Saturday, September 30, 2017

ZAKU

ZAKU: in the language IKU (Arhuaca) means mother, woman, responsible for transmitting wisdom from generation to generation in the native peoples.

Zaku: en lengua IKU (Arhuaca) significa madre, mujer, responsable de transmitir la sabiduria de generación en generación en los pueblos originarios.

ZAKU
 Seed of life is you, indigenous woman who ignites the fire of memory Mother who sows collective consciousness A native woman, a weaver of thought and a wise word. Mother earth, mother water, mother people. You feed the spirit of men. Female spiral language, from the beginning and without end. You work because harmony is born, to reap a universe in order an umbilical cord that survives with the great placenta, our sacred house the mother earth. Indigenous woman, mother, grandmother, sister. You are a lagoon, you are a plant that nourishes the life, that suckles this human world, this territory of you aboriginal woman, Original woman, cane that sustains the world making peace, weaving art of Wisdom and knowledge of the living cultures. DU NI ZAKU

Thank you woman spinner for creating with your voice ways cultures of life. It is recognized in you woman sower, transmitting the teachings of Good Living and Living Well, not forgetting the birth of the origin, the footsteps of the ancients, the language that we continue talking day and night, like the stove that does not go out and with its smoke travels through the memory of the corn peoples. We are all children of the universal mother, as well as children of the woman who takes care of her bare feet, which carries a son, a basket, a pack of hopes in each necklace. Without soil there is no food, without water there is no life, without sun there is no planet, no woman, the seed does not germinate, it is not learned, the spirit is not educated. We are the inheritance that the indigenous woman left us and recreates us as the water we drink and the foods that give us and guide us the existence. A woman with long hair, listening to you is feeling the conch that sounds and leaves fertile echoes of the origin, that song of the land that unites us to return, to the voice of the silence of a pregnancy, to the first words spoken as a child, "Mom, I am sleepy."

You shut my crying, you feed my huellas. Indigenous mother, who cooks tradition and distributes it to your children. You are a great maloka who keeps thought, history. You are the mother of us all. A cosmogonic woman, you are TIME, moon that illuminates man's steps and cycles, causing the eyes to look beyond. Sacred woman, you are rain of knowledge, food of the spirit, with your hands healthy of the earth, cures to the man. You are the dance of life, the ritual of balance, the millenary garden that feeds the five senses and the heart of human beings. NIWIKAGUMU NIWI GUZANA NI. ZAKU NI WI GUZANA NI. I love our mother earth. I love mother people. "du ni “. 
-Kasokaku Busintana Mestre Izquierdo de pueblo Iku, Sierra Nevada de Santa Maria

***********************

ZAKU
 Semilla de vida eres tú, mujer indígena que prendes el fogón de la memoria ancestral. Madre que siembra conciencia colectiva mujer nativa, tejedora de pensamiento y palabra sabia. Madre tierra, madre agua, madre gente. Tú alimentas el espíritu de los hombres. Mujer de lenguaje en espiral, desde el principio y sin final. Trabajas porque nazca armonía, por cosechar un universo en orden, un cordón umbilical que pervive con la gran placenta, nuestra casa sagrada la madre tierra Mujer indígena, mamá, abuela, hermana. Eres laguna, eres planta que nutre la vida, que amamanta. este mundo humano, este territorio de partos tuyos mujer aborigen, Mujer originaria, bastón que sostiene el mundo haciendo paz, tejiendo arte de Sabiduría y conocimientos de las culturas vivas. DU NI ZAKU

Gracias mujer hilandera por crear con tu voz caminos cultivos de vida. Se reconoce en ti mujer sembradora, trasmitir las enseñanzas del Buen Vivir y el Vivir Bien, sin olvidar el parto del origen, los pasos de antiguos, la lengua que seguimos hablando día y noche, como el fogón que no se apaga y con su humo viaja por la memoria de los pueblos del maíz. Todos somos hijos de la madre universal, como también hijos de la mujer que cuida sus pies descalzos que en cada collar lleva un hijo, un canasto, una mochila de esperanzas. Sin tierra no hay comida, sin agua no hay vida, sin sol no hay planeta, sin mujer, la semilla no germina, no se aprende, no se educa el espíritu. Somos la herencia que la mujer indígena nos dejó y nos recrea como el agua que bebemos y los alimentos que nos dan y nos guían la existencia. Mujer de cabello largo, el escucharte es sentir la caracola que suena y deja ecos fecundos del origen, aquel canto de la tierra que nos une al retorno, a la voz del silencio de un embarazo, a las primeras palabras que se pronuncian cuando niño, "Mamá, teta, tengo sueño".

