Social media workshop with Young Audiences
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Mar 4
Taking a workshop with Young audiences on social media networking and all this cool high-tech stuff is here having fun in the sun
May 3
(on solo tour, just half of Eth-Noh-Tec).
Traveling Teller on Tour
Hello all! It's At the Moment- a brief moment at almost midnight after a full day of the touring artists.
Yes- tis the season of Taxi rides to airports, long cross country flights, car rentals and entering data in a GPS, finding where the next performance will take place.... these are the traveling trials and tribulations of a transcontinental touring teller. Finished up a short week with a couple of schools in the Boston area, then off to Washington DC with a weeks worth of daily school shows. Today I performed at Beverly Farms School in Potomac. I was impressed to see such a varied ethnic mix of students there, actually a high population of Asian Americans. Most likely the reason why they brought me onto their stage. It's Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I performed several folk tales and myths for the primary grades. "Starry Snowballs" is the title of this Year-of-the-Rabbit tale I've been telling this season in this Rabbit Year 4079. I've also included the Jataka tale of Rabbit in the Moon, as it's Pan-Asian message, the need for compassion to shine down on the world is becoming more urgent than ever. It's such a joy to see the eyes and ears perk up by children when they hear the very mention of their ancestral root cultures. "How many of you have heard of China?... India? Japan... " the eager Asian hands shoot up in the air with excitement. After each show, after getting back to my hotel or guest room where I'm staying the work is never done. Then, I set about handling all the other web-based, email driven projects. Sometimes on tour- I don't have access to WiFi environments so I have to rely on good ol' fashion scribbling on notes. Depicted here is a shot of my in-flight pull-down desk... with all my notes of things to remember, projects to move forward, calls to make. Busy boy! No- that's not a martini in my cup.... that's cranberry juice! Fuel up! Write on! Write on!
(on solo tour, just half of Eth-Noh-Tec).
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Sep 29
LAST DAYS IN CHINA
Days #14-#15: Sept. 24-25, 2010
OUR LAST DAYS
We are back in Beijing – slightly foggy, but a lovely breeze and the temperature’s about 70. Ahhh.
We’re being reduced rapidly: one off to a university for her workplace, another to her uncle’s for a reunion, one laying low to preserve his waning energy, and poor Robert sick with the flu. So, only five of us ventured to go to the Ethnic National Park.
The hardest part of this was trying to get a cab! We find out that the cab ride should be about 45 yuan. We approach one cab and he says can only take 4, but will take 5 if we pay him 100 yuan. We say ’90 yuan’? He says ‘no’ and so do we.
BEIJING TRAFFIC
We try the next cab in line at the hotel. This time, the cab just out and out says ‘no’ to us even with us splitting up into 2 groups. Number one cab’s driver must be some kind of ‘big boss’.
Next cab in line the same. Two of us finally find one cab with a ‘yes’ – he’ll take two of us.
The bell boy comes out to help us. Number 2 cab drives away in a huff without passengers. He makes number 1 cab move up and out of the way.
Finally, number 3 cab is convinced to take the three remaining passengers and off we all go to the park.
But oh! We forgot to create a meeting place and when the two of us get to the park, there is no sign of the other three.
After about 5 minutes, we cross the street to buy tickets anyway – and believe me, it is a huge risk to cross streets in Beijing – or anywhere in China! But we do, and as we do, their cab pulls up! Yay! We have somehow made it to the same entrance!
SHOULD WE HOP ON THE BUS GUS?
(picture depicts Nu Wa Gems meeting fellow urbanites on an earlier bus adventure?)
ETHNIC PARK
It is calm. It is empty. It is filled with flower gardens, willow trees, bamboo trees and the architecture of the 56 minority groups in China. It is heavenly with a slight breeze that ripples through the bamboo trees. We are privy to 5 different performances of the ethnic dances and games of 5 different minority groups. The park is on two sides of the street and and even one side impossible to see in one afternoon. So, we take our time, go to the Va, the Tibetan, the Quraqin, the Bai, the Dai and eat at the Korean village. And of course, a few purchases are made of ethnic purses, pillow cases, etc. It is an easy afternoon and we feel mellow!
CHINESE ACROBATS
In 1978 and in 2002 we saw a Chinese Acrobat show… but tonight we were treated to a Las Vegas type of show. Back in the day, there was Chinese traditional music. Back in the day, the acrobats were clearly seen on a brightly lit empty stage. Phenomenal back then… phenomenal last night though one must had to see past all the strobe lighting and fancy colorful sets and costumes. Stylized, sort of hokey dance movements filled as transitions from one acrobatic act to the next. Still phenomenal, but technology – here we come!!
Twenty women on one bicycle in all sorts of poses and on top of each other; a huge double gyroscope each with a man inside walking as it turned and turned – even skipping rope and juggling as it turned round and round; a man doing hand stands of all sorts on a stack of 10 chairs; men jumping, diving forward and backward through hoops – some 10 feet high; men being tossed in the air when two or three would jump on the other end of the seesaw sending him onto other men’s shoulders or even on a high chair up on a pole held on the shoulders of a man on stilts; a man on a plank rolling over a tube and flipping saucers and cups, even a spoon into a cup that is sitting on his head…and then the same man standing on a table with the same plank rolling on a tube – but this table is on the shoulders of another man standing on a plank rolling on a tube. Oh my! We are thrilled despite the droning of high tech music and all those lights.
