Tone of voice, gestures, smiles – all these help to make Farah begin to feel welcome and recognise that some things can and will be just like they were at home.

Perhaps what makes the story so powerful is that Farah herself is the narrator – through the picture-book medium, Eve Bunting has given a clear voice to all those young people who arrive in a new place feeling vulnerable and unable to communicate. It is a story but it reflects certain aspects of reality – not everyone is nice and there are references to intolerance and impatience: but the overriding message for children in Farah’s situation is that it is possible to feel whole again; and it serves as a compelling reminder to children generally how to make a newcomer feel welcome and reassured.

Lewin’s stunning illustrations also deserve a special mention – they enhance the insight offered by the story through their perfectly attuned observation of body language as much as verbal communication; his children’s faces are perfect, whatever their expression. And the word luminosity comes to my mind every time I look at them, they are so enfused with dappled sunlight.

These are all well-written and beautifully presented books, which will make young children ponder, and probably ask lots of questions. Certainly they are best read aloud the first time they are introduced. Can anyone else recommend books for reading aloud to children which touch on the experiences of young refugees?

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A CONVERSATION WITH DANIEL VALDEZ

A founding member of Teatro Campesino. Henry Reyna in the movie Zoot Suit, for which he also wrote the music. Producer of La Bamba. Songwriter: Primavera; Brown-Eyed Children of the Sun. Linda Ronstadt and Canciones de Mi Padre. Playwright. Actor. Musician.

The list of Daniel Valdez’s accomplishments reads like a dictionary of Chicano Culture. He's done it all: Movement theater to Hollywood productions; sentimental love ballads to re-imagining Mexican mariachi classics; edgy drama to slapstick comedy. Valdez has provided more than thirty years of political entertainment. In many ways he is an artistic conscience for the Latino generation that came of age at the beginning of the farm worker union organizing movement in the mid-sixties, matured through the antiwar struggles, and that continues to push a progressive agenda.

His latest endeavor is Ollin – an art performance piece that had its world debut in Denver on February 21 at El Centro Su Teatro (last show is March 29.) I had the chance to speak with Daniel for a few minutes during his hectic schedule while he was in town for the premiere. It was supposed to be an interview, but anyone who has ever talked with Daniel knows that the Q&A format isn’t big enough for what happens when Daniel gets going. Here is my impression of a few of the things he touched on when I began the conversation with the simple query, “What’s Ollin about?”

Ollin refers to the Fifth Sun – we are still in the time of the Fifth Sun of the Mayan prophecies. Ollin actually means “movement.” The piece is about the Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. Valdez sees that episode as a “cosmic clash” – he referred to a “big bang” theory of history between the Spanish and Indio.

The story is told through the perspective of Cortez, and the audience learns his ambitions and his struggles. His story is contrasted with that of Moctezuma, the Indio King. Moctezuma was aware of the prophecies and he looked at the conquest as fate; it had been predicted by Quetzalcoatl. The piece also gives us Malinche, forced to be in the middle, she has the third point of view. Valdez suggests that “she saved lives” by her involvement and influence. She was the bridge between the other two, the symbolic mother of the first mestizo.

The narrative starts 800 years before the conquest, with Quetzalcoatl. Ironically, Cortez arrived on the day that Quetzalcoatl had predicted his own return. Many Indios thought Cortez was Quetzalcoatl because of the prediction, but only 300 Spaniards conquered 500,000 natives, so something else was going on – “destiny.” Valdez imagines Moctezuma as believing that the conquest was destiny, fate, inevitable. And the numerous tribes that were unhappy with the Aztecs – the smoldering dissension - added to the clash. There was no way to avoid what eventually happened.

The piece started as a radio show back in the 1980s for National Public Radio. Valdez wanted to bring “light and understanding” to the conquest. He wrote what he thought would be a 2-3 page poem but that ended up being 22-23 pages, the beginning of the narrative for the current piece. He realized then that he needed to expand his vision for the poem.

Valdez told me that Ollin is more of an art performance piece than a play. It incorporates dance, music, and spoken word, and is presented in a poetic format. He calculates that eighty percent of the piece is music, with several pre-Colombian dance episodes. The play is primarily in English with some Spanish and Nahuatl.

Kids can understand the history. Valdez's intent is to bring “clarity to the conquest." Teachers at an early performance told Daniel they liked it and that they thought it would be excellent for children.

This is Daniel Valdez's third collaboration with Tony Garcia, Artistic Executive Director of El Centro Su Teatro, and the Su Teatro company.