Tu callas mi llanto, alimentas mis huellas. Madre indígena, que cocinas la tradición y la repartes a tus hijos. Eres una gran maloka que guarda el pensamiento, la historia. Eres la madre de todos nosotros. Mujer cosmogónica, eres TIMA, luna que alumbra los pasos y ciclos del hombre, haciendo que los ojos miren más allá. Mujer sagrada, eres lluvia de saberes, alimento del espíritu, con tus manos sanas la tierra, curas al hombre. Eres la danza de la vida, el ritual del equilibrio, la huerta milenaria que alimenta los cinco sentidos y el corazón de los seres humanos. NIWIKAGUMU NIWI GUZANA NI. ZAKU NI WI GUZANA NI. Amo nuestra madre tierra. Amo la madre gente. "du ni''. 
-Kasokaku Busintana Mestre Izquierdo de pueblo Iku, Sierra Nevada de Santa Maria

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Spoken Turning Meditation

A collaborative performance and meditation brought a tranquil and inspiring space for the transition to 2017. Sound vibrations by Gbeda Sundries and the energies of my photographic series Spoken saturated us at CAMBIAart gallery on Saturday evening. It was a beautiful group of people who came out and participated, it was an honor to share the space, images, dance and sound with everyone.














Photography by Javier Garcia

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Spoken opening statements

“After hearing my footsteps, walking in to where the path is no longer visible, I exhale.  I begin to sense the trees dancing in the rustle of the leaves, the silhouettes of glowing light and the darkness breathing.  The trees begin calling me, in different ways and in manners that bypass my logical brain.  Welcomed to come and visit with them, I bring my large format camera.  I contort optics and make long exposure, allowing for more to imprint than what the eye could see…possibly our intimate encounter, possibly what was spoken.

“When we refer to spirits we usually are referring to those who have come before us, and occasionally those who will be birthed by us, but generally we speak of entities with the assumed shared human experience.  The forest world has been densely growing and cycling for longer than we have been walking this earth.  These spirits, these ancient beings, have wisdoms and perspectives rooted from the time of the core of the earth.  And they see through me, they see through us.

"To walk alone into the forest is the first step to being able to hear the speaking.  It is not immediate, but per individual.  The next step is to hear your presence in the forest, the breaking of sticks beneath your feet.  Then you hear and feel your breath in this airspace, that it is different than that outside of the woods.  It will be silent at first, still, while you acclimate.  And then as your mind is relaxed, your face will relax deeply and, as if your eyes open wider, you will see how very much alive the beings that surround you are.



SPOKEN is a body of portraits; recordings of wisdom shared.


On display at CAMIBAart, Austin, TX until January 7th.  Closing will be 1-4 January 7th.

Video by Justin Humphrey

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Our Waters, our bodies, our Mother

Good Morning!

This intention of focusing on the Sacred Water and making this exploration publicly visible brings many things to the foreground. I am searching to represent the templates of spaces that are living in harmonious relationship with our Mother Earth and the Bodies of Water that flow in and outside of her. I am honoring the intimate prayers of communities and individuals to open more hearts and give more access to our internal waters while profoundly connecting with all waters. I am also giving voice to the many peoples who are fighting to protect our waters in a time where social media is the space that truly represents the people while, unfortunately, the mainstream is being censored.

I was able to spend some time connecting in the Yaqui pueblos in Sonora, Mexico. Here is a video of interviews I made with a couple of the women surrounding the waters and sustainable living.

This is not a unique story of sadness for the people and for the waters. These stories are all over the world. On the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota a call has been made for international community support to fight against tunnels for oil being run under the waters. It is an embarrassment how the US government is handling this. But it has also been a great demonstration of people coming together from all nations to speak up for Sacred Waters!  Yesterday we sang, we prayed, we united.

Many Blessings,
Tahila

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Damian Marley- mainstream ancestral connect

The media outlets have so much power and sometimes it so right on. This video!!!!






Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Tiny House Building through a Texas Winter of RAIN pt 1

Rain and more Rain in Austin these weeks giving me time to write about our Tiny House building these past months.

In leu of floor plans, John and I's first steps were to build a teeny Tiny house made of cardboard. Our first construction had little movable parts including a tiny Tahila with her arms outstretched.

I made lists of what I wanted, felt were my "need to have's", in my space. Windows prominently fill the wall space. I like to sit on the floor so floor space for seating is important and space for stretching, turning and dancing. We decided the wall could fold down for a work table or as needed. That meant space for movement :)







Out on the farm the ducks all came around to watch us as the sun came up and the day began.















We strive to keep wood from going to the dump and the following days were spent taking apart pallets (labeled HT, meaning not chemically treated).

And removed many many many nails
Baby Chicks were born and I went to sleep and woke listening to them peep peeping.



The oak pile grew and grew from the older pallets and the planing began. Our days of sunshine ended a day into this process and then the remaining time we spent in sleet. Texas weather has been abnormal this year and unpredictable.
                             
John
Rodney

Me







It was all worth it for the beauty we found as the layers pealed away.


These will be placed carefully on the Trailer bed to become my floor!

Friday, February 6, 2015

House cleaning of the mind in Gratitude

“And then a man came forth and said, Speak to us of Houses
… But you, children of space, you restless in rest, you shall not be trapped nor tamed. 
Your house shall be not an anchor but a mast. 
It shall not be a glistening film that covers a wound, but an eyelid that guards the eye. 

You shall not fold you wings that you may pass through doors, nor bend your heads that they strike not against a ceiling, nor fear to breathe lest walls should crack and fall down. 

You shall not dwell in tombs made by the dead for the living. 

And though of magnificence and splendour, your house shall not hold your secret nor shelter your longing. 
For that which is boundless in you abides in the mansion of the sky, whose door is the morning mist, and whose windows are the songs and the silences of night.”

- Kahlil Gibran, from 'The Prophet'


Without much amazement this morning, I see clearly that a "flushing out" is needed. An internal purging and balancing must take place, as I work through a similar filtering system of my external life and possessions in preparation to move in my Tiny House.

As asked on a tiny house blog for house prep....or in zen texts:

What is essential to me?
What do I no longer need to hold on to?
What is the too much?


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Moondancer


 In our prayers we put forth our intentions. We ask to be excused for the mistakes we make unknowingly and that no harm will come to anyone in the process of arriving where we need to be.
In this way I pray. I respectfully am apart of the Kalpulli Teokalli Teoyolotl.

To say I am beginning my preparations would be mis leading, better I say I am continuing my preparations to enter the Moondance circle, the womb, for my second year. My formal preparations began when I made my commitment with my Tobacco offering to my Madrina. I, Xicahuamazatl, with her permission, would make my commitment to dance the year following. I would accompany her to Mexico later that year to support her and learn while she danced her ninth year.

Since joining her circle, walking the red road with her as a navigator, it has been 8 years now. These years and more have been the start of my preparation.


Less then two weeks until one step in front of the other, one woman in front of the next, one fire in front of the next, one heartbeat.

8 days of ceremony, four nights of dancing, open, giving, receiving, praying. together. Tlazokamati

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Tiny House Project - 3D dreaming

Something like a month ago I watched part of a documentary about a boy building a tiny house.  The following day I off-handedly asked my good friend, John..."Would you think it would be fun to build a Tiny house on a trailer with me?"

"A what?"

"A Teeny Tiny House, a piece of our art work, an opportunity for me to learn more wood working and construction from you.... We finished building the darkroom last week, New Project!"

"ok! I've got lots of pallets of wood for us to have plenty of free wood" he said with a smile and no idea from either of us what we were getting into.

We began searching blogs, pintrists and craigslisting for trailers.

With our promise to a seller of a couple of of John's sheep and $1,200 I had a trailer, a DIY trailer ... We were going to build!!!

Our strategy for the environment and my pocketbook was to utilize as much rescued materials as we could. A huge amount of wood and other things go to the dump each year, each day. We are constructing the house out of as many things we can that would be discarded otherwise.