HUTONGS, RICKSHAWS, SILK
We decide to sleep in late, get a late start, cancel the trip to Fragrant Hill this afternoon. But, late morning, off we go to a Hutong, the old style Chinese compound houses. Beijing has allowed a few to survive the modernization of its city. This one is in the middle of Beijing and outside the Forbidden Palace where the officials used to live. Now regular folks live there, but there are newly renovated very fancy courtyard homes where they think descendents of royalty live and probably very wealthy billionaires of Beijing.
We ride in bicycle driven rickshaws. We eat in a poorer home and make a few dumplings which the matron of the house promptly threw away! What a difference when we brought a group in 2002. The hostess talked with us, asked questions, we made several ‘real’ dumplings and after she steamed them, we ate them. Now it’s big business – certainly tourist business – and her attitude seemed ‘get the stupid tourists in and get them out’. When we pay what we are told is the correct amount to the rickshaw drivers, they mumble and frown. They wanted more. But the daughter-in-law in the home was sweet and made delicious food for us. The chicken was like how my dad made it – chicken simmered in soy sauce, sugar and star anise. Yum!
Then off to a tea tasting place where of course we ended up buying tea. Some bought the cups that change colors or scenes once hot water is poured into them. As a bonus for any purchase, we each got a little brown baked clay boy who spouts pee when hot water is poured over it – you know, to test if the boiled water is hot enough!?
Then we go on to the Panjianyuan Market, also known as the Dirt Market. It’s like a humongous flea market and we buy a few things after the fun of bargaining.
Oh! Let’s go to the Silk Factory! Amazing that these little cocoons give such strong soft fibers. But, poor pupae: they are boiled so we can have our silk blouses, comforters, and more. The pupae are used for frying and eating or the innards are used in face crème – silk face crème!
We buy a few silk things – comforter, comforter cover, purses…and oh my… a silk rug! Yes, I bought a silk rug! So much money! What was I thinking! Everyone was so supportive – “You deserve it!” – “…part of your mom’s inheritance money? Absolutely! Think of it as a gift from your mom! She’d want you to have it.” “It’s beautiful!” “You’ve been looking for 10 years for the right colors and here they are? It was meant to be!”
You’ll all have to come see the rug in my living room! Robert was still sick in bed, so this purchase was made without his input… He has a better eye than I do when it comes to seeing how patterns fit together. He’s quite suspect, as I suspected he’d be! The proof will be in the pudding, as they say, when it’s on my floor next to my couches. Change the couches if it doesn’t work? Oye!
DUCK DINNER FAREWELL
We eat duck, toast a final farewell. Tomorrow morning we all leave after a final breakfast with each other.
We talk about what we missed most at home and will be glad to get back to: our own beds, our honeys and families, clean toilet stalls, cheese, a crispy salad, red wine…
And we talk about what we will miss leaving China: the people, the smiles, the villagers of Gengcun, the variety of foods, new and interesting things to do everyday, all the history and stories of China and her many famous and even not-so-famous places… We will not miss the crazy driving here – red lights taken as a suggestion, pedestrians and bicyclists weaving through cars not in their lanes, but strewn in angles of all sorts trying to get where they want to go, the honking, the passing barely missing fronts and backs of the cars they’re passing, people standing stuck between these crazy cars trying to cross the street!
But unanimously, what we will miss is each other’s company – the camaraderie, the ease of friendship between us. It has been an extraordinary 16 days with each other!
[For 1st hand stories, these are the tellers who joined 2010 Nu Wa Exchange: Anne Shimojima, Alton Chung, Arif Choudury, Beth Wakelee, Julie Metzler, Kathy Hunter, Kelvin Saxton, Linda Fang, Shilpa Srinivasan, Shyam Nagarajan, and yours truly Nancy and Robert.]
Goodbye China!! Zai jian! And xie xie! Thank you! Until the next time!