As for future plans, Valdez said that he would love to take Ollin on the road, if the opportunity presents itself. Meanwhile, here in Colorado, he is scheduled to get involved with a project to produce an oratorio about the history of Pueblo, Colorado, a unique community with a long and proud Chicano working-class presence.

At the end, after he finally took a breath, he encouraged people to bring their kids to the performance; he insisted that the piece is family oriented; that it is a fun play; and that it can bring generations together. It should be "shared by a family."

He concluded, with a laugh, “Ollin is a poor man’s version of Cirque du Soleil.”

Ollin
Written and Directed by Daniel Valdez
February 21 – March 29, 2008

Major players: Bobby LeFebre, Jesse Ogas, Felicia Gallegos Pettis, Valarie Castillo, Lara Gallegos

Otros:
Joaquin Liebert, David Carrasco, Anthony Saiz, Jose Guerrero, Natalia Romo

Musicos:
Tony Silva (Musical Director), Angel Mendez Soto, Robert Gale, Rogelio Ransoli

El Centro Su Teatro
4725 High Street
Denver
303-296-0219

OTHER THEATER NOTES

Lydia
Written by Octavio Solis
Directed by Juliette Carrilo
The Ricketson Theater, Denver Center for the Performing Arts
January 18 - March 1


This superb play highlights a mini Golden Age of Latino Theater in Denver. Since the beginning of the year, Denver audiences have been treated to Las Chicas Del 3.5" Floppies (Luis Enrique Gutiérrez Ortiz Monasterio); a special reading of Sunsets and Margaritas by José Cruz González; Ollin (Daniel Valdez); José Mercado directing Comedy of Errors; and the world premiere of Lydia. We could get spoiled and expect this all the time. Which will happen if the audience is there. Support these events, gente.

Lydia has an excellent cast: Carlo Albán, Christian Barillas, Stephanie Beatriz, Ricardo Gutierrez, Catalina Maynard, René Millán, Onahoua Rodriguez - not a lightweight in the bunch, all with extensive experience although several are making their Denver Center debut. Under the precise direction of Carrilo, Soliz's story of family warfare rips the audience and movingly exposes the characters' fears, ambitions, and mistakes. The program summarizes the story this way:

"Ceci Flores introduces her family: her father Claudio, a Mexican immigrant working as a cook in El Paso; her mother Rosa, whose dream brought her family to the U.S.; her tough-acting elder brother René; and her more serious younger brother Misha. Ceci herself has brain damage, and although the audience understands her, she cannot communicate with her family or anyone else -- until the new maid Lydia arrives, fresh from Mexico. Ceci's cousin Alvaro has recently returned from Vietnam; his appearance, along with Lydia's knack for interpreting Ceci, dredges up secrets from the past and reveals the desires that could bring the family together or tear them apart."

This is heavy, as they used to say. It's encouraging to see such a broad range of themes and formats in these plays. The courage displayed by the writers as they confront controversial and sensitive topics should inspire us all. The pen continues to be a powerful force to beat back society's demons.

Finally - Feliz Cumpleaños to Rudy Ch. Garcia. This is a big one, dude. Time to drag out all the bromides about age. Here's one to get you started; it's schmaltz but I think you respect the source:

It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.

Gabriel García Márquez



Later.

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Bits and pieces of cultural news, and one more march for peace.

SHERYL LUNA, GABE GOMEZ, ERIKA T. WURTH AT KGB BAR IN NYC
Saturday, January 26 7:00 PM to Sunday, January 27 12:00 AM
85 E. 4th Street, NYC

Lisa Alvarado mentioned on La Bloga earlier this week that Sheryl Luna was in New York City on Friday night. Here's info about a Saturday event with more poets.

"Erika T Wurth (Indian Trains), Sheryl Luna (Pity the Drowned Horses),
and Gabe Gomez (The Outer Bands) represent a fresh perspective not only in ethnic writing, but in poetry. Rather than attach themselves to a particular school of writing, their work is about people, and landscapes and works on more than a purely intellectual level. Although none of them would do well in a hallmark, all of them express themselves in ways that are new and unique but that still speak to people not just below the waist, but more importantly, below the neck."

The KGB's website says this about itself: "In the years since it opened in 1993, KGB has become something of a New York literary institution. Writers hooked up in the publishing world read here with pleasure and without pay to an adoring public over drinks almost every Sunday evening (fiction), Monday evening (poetry), and most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The crowd loves it. Admission is free, drinks are cheap and strong, and the level of excellence is such that KGB has been named best literary venue in New York City by New York Magazine, the Village Voice, and everyone else who bestows these awards of recognition."
Read more here.