As an adjunct photography professor and an artist, my income leaves much to the imagination. My parents were both Gypsies in their own right. My father's home is still a converted school bus, as it has been for a majority of my life. My mother and I moved over ten times before I was 8, drove across country often, lived in tents for some months and always had a passport handy for any last minute travel arrangements. That was normal to me. My father continues to travel to set up kitchens for  disaster relief, for activism and for native american ceremonies. My parents have taught me that a transient life in a small space gives great potential for freedom, from bills and from holding on to tightly to anything and becoming stagnant...

I welcome you all to follow as I learn and we build and we make, hopefully not too many, mistakes...

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Re-membered (Dervish home)

Cracked open
again & again
polishing the dust off of
the mirror
to have
the opportunity to
refine
 Wedding walk
linked arms we meditate in step
the ground blanket
of colored leaves, sound
as we share this intimacy
of existence
of the beloved

Accompanied, seen, guided
embodied in this gentleman
of time before
a fixed gaze
on his centered turn
abandonment in light

In the night of our wedding
our re-memebering
we dressed for our presentation
our re union
the music
the circle of  light
my mother
in the center
still. in motion. grace.

A tear rolls
in experiencing the abundance 
overpowering
love
pushing out 
in witness of her radiance
unabashed love
sharing and receiving
oneness

We fly
soaring circularly
centripetal force
into the heart center
home



Photographs I made in Konya, Turkey during our Dervish trip in 2010
words written in front of the fireplace….a gift of many at our dervish retreat this weekend at Body Mind Restoration Retreat Center

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Haiti: Rebuilding Strong

Recently I worked for Habitat for Humanity Haiti. These videos are of some women in an incredible and empowering job training program. There are programs focused on financial literacy, disaster risk education and home maintenance. A gender equality program that is interwoven through out the other courses.

Recorded August 2014 at a demonstration of skills day, where the students showed the advanced vocational construction skills they had learned through the course. The closing celebration can be heard in the back ground.






Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Tortuga- the young universe


At 15 years old
this baby
ancient as the universe
allowed time to stop in his sphere
and nothing existed
more enriching
then sharing his space and joy


full just watching him

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Recovering Violation of the Feminine

In the darkness and shadow, hidden for many year, a memory. Since 2002 I have known the bump in the night. A night of too much in Washington and an evil hearted cab driver. I was in college then, recently back from living abroad.
At times a flash comes to me, a new part of the memory I have suppressed comes to the surface for me to recognize, to acknowledge so I can let go, forgive and have peace.
My close friend asked if I had been abused.
He wanted to make my person in bronze for a body of work. with Text
 We began with my bottom half. I assumed the posture of my nightmare. Extreme Yoga to hold a pose. This pose. Feel deep into it until my muscles ached and sometimes I lost all blood. As the silicon dried and then the plaster was applied, to harden. The weight growing heavier and I became glued, forced down, to the ground, to the slab bellow me.
 I felt certain that it was my time to process. It is my time to process. Each step up become harder to breath, out. Each leg, then arms bound above my head, the chest plate and lastly, very finally my face.  As each took away a different movement, a capability. At the end I held my heart. I am thankful to have the opportunity to work this way. For my friend to help give me palace to process. My book will be made of Tabacoo. My story i will intertwine with my prayers. In my four part binding and sacred plant I will not hold on any more. He will have no part of me anymore, not even in remnants soon.


I now look at these pictures as I post. I can smile seeing that my Krav Mega (Israel hand to hand combat) tank is what I am wearing while my face is covered. These are memories I have not shared. I think it's important to speak and share. To be strong together.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Union Beach Relief

"you know this is not an "organization" but this is THE most organized, one of the most inspiring set ups to help feed and cloth people. It is a camp of Kindness"

My father hopped on a converted school bus again, joined with his old pal Diamond Dave, who a lifetime ago took over golden gate park with a movement of Feeding the people. Organic Valley and many individuals joined forced to in Union Beach, NJ to help feed and cloth and support the relief effort after the storm.

Much love and respect to them and all the people around the nation working to support those families effected. This story aired on ABC about their kitchen.  ABC link

Monday, April 25, 2011

‎" we could be one word away from a major paradigm shift in consciousness" -Martha Ward


We are biting at a pie campaign, a peace movement, a recording and rejoicing in a communal history of familiar unification s through our taste buds, memorized aromas and unmatchable textures. Our series of round table discussions in the Heath House at Project Row Houses was energetic. A table of pies laid out on the table, our lady "keepers of the flame" images hung large in the air and the walls were chalked up with words from the many people whom have passed through the door to explore in this space. I room of inspiration, discussion and remembering.