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Sep 21
TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS As we walk the dirt roads to their homes, we can see that the village is undergoing changes. There are paintings on walls depicting stories popular in China. We see grand mansions being built. The roads are lined with stacks and stacks of bricks waiting to be part of someone?s new home. Though we sit and share in homes that are the same as before: cement blocks with maybe one other room connected to it, we also sit in others that are 2 stories high, have 2 or more bedrooms attached and even a dining area. When we first came in 2002, they did not even have doors. They hung thick cotton quilts in the door frames to keep out the elements. We sat on their bed to listen to stories as the one room was the sitting area and bedroom. In the newer larger homes, we sit on sofas. OUTDOOR KITCHEN They still cook on coal burners in a small cement block in their yard. And, always there is a yard filled with their own small gardens of squash, green onions, persimmon, fig and apple trees, flowers and a chicken, a guard dog. Each compound continues to display an enormous door that opens up to a tiled wall of various scenes. One must step over the traditional ledge to enter. Both the tiled wall and the ledge keep out evil spirits and ghosts. Did you not know that these entities might be small and therefore not be able to pass over the ledge? But it they are large, they like the small ones, can only travel in straight lines and the tiled wall stops them from entering. Whether their lives are improving with these changes or not, they continue to fill us with warmth and welcome, stories and smiles for those of us that have returned as well as strangers who have now become new friends. We sing ?We Come From the Mountain? and dance together sharing our American ?hokey pokey? and they teach us their fancy footwork and songs. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BEIJING JOINS US Then, we are joined by a gaggle of 8th grade students from ISB, here to learn about Gengcun, their traditions, and to hear and tell stories as well. Robert and I spent a day with 13 young Chinese students from America, Malaysia, Australia and Hong Kong who are in a Mandarin class at their school. Their teacher Delinda Wu and Greg Thompson the curriculum chair of the Middle School wanted them to try storytelling and to get connected with the country they are living in. THE BODY CREATES PICTURES- PICTURES TELL STORIES What better way than to join us in Gengcun. We did a storytelling workshop with them and coached their telling. And now they have literally bounced into our lives and not only joined in with our Nu Wa storytelling program, but added so much enthusiasm and energy, that we?re all bouncing!! YOUTH TELL IN GENGCUN It was a complete pleasure to have them with us and I believe they had an experience that simply will never be matched to the one they just had. KUAI BAN WORKSHOP One of the highlights of the time spent here was a Kuai Ban presentation. A magnificent man, Mr Shi Young with a magnificent face treated us to rhythmic poetry and stories accompanied by bamboo clackers. He also introduced the different walks and gestures and faces of male and female characters in Chinese Opera. He was outstanding! LAST DAY IN THE VILLAGE All too soon, our final day in Gengcun with the storytellers and the villagers. We usually share stories in a concert fashion for the village and celebrate with songs, dances, bubbles, arts and crafts and a lot of laughter. This year they brought in a Chinese band to play. Another welcome as we disembarked the bus. Then we taught them Filipino dances: Pangalay ? using graceful hand and wrist movements floating above a rhythmic bounce, Singkil ? the four bamboo pole dance, and theKapa Malong dance ? the graceful dipping and sashaying of the traditional round skirt wrapped but not tied around the body. One of our participants ?Anne - also taught them Tanko bushi, the Japanese coal miner?s dance. Great fun! Three of our participants ? Beth, Kathy and Linda - did the arts and crafts with the villagers. Little girls and even moms and grammas made dolls with wooden spoons and forks, pipe cleaners, ribbons and those shakey little plastic eyes; banana puppets and paper lanterns; paper folding. And there were bubbles, big bubbles ala Robert with help from Kelvin and the villagers!! RAISE THE BANNER HIGH Everyone enjoyed the day. And then we had our farewell speeches and gifted the village with $2000, not as much as we have before each time we?ve come, but will help them rebuild the Geng temple and burial mound that was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. They feel by restoring the temple and mound, their own spiritual center will also be restored. In addition, they are hoping that tourists will frequent their village and once again, they can have inns and businesses so that their young adults can remain in the village and keep their 600+ year storytelling tradition alive. THANKS SHILPA & SHYAM We said goodbye to the students, goodbye to 2 of our own participants Shilpa and Shyam leaving early, goodbye to the storytellers and we are so very sad and long for more. And now we have said goodbye as well to our all time favorite guide and interpreter Peter Liu. It?s a sad day. We?ve made so many friends and saying goodbye is hard. OUR GUIDE ABOVE AND BEYOND: PETER LI
Day #8 & #9
WE?RE IN LOVE! Stories fly between our American participants and the Chinese master tellers. Although we must all stop every few sentences for translation from English to Chinese or Chinese to English, we have been the lucky recipients of their treasure trove of stories collected over 600 years. And we bring stories for them.TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS As we walk the dirt roads to their homes, we can see that the village is undergoing changes. There are paintings on walls depicting stories popular in China. We see grand mansions being built. The roads are lined with stacks and stacks of bricks waiting to be part of someone?s new home. Though we sit and share in homes that are the same as before: cement blocks with maybe one other room connected to it, we also sit in others that are 2 stories high, have 2 or more bedrooms attached and even a dining area. When we first came in 2002, they did not even have doors. They hung thick cotton quilts in the door frames to keep out the elements. We sat on their bed to listen to stories as the one room was the sitting area and bedroom. In the newer larger homes, we sit on sofas. OUTDOOR KITCHEN They still cook on coal burners in a small cement block in their yard. And, always there is a yard filled with their own small gardens of squash, green onions, persimmon, fig and apple trees, flowers and a chicken, a guard dog. Each compound continues to display an enormous door that opens up to a tiled wall of various scenes. One must step over the traditional ledge to enter. Both the tiled wall and the ledge keep out evil spirits and ghosts. Did you not know that these entities might be small and therefore not be able to pass over the ledge? But it they are large, they like the small ones, can only travel in straight lines and the tiled wall stops them from entering. Whether their lives are improving with these changes or not, they continue to fill us with warmth and welcome, stories and smiles for those of us that have returned as well as strangers who have now become new friends. We sing ?We Come From the Mountain? and dance together sharing our American ?hokey pokey? and they teach us their fancy footwork and songs. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BEIJING JOINS US Then, we are joined by a gaggle of 8th grade students from ISB, here to learn about Gengcun, their traditions, and to hear and tell stories as well. Robert and I spent a day with 13 young Chinese students from America, Malaysia, Australia and Hong Kong who are in a Mandarin class at their school. Their teacher Delinda Wu and Greg Thompson the curriculum chair of the Middle School wanted them to try storytelling and to get connected with the country they are living in. THE BODY CREATES PICTURES- PICTURES TELL STORIES What better way than to join us in Gengcun. We did a storytelling workshop with them and coached their telling. And now they have literally bounced into our lives and not only joined in with our Nu Wa storytelling program, but added so much enthusiasm and energy, that we?re all bouncing!! YOUTH TELL IN GENGCUN It was a complete pleasure to have them with us and I believe they had an experience that simply will never be matched to the one they just had. KUAI BAN WORKSHOP One of the highlights of the time spent here was a Kuai Ban presentation. A magnificent man, Mr Shi Young with a magnificent face treated us to rhythmic poetry and stories accompanied by bamboo clackers. He also introduced the different walks and gestures and faces of male and female characters in Chinese Opera. He was outstanding! LAST DAY IN THE VILLAGE All too soon, our final day in Gengcun with the storytellers and the villagers. We usually share stories in a concert fashion for the village and celebrate with songs, dances, bubbles, arts and crafts and a lot of laughter. This year they brought in a Chinese band to play. Another welcome as we disembarked the bus. Then we taught them Filipino dances: Pangalay ? using graceful hand and wrist movements floating above a rhythmic bounce, Singkil ? the four bamboo pole dance, and theKapa Malong dance ? the graceful dipping and sashaying of the traditional round skirt wrapped but not tied around the body. One of our participants ?Anne - also taught them Tanko bushi, the Japanese coal miner?s dance. Great fun! Three of our participants ? Beth, Kathy and Linda - did the arts and crafts with the villagers. Little girls and even moms and grammas made dolls with wooden spoons and forks, pipe cleaners, ribbons and those shakey little plastic eyes; banana puppets and paper lanterns; paper folding. And there were bubbles, big bubbles ala Robert with help from Kelvin and the villagers!! RAISE THE BANNER HIGH Everyone enjoyed the day. And then we had our farewell speeches and gifted the village with $2000, not as much as we have before each time we?ve come, but will help them rebuild the Geng temple and burial mound that was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. They feel by restoring the temple and mound, their own spiritual center will also be restored. In addition, they are hoping that tourists will frequent their village and once again, they can have inns and businesses so that their young adults can remain in the village and keep their 600+ year storytelling tradition alive. THANKS SHILPA & SHYAM We said goodbye to the students, goodbye to 2 of our own participants Shilpa and Shyam leaving early, goodbye to the storytellers and we are so very sad and long for more. And now we have said goodbye as well to our all time favorite guide and interpreter Peter Liu. It?s a sad day. We?ve made so many friends and saying goodbye is hard. OUR GUIDE ABOVE AND BEYOND: PETER LI
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Sep 14
Day #2, #3, #4 in China
9/14/10 DAY 2, 3, AND 4 IN CHINA WHAT WE?VE BEEN DOING: Well, we?re exhausted, but full and sated. We have walked miles and miles learning the stories and history of the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, underground Ming Tomb, Sacred Way and the Summer Palace. We have visited the Olympic Water Bubble and Bird?s Nest. We have taken photos, videos, and rubbed our aching feet! Where once these sites were fairly empty and calm, with mostly western tourists, these sites are now over crowded with Chinese tourists. What a change with the new wealth of some of the Chinese in this country. They are traveling! In addition to their traveling, they've invented some new traditions: lovers, couples and the newly-in-love buy locks to chain to the Great Wall and throw away the key over the wall to announce that their love is forever. However, we saw one lock that was a combination lock - just in case they change their minds!! We have all been caught in traffic jams, eaten great food, sung on the bus with new songs in Chinese and English, bought little trinkets like Groucho glasses and nose with the Chinese addition of colorful paper unrolling and closing under the nostrils; we?ve bought kites, roasted chestnuts, camel bone Buddhas (which are probably made of plaster), pearls, Tang dynasty head dresses and we?ve seen t-shirts with Obama dressed in a Mao uniform ? really fun! And we?ve definitely seen the huge high rises, huge department stores with western stores like Gap, and way too many McDonalds and KFCs ? some 3 stories high to accommodate the Chinese patrons. THE REASON WE?RE HERE: THE STORYTELLING VILLAGE GENGCUN Tomorrow we?re off to Gaocheng City?the nearest city to Gengcun Village. Gaocheng City is where we will be staying while we visit and share stories, songs, dances, laughter, hugs and friendship with the villagers of Gengcun ? the reason we are here. This is the traditional storytelling village we are visiting for the 4th time. They have had this tradition of telling stories for over 600 years. Our greatest concern is the preservation of this village and their art form. Modernization of China is starting to break down the tradition with the young leaving to work in the cities. Some are now taking their children to the city for their education and this further breaks down the tradition of the next generation being able to learn the stories to hand to their next generation. We will be studying this predicament and brainstorming as to how we can help in the preservation of this particular folk tradition. If anyone has a contact at UNESCO or knows of a professor who has a passion to preserve old folk traditions, please let us know. Keep visiting our blog! More about our beloved storytelling friends once we?re there!Comments [0]
Sep 12
Nu Wa China Storytelling and Cultural Exchange has launched! And once again, it?s a wonderful group of diverse Americans!