Sounds like a great place to listen to some great poetry.

OLLIN

El Centro Su Teatro will proudly present the regional premiere of world-renowned composer Daniel Valdez’s stunning original play, Ollin, February 21 – March 29, 2007 at El Centro Su Teatro, 4725 High Street, Denver.

Ollin is a spectacular recreation of one of the most profound cultural collisions in human history—the conquest of Mexico by Spain. The poetic interpretation of the meeting of these two great empires was something Valdez felt drawn to create as a symbol of both his cultural and personal identity, as the Conquest marks the birth of the Mestizo—the mixed blood race to whom most Mexicans and Mexican Americans trace their heritage.

Valdez has included elements from multiple disciplines to tell this dramatic tale, including theater, dance, music, and visual art. Distinguished painter Carlos Frésquez, local musician Tony Silva, and Boulder choreographer Concetta Troskie are working with Su Teatro actors to augment the artistic layering of the play. Add in Valdez’s original music and the result should be, as Valdez describes it, a sort of modern codices—a stunning visual and musical tablet.

Originally developed by Valdez as a radio play, Ollin was given a workshop production in San Diego and a full student production at Stanford University. Valdez is excited to work with Su Teatro in bringing the final evolution of this remarkable piece to Denver.

Valdez was an instrumental figure in the birth of Chicano Theater—working alongside his brother, the famed writer/director Luis Valdez, in the agitprop California theater group Teatro Campesino. Valdez went on to make a name for himself as a brilliant songwriter with the release of his solo album Mestizo. Valdez also worked alongside Linda Ronstadt on her album Canciones de mi Padre.

Su Teatro has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Valdez, beginning in 1975 when he and El Centro Su Teatro Artistic Director Tony Garcia met and exchanged ideas at a theater workshop in Denver. More recently, the two teamed up to create the original Su Teatro productions The Westside Oratorio and El Sol Que Tu Eres. Ollin marks their third collaboration.

Ollin, written and directed by Daniel Valdez, February 21 – March 29 at El Centro Su Teatro, 4725 High Street. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, curtain at 8:05 PM. Tickets are $18, $15 students/seniors, with special group discounts available. Call (303) 296-0219 for tickets and information.

NATIONAL LATINO WRITERS CONFERENCE
Albuquerque, New Mexico
May 21–24, 2008

Nationally known authors, agents, and editors will present in workshops and panel discussions. All attendees will have the opportunity to have three one-on-one appointments with an agent, author, and editor. Accepting a total of 50 fiction and nonfiction writers. If submitted early authors will read a sample of your work. Workshops will include hands-on exercises.

2008 Literary Genres
Novel • Short story (fiction/non-fiction)
Screenwriting • Playwriting • Poetry
Mystery/Detective • Comics • Special features

2008 Faculty
Martín Espada - Helena María Viramontes - Javier Grillo-Marxuach - Frank Zuñiga - Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Alfredo Corchado - Kathleen de Azevedo - Rolando Hinojosa-Smith

For information and to register contact Katie Trujillo 505.246.2261, x148 • [email protected]
nhccnm.org • NHCC 1701 4th Street SW • Albuquerque, NM 87102

MILAGROS DEL CORAZON
Chicano Humanities & Arts Council’s (CHAC) 9th annual silent auction and fundraiser - Friday, Feb 8, 2008 6-10 PM - Space Gallery
765 Santa Fe Drive, Denver

Celebrate Valentines and help support CHAC's cultural art and community outreach programs with an evening of live music and hors d'oeuvres. Place bids on a wide variety of unique hearts, gift baskets, services and original artwork, created and donated by members and guest artists, local schools, business and community supporters.

Music provided by Latin Fusion Band Debajo Del Aqua
Cocktail attire optional.
CHAC Gallery (see below) will be open during the event.

Tickets are available for $7.00 each or $12.00 per couple at the event or in advance by calling CHAC at 303-571-0440.

WINTER SOLDIER: IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
From the Vietnam Veterans Against the War website:

From March 13-16th 2008, Iraq Veterans Against the War will gather in Washington D.C. to "break the silence and hold our leaders accountable for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars."

This spring, the largest gathering of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan will share their experiences in a public investigation called Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan. Providing testimonies to war crimes the United States perpetuates with the ongoing wars and occupations as well as the increasingly poor treatment of returning veterans by US government agencies here at home. Vietnam Veterans Against the War are seeking members and friends to host fundraisers, provide monetary donations, personal support and spread the word about Winter Soldier Investigation.


Later.

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