Heath House: Apron String Conversations (Round One) April 23rd

Saturday, April 23, 2011

HEARTH HOUSE: Apron Strings Conversations

Image: Chef Tarsha. March 2011

Houston's Project Row House is where an incredible collaboration is blossoming. Project Hearth House is in its first installation. Luanne Stovall, Toni Tipton-Martin, Meeta Morrison, Ellen Hunt, Chrystal Granger and Myself, a artist/designer, a culinary journalist, three architects and myself.

Todays Event!

HEARTH HOUSE: Apron Strings Conversations

at Project Row Houses. Houston, TX

In conjunction with Round 34: Matter of FOOD, Hearth House (Art House #2515 Holman) will host two roundtable Conversations.

Please join us as Hearth House hosts two roundtable Apron Strings Conversations. “Secret Ingredients” stirs together the memories and secrets of favorite recipes, which warm hearts, bridge generations, and fan the flames of community. “Apron Strings” also explores the unifying relationship between cooking at the hearth and sewing for survival and the way these activities uplift of the soul.

Participants include the women of Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church, who are participating in an oral history culinary project with the University of Houston, and a photo documentary project with Tahila Mintz for Hearth House.

Insights also will be shared by quilters from The Jubilee Quilt Circle and members of the 3rd Ward community.

Pie will be served for guests, courtesy of local bakers.

see images of the house set up at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150219655300656.352193.526495655&l=84417c16cb

AND MORE at LIKE at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hearth-House-at-Project-Row-Houses/219908454689905?sk=info#!/pages/Hearth-House-at-Project-Row-Houses/188242797880283

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Howard Zinn

" To be hopeful in bad times is not foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact, the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage and kindness... what we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst. it will destroy our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places- and there are so many- where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of the world in a different direction... And if we do act, in however small a way we don't have to wait for some utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live in defiance of all that is bad around us, is its self a marvelous victory"- Howard Zinn

Parts of a long amount of quotes listed on rethinkingschools.org from the day of his passing this January. I had pieced it to read to a group of High School students from Spain that were growing and being challenged as they built in Dakar, Senegal that week. The words, as many of this man, are well worth repeating.

http://www.zinnedproject.org/ a link for classroom use or anyone else interested The Zinn Education Project

bare foot


I want to be where
your bare foot walks,

because maybe before you step,
you'll look at the ground.
I want that blessing.

-Rumi

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

smelling the seven roses

"And we confirmed once again that those who do not sing cannot even imagine the joys of singing."

Today passing, lounging in the deep wine valour and soft satin cloak my mother wore when she was my age. In the depths of another Garcia Marquez novel interrupted thought for food preparation and the correct time for taking my expanded library of pills and tinctures for healing, now at seven bottles lining the ironing board in the kitchen. Lutui come and goes. He curles up to get a tummy rub or encircles my chair to be sure I am noticing and giving proper attention to the moment I'm in and more specifically him.

I was to be on the road over a week ago. Continuing my fluid landing in the states by visiting many states in a few months, many family members and many trees. My plans, if I can propose to make such things, were to be still after these coming months. Maybe some time at Kripalu, Omega or with a teacher keeping myself "outside" of myself and giving myself the space and environment to "let the weeds grow" like farmers allow for thier land every 7 years. A meditation was pulling at me, to breath deeply and get a rythem in place.

This is not something to plan for. As it seems I have my meditation. It exists without judgment or argument behind my lens. Film, not digital, is essential for letting go of knowing and being still... has been prescribed, along with the bottles, from my doctor. Resting, stillness, joy, clean eating. Seems just what I needed. The slow down that is work to listen to in my mind has been directed from the other side of the counter...And on my back porch I stare at the trees and REALLY enjoy the light.

A bike ride with my Leica slung over my chest, black and white roll inside and a smile on my face. So glad to be back with my best friend, in an environment where we live together just occasionally put aside for a tree that needs my large format instead. My daily rides are only matched by the daily walks with mom. These weeks are being enjoyed and learned from.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010