TEA TIME & MORE:
We went to a Tea House today and saw some amazing performances ? magic with live fish appearing on the end of fishing poles, in bowls and more; storyteller using song and drum; repartee - like a stand up comedy routine (and one of the guys was really handsome!); tea ceremony and dance; an amazing balancing act using these large porcelain jugs and a large garden planter pots thrown up in the air and caught on shoulders, his head, rolled from arm to arm, tossed from fist to fist and so much more; shadow puppet story; and the most fascinating was the face pushing or face smear ? the instantaneous changing of masks with dance/opera movements. If you haven?t seen the Chinese movie ?King of Masks? ? definitely check it out and you?ll know what we saw.
ON THE SQUARE
Also walked around Tiananmen Square replete now with 2 gigantic digital screens with scenery and dances from throughout China, along with this majestic music that makes one?s experience of the square bigger than life ? like you?re in a movie!
THE CUISINE IS MEAN!
Of course the meals have been plentiful with at least eight different dishes ? quite different than all our other tours. Less Americanized. Well ? we have had sweet and sour chicken at lunch and dinner today. One tour it was kung pao chicken every day? But tree ear fungus? Tea eggs? This is exotic for westerners. First day and we?re already too full! Exhausted after walking, eating and in 90 degree weather, everyone has gone to bed early. Us, too. Goodnite from China! Nancy and Robert
DAY #1 for the Nu Wa Gems
GETTING OUT THERE IN CHINANu Wa China Storytelling and Cultural Exchange has launched! And once again, it?s a wonderful group of diverse Americans!
TEA TIME & MORE:
We went to a Tea House today and saw some amazing performances ? magic with live fish appearing on the end of fishing poles, in bowls and more; storyteller using song and drum; repartee - like a stand up comedy routine (and one of the guys was really handsome!); tea ceremony and dance; an amazing balancing act using these large porcelain jugs and a large garden planter pots thrown up in the air and caught on shoulders, his head, rolled from arm to arm, tossed from fist to fist and so much more; shadow puppet story; and the most fascinating was the face pushing or face smear ? the instantaneous changing of masks with dance/opera movements. If you haven?t seen the Chinese movie ?King of Masks? ? definitely check it out and you?ll know what we saw.
ON THE SQUARE
Also walked around Tiananmen Square replete now with 2 gigantic digital screens with scenery and dances from throughout China, along with this majestic music that makes one?s experience of the square bigger than life ? like you?re in a movie!
THE CUISINE IS MEAN!
Of course the meals have been plentiful with at least eight different dishes ? quite different than all our other tours. Less Americanized. Well ? we have had sweet and sour chicken at lunch and dinner today. One tour it was kung pao chicken every day? But tree ear fungus? Tea eggs? This is exotic for westerners. First day and we?re already too full! Exhausted after walking, eating and in 90 degree weather, everyone has gone to bed early. Us, too. Goodnite from China! Nancy and Robert
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Sep 7
Journey to China
A Return Journey In Many Ways
As many know, I was commissioned by Sue O’Halloran of Race Bridges to write and perform my mother’s story titled ‘Bittersweet’. It was performed in Chicago twice this past April and on Orcas Island as part of the Smithsonian’s Journey Stories traveling exhibit. Soon, I will perform it at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough in October.
How fitting it was, then, that I was traveling to China for Eth-Noh-Tec’s ‘Nu Wa Storytelling and Cultural Exchange’ program. I brought the 2nd half of my mom’s ashes to be scattered here where the happiest part of her life was spent, and particularly at her Yenching University, now called Beijing University or Peking University in Beijing.
And so, Robert and I came early and found our way by bus and subway to the famous landmark lake and water tower within the campus. Robert, carrying and rolling his video camera and photo camera, along with mom’s ashes, we roamed the shore of the lake looking for the perfect spot. We found it!
Full Circle of The Spirit
My Mom’s ashes are on the island within the lake in an opening left of a marble boat. The view takes in the lake, the many willow trees along the shore, the sitting gazebo, the water tower that is built like a pagoda, and of course, the marble boat. I placed her ashes along the roots of a beautiful willow tree that leans over the water’s edge, and then continued pouring the ashes to make a path along the rocks and shore of the lake until I made 2 circles of her ashes: full circle for her trip to China as a young girl for her education, and now back to China, and full circle for her birth and then her death in America. It was perfect weather. A mild 76 degrees, a lovely breeze, and we actually saw some blue sky and clouds vs. smog.
The lake and the trees were so green and lush. A white butterfly with black markings kept us company for the hour it took to give her family messages, to scatter her ashes and to reflect. Perhaps you might know that white butterflies are symbols of the departed spirit of those who have passed. I also, like the butterfly, wore the same two colors: I wore white – the Chinese color of mourning and respect, as well as black – the Western color of mourning and respect. The white and black butterfly flitted and flirted all around us during this time.
Ash To Ash…
As we sat afterwards, a young girl had her picture taken against the willow tree and as she left, tracked some of mom's ashes as she continued her walk along the lake. Then a dog came and lightly stepped on one circle and then tracked some more of mom to walk along the path of the island. This will keep happening while some ashes will sink into the ground; the ashes along the tree roots will become part of the tree forever.
It was such an honor to do this for my mom, as it was to care for her in her final months and to write her story. And if she can know what is happening, and I believe she can, she is happy and content for how it all turned out – this her story, her life of bitter and sweet. It was all very lovely and quite extraordinary.
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Jun 13
Salon in June Review
June Salon:Last weekend marked the last of the 5th year series of "Salon! You're ON!". As another wonderful season came to a close, we have much to be grateful for. Frist and foremost- all the incredible Bay Area talent that made this possible. With over 8 events, 400 people attending, and 60 participating artists, painters, writers, poets, film makers, songwriters, playwright, storytellers, public artists, musicians and dancers, and choirs we are so thankful to have created such an array of artistry. We can all feel so proud to be a part of this diverse cultural region known.
Al Manalo:
Started off the evening with loads of laughs Filipino style with Al Manalo sharing memoirs upon the journey of cultural identity. Hailing from Salinas where he learned the Latino ways like what he termed, the "airplane dance" he manuevered us in and around that ever close relations between Filipinos and our Latino brothers and sisters. I personally liked the "balut" vingette (pronounced: "baluuuuuut!" in the tradition of those ever present vendors that sell the half-formed-chick-embryos that go down so well San Miguel beer). This along antics that mimicked the crowing of roosters that cascade into a cacophony starting at 3am in the morning. Al had many of the crowd in stitches... caught up in the contagion of laughter.
Aileen Ibardaloza:
Her writing was elegant, graceful as she shared the poetic stories in a piece called "Wedding Dress". In this piece she draws in sights and sounds of Filipino life, with images of locations in Manila, like Quiapo, the old town market district, images of old photos, draping fabric, stillness and moments, of beggars and saints, folk potions that cure forgetfulness. Aileens poetry is sensual and intimate as she draws her listener into personal views of family relationships, always honoring the matriarchy of mother and lola (grandmother). In her second piece she was joined by Paul, her husband for some tandem recitation of a poem titled: "Italian Wedding Suit".
Sean San Jose & Rick Saenz:
Reading from a work in progress (title?) dedicated to his grandmother, his lola, "the one who taught us about "slow dancing, about memories, about tattoos 'tik tik' (grandmothers knick-name for the sound of a tattoo machine)". Sean takes us to two scenes. The first scene, back in 1948: Dance Hall Manila at makeshift social dance hall in a barn on a farm of beets and strawberries fields, of zoot suits and knife fights. The passion and fire between communities, Latino and Filipino, between in Guadalupe, CA and Intramuros, Philippines is played out. The second scene flashes forward to current times, a young man trying to honor those who came before him with a commemorative tattoo. But what image should be chosen? He tells the tattoo artist: "You can start my tattooing memories... of Weddings, funerals, barong (shirts) and shoes... a tattoo of his grandfather's lolo's heart, and his lolas face". Sean writing and delivery is like a theater of poetry, or poetic drama. Thank you to both Rick and Sean for this passionate performance!
Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo:
Adding to the mix of entertainment, I dusted off an old favorite from former Asian American song-writing days and sang an original: "To The Manongs of Walnut Grove". The song speaks of the community in the California Delta area where remnants of Filipino migrant work force live. These "Manongs" (respective term for elder brother, uncle or elder) who came over in the 1920's and 1930's were a significant part of development of California's booming agriculture. It was good to have my "manongs" in the audience listening, Bill Tamayo and Ron Muriera (my brother artists and community activists) who also witnessed the earlier years of Filipino American consciousness (International Hotel and the struggle of low-cost housing in SF; Fil-Am veterans rights movement, Asian American legal aide, and immigration rights movement).
Nara Denning:
Nara herself calls her work "painting with film" and "poetry of cinema" as she presented two pieces both earning this unique approach to film. The first piece, a film of a modern man's encounter with "Pele" the goddess of the volcano in Hawaiian Mythos is a cautionary tale depicting what happens when a modern man (symboplixzed by a photographer) trespasses the realm of the goddess and offends her with a flash of the camera. Perhaps it was a statement about trying to "capture" spirit, rather than "experiencing" it. Nara's visual sensibility was mythic and stunning.
Ron Quesada:
Kulintronica is a term which implies the fusing of kulintang, the traditional gong music of Southern Philippines with synthesized music. Ron, who has studied the traditional music is exploring the outer edges of this genre by overlaying Filipino modes on top of "tracks" produced by soft-synth sounds of the laptop computer. With his initial foundation in traditional Maguindanaon *(one of dozens of ethnic groups found on Mindanao island) gong music Quesada has blended "trance" style sounds of popular Western culture with tradition.
Big Thanks!
For all the artists, audience members and volunteers that made this season a hit. We will open our 6th season in the Fall (dates to be announced). If you know of other artists, ensembles of any art form, please let us know. We'd love to include them in next years line up.
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May 18
MAY 15 SALON REVIEW
Once Again Another Lively Salon!Last weekend we engaged the creativity and conversation of several local artists. A film, a novel, a rap, a dance, a choir- - where else can one get all of this in one elegant and intimate evening of culture? None other than at Eth-Noh-Tec's "Salon! You're ON!".
Rose Khor (Film Maker)
Rose presented her film, "In Our Hawaiian Way" exploring the complex issues of cultural identity, colonialism, and religious values of Mormonism. Capturing several points of view, in an often polarized debate involving session versus assimilation the film shows the paradox of statehood versus independence. As most Americans are not aware of the US governments coup that over threw the traditional monarchy, now over a hundred years later some Hawaiians themselves have acquiesced to Euro-Amero- centric version of history. While others, have kept this alive the memory of this illegal and aggressive take over. In the film Rose depicted a range of opinions. One man stated: "I see lots of similarities between indigenous Hawaiian values and those of Jesus". Another man representing views of indigenous sovereignty retorts: "Statehood is just a piece of paper".
Lian Guow (Writer)
Reading from her novel, "Only A Girl", Lian conveyed honest relationships, flavors and sounds of home life- insight into lives of families of the Chinese Diaspora. Whether they are Chinese in Indonesia or Chinese in America, one thing is common: family values are constantly torqued by Eastern and Western values. In her book, she describes how older generations want the younger ones to retain their "Chinese-ness". Contrarily, the youth, rapidly absorbing the colonial culture of the Dutch see the old ways as arcane and irrelevant to transformation of modern Indonesia. Her story is set in the turbulent backdrop of World Depression, World War II, and the Indonesian Revolution.
Cio Casteneda (Hip Hop Priest)
"Growing up in the Bay Area, around all these religions, I've absorbed by all, taking in all the good messages of them all. To be quite honest, traditional religion is far from what the youth today want too hear... I'm following this thing I've developed - not use swear words in general so that all people can appreciate what I have to say. My objective is to get out the positive messages... represent the Peace, things my mother taught me good morals and all that. Reaction from young people - I get a lot of support. I'll be alright if even one person claps. My tribe- Precita Eyes they're my tribe. They took me in. Some people say "hey Cio, you should use swear words" but I can't write verse with swear words. [comments on gang warfare] You know there warfare's between Norteños and the Sureño's- it's here in the Mission District, it's in Oakland, it's in Los Angeles, in all the State... it's in 38 countries... it's a serious things pulling my brothers and sisters down, not just Latinos but all communities down. With all the gang warfare it got me into this Peace thing.
Folawole Oyinlola (Dancer)
Inspired by a thought "Downward Spiral", a common idiom in our language, Folawole, who had been thinking about this for several weeks, explored this psychological idea with both dance and narrative. Folawole quotes: "What does it mean to recognize a path , spiral or no spiral? What does it feel like to watch a work which seems unscripted? life=path script=path acceptance=path resolution=path accent=path. If growth, joy, strength and confidence were never put into the dictionary would the accents of life accept unscripted resolutions?" Folawole's dance theater was a good stretch from our usual "language-based" arts and offered a explorations in visual and kinesthetic creativity. It was fascinating to watch him create, discovery, his use of stillness, silence, and space, often times with long stretches of dramatic suspension, (often referred in Chinese/ Japanese culture terms as "mah"). One noted moment I appreciated was when Folawole, having created the track of this imaginary "spiral", then got down on the floor and began rubbing the track as if implying and erasure. Perhaps he was implying the ephemeral state of our "emotion". How credible is our psychological state if it is so temporary... and if it is so fleeting, why do we treat it as it is such a serious matter? His movements were simple, mostly "walking", but with occasional surprizes, including interactive glances and questions to the audience. His proximity to his viewers in the intimate studio space pushed against the limits of the audience comfort zones.... but then again, Art isn't always "comfortable".
Na Leo Nahe Nahe (Choir)
As their Hawaiian name implies, "Sweet Voices" is a fun, bright and lively choir that specializes in promoting Hawaiian vocal music. Committed to the preservation and promotion of this music, the choir, one of it's kind in mainland United States, is made of members who are a mix of both Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians. All are drawn to the island culture for many reasons, some for pleasure, others for spiritual and cultural affinity. All of it's singers are however, united in the spirit of "aloha", the Love spirit. A couple of titles they offered are: "E Mauna A Kaha A Heo" which calls upon the ancient past inform and create healthy futures for the next generations; and "Makala Pua" (named after an open flower, which is the most fragrant in any garden). This song, derived from a "mele" or traditional chant speaks of these flowers that were once made into a lei to celebrate the birthday of Kamaka Heia who later became Queen Liliokalani.
A Spiraling Community Discussion!
As the evening evolved into the community dialogue, two themes kept surfacing: one of the "downward spiral" as we talked about the social plight of the urban disenfranchised, inner city poverty, warfare, and the global economy. The second theme was "paradox": the paradox of Western colonialism and modernization. Challenges were posed: what are the choices we make as "colonized" societies vs. being victims, at the effect of it modernization? Does our awareness of this allow us to truly choose "freely" the best of both worlds? Though we have all benefitted from modernization, what has been lost?... at what cost? How many lives have been slaughtered, conquered, converted in order to achieve this modern lifestyle? We strive to define our identity- when in fact, we all are the creative result of multiple cultural identities, layers, and facades... merely cultural tissues that we grow or peel back in order to reveal (or conceal) our true human-ness.
Special Thanks:
To Linda Yemoto, Leon Sun, Gary & Abhe Lapow, Amy & Lew Levinson for bringing refreshments and helping being on the host team. Of any of the readers would like to join this team, please contact us. We could use your help. By the way... the LAST Salon, before we go dormant over summer is slated for June 5. Don't miss it!
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Apr 21
Nancy Wang Debuts New Story, "Bittersweet" in Chicago
Nancy and Robert performed in Nancy’s old hometown Chicago! We were at the 8th JustStories Storytelling event which commissions one storyteller annually to create a story around justice or racial equality – a personal story that reveals history not usually heard or learned. This year that commission went to Nancy! My story is called ‘Bittersweet’. Storyteller Sue O’Halloran and Father Derek Simons of the Society of the Divine Word co-produce and sponsor this amazing project with a brilliant webpage called Race Bridges. "My story is about my mom. It’s a story that looks at me trying to figure out who this lady was. Was she the mean mama I grew up with? And why was she so mean? Or was it just the limited perception of a young girl, a daughter attached to the ignorant and shallow illusion of a Donna Reed or a Father Knows Best show? Guess which one!? By going through the period after my mom’s heart attack in which she completely changed to this sweet soft and funny person, I was left with ‘really, who is this person?’" "I go through trying to figure it out by looking at our history in this country: our 1st generation came in 1850 and started the fishing industry despite the hatred and unprovoked anti-Chinese violence rampant up and down the west coast, and continues through the 2nd and 3rd generation challenging this prejudice to finally the 4th generation, my mother. And, like a healing story, a happy ending. I discover how amazing my mom was and the noble sacrifice her life was so that I could be who I am today" "I’m a 5th generation American. My children are the 6th, and there are already 7 generations in our family. But if I am walking down the street with a friend from Australia, which one of us will be seen as the foreigner?" And so, it is hoped by JustStories and Eth-Noh-Tec that these kinds of stories, made available to schools with a curriculum guide, will correct the errors and replace the paucity so prevalent in teaching the full history of this country. Our performances this week took place in several locations between Chicago’s Chinatown and Evanston on the Northshore. We performed at St.Teresa’s School across from the Chinese American Museum. Afterwards we got a quick private tour of the new museum (still in repair after a devastating fire). Special thanks to Margaret Larson and the staff who helped make the Chinatown collaboration concert a wonderful turn out. They had a great turn out of 100 people- best crowd they've ever had for a show. These performances were especially significant to Nancy who has deep roots here in the Chicago Chinese American community. The show became a gathering point as relatives drove in from far away to attend the premiere of this piece. Thank you Brother Ed and Sis-in-Law Rachel Wang, Cousins Roger (& Elaine) Foin, Debbie (& Gary) Alderman, Jordan and June Wong, and nieces: Michelle Cheung (and kids Hannah and Jakey) and Marcia Wang and all the other friends of the Wang Tribe in the area. One of the events in the tour was video taping shorter versions of Asian American family history at the "SPACE" (Society for Preservation of Arts and Culture in Evanston). Hours of prep condensed into 10 minute excerpts which later will be rendered for the website of Racebridges to be used by educators in schools to advocate for racial, ethnic and religious tolerance. Kudos to Sue O’Halloran and Father Derek Simon! The storytelling community should be so proud of their work! On a final note from Nancy: "I wish to thank all the storytellers, artists, writers, film makers and friends who've been a part of the this creative process: Olga Loya, Erica Lann-Clark, Nancy Gaglio, Lynn Mueller, Canyon Sam, Felicia Lowe, Ginni Stern, Anne Shimojima, Nancy Donoval, Beth Horner, Sue O'Halloran Ann Scroggie, and Robert. And for their stories thanks to: my mom Gladys, Gramma Yokelund, and Aunt Mary". Check out: www.RaceBridges.net/JustStoriesComments [0]
