Highlights from the Labriola Center
At the end of this past February, the Labriola Center hosted our biannual Indigenous Open Mic Poetry Night. We also had the opportunity and pleasure of meeting a Maori dance company called "Ōkāreka Dance Company" who visited all the way from New Zealand! In addition, we hosted a running series in preparation for the Prayer Run taking place this Saturday.
Indigenous Open Mic Poetry Night Thursday, February 29, 2024
On February 29th, the Labriola Center hosted the 4th annual Open Mic Night. Co-hosted by Elishua Shepherd and Program Coordinator Yitazba Largo-Anderson, the Labriola Center introduced our four featured Indigenous poets and storytellers: Kai-Se’ Toledo (Diné), Sarah Camille Chiago (Salt-River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community), Ruben Cu:k ba’ak (Tohono O’odham Nation), Amber Bleaser-Wardzala (Anishinaabe), and Ayling Dominguez (Nahua Pueblo).
More often than not I will have a little notebook and jot down notes on the regular just about anything, usually class, like on one page there's diagrams of how cells communicate, art ideas, bullet points about what kind of yellows I want on an old woman's bones and in the clouds, stickers, this one says "excited", lyrics - "ignite my circuits and start aflame" - and event notes. I would write some of the poet's stanzas that resonated because of some pop culture reference or another, the situation mirrored my own, or to remark on others' reactions, whether enraptured, at peace, or disinterested. "I'm sorta you and sorta me" and "I'm everything, everywhere all at once"; I watched a movie with the same title last week and recalled a conversation with my brother about smoky mirrors. To "The boy had called me a cracker", my mom called me a little beaner the other day, and "Water witnessing soil with sweat and saliva," thinking about inim bwan bwía. The green chile was familiar and I enjoyed the tea.
-Written by Elena Dominguez (Mexican American and Pascua Yaqui descent)
Amber captivated the audience with her storytelling about her Anishinaabe identity, and the special connection with her father tying her to her Anishinaabe roots at a young age. Ayling Dominguez’s poetry enthralled the audience by speaking about her lands, her people, and her identity. To reclaim was Ayling’s last powerful poem that touches on how reclaiming was a term originally used “to call a hawk back to a glove”, now it’s a term that Indigenous groups use to reclaim their identity, land, and culture.
-Written by Monica Howard (Diné)
Ayling Dominguez reading her poems in front of audience
Each poet had a unique voice. Ruben C spoke about being young and Indigenous living in an academic, urban area and the clash between those who live in cities seeking degrees versus those who are traditional and do not use degrees for teaching and obtaining knowledge. His poems evoke thunder: they are unapologetically bold in verse and stance. There was a line that stuck out to me. It was a confrontation between an elder and a young Indigenous academic. They were in disagreement over knowledge, over who knew what and what knowledge matters in a colonial world. I appreciated his poems, because they challenge us young Indigenous academics to think beyond the institution. A majority of our elders do not hold degrees. My grandma never went to school. However, she is a house of knowledge, and I think we ought to remember our roots and be open to criticism when it comes to traditional cultural values and roles. There is power there in our traditional knowledge and language, otherwise it would not have lasted as long as it has.
Amber Bleaser-Wardzala shared a short story at the Open Mic. She is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing here at Arizona State University, with a focus on science fiction and horror. The story Amber shared is like a monologue. It begins and ends with a deer hit on the road. The young Anishinaabe girl has struggled with her identity as an Indigenous person, and has been opposed by community members in her tribe.
From a young age, she wrestles with their gossip about her blonde hair and disapproval of her mother. Her and her father originate from the Deer clan. She now must also face her father's death, which is juxtaposed with the deer she hit with her car.
All the readers and volunteer readers shared beautiful works of art. I have always loved the Open Mic Nights here at the Labriola Center because they allow a space for Indigenous voices to be heard. Witnessing their life experiences always leaves me with a sense of awe.
-Written by Yitazba Largo-Anderson (Diné)
Ōkāreka Dance Company (Maori), March 18, 2024
On Monday, March 18, the Labriola Center had the honor and privilege of greeting and meeting Māori dancers from Ōkāreka Dance Company. The dance group entered our space, all wearing black, their founder leading them with a traditional song. In return, our O'odham Language Specialist, Penrose F also welcomed the dance group with an O'odham traditional song. We all sat together down as a circular unit, with Labriola Center eclipsed facing the Maori dancers. All of the Maori dancers had a warm welcoming energy about them and giggled at their colleagues during their introductions. Jacob Morre, Vice President spoke about the land and his relation to it as an O'odham. Hannah Nockideneh, Miss Indigenous ASU and Tonana Ben, Miss Indian Arizona began the session by greeting the group with their Navajo introductions, followed by Alycia de Mesa (Apache of Chihuahua, Mexico, mestiza, Japanese descendant), Penrose Fulwilder (Onk Akimel O’odham), and Director Alex Soto (Tohono O'odham) who spoke about the artwork in the Labriola Center. The glass artwork depicts the sacred mountains surrounding this territory. Director Soto also noted the mural that was recently completed by artists Thomas "Breeze" and DeWayne Manuel. It depicts A-Mountain in present time and in time immemorial, pre-urban setting.
The dance group, Ōkāreka conducted a show on the weekend on Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24. The show is called "MANA WAHINE" (Powerful Woman). "Inspired by the historic true story of a young Maori heroine and informed by women’s stories from the dancers’ families, the work incorporates bold projections, chants, original music, traditional implements, and costuming that draws from Maori (the Indigenous people of New Zealand) cultural traditions and history."
Labriola Weekly Run Series Saturdays February 24 - March 23
In preparation for this weekend's Prayer Run, Senior Program Coordinator Eric Hardy (Diné) led a Labriola Weekly Running Series for the duration of March. For the past five Saturdays, the Labriola Center met at the parking lot near the IDEA Tempe Campus and Tempe Center for the Arts near Tempe Town Lake.
Reflections Running Along the Salt River: Saturday, March 16
The run was along the Salt River extending from Tempe Town Lake to the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Eric Hardy, Director Alex Soto, Colton Jim, and Yitazba Largo-Anderson ran along the pavement next to the Salt River. Tonana Ben, Hannah Nockideneh (Diné), and a family walked east over a bridge. After the runners returned, the group gathered for a photo in front of Thomas "Breeze" Marcus' mural at the Tempe Center for the Arts.
I appreciated participating in the run because I had the opportunity to be amongst the community and develop a sense of trust. I am not an avid runner, so I knew I was going to struggle. Yet, I also felt that I could be vulnerable and sincerely just do what I can. I remember while running, I was struggling a bit when I approached an underpass and Colton Jim ran past me and said, "zoooom!" I was already having a difficult time breathing, and Colton whizzing by made me laugh, which probably sounded like a cough or a hard exhale to him. I enjoyed that I could be amongst playful people and also had support. At one point, I stopped and had my hands on my knees, taking in ragged breaths. My chest was tight and my jaws ached from breathing in all that morning air along the riverside. Eric jogged past me and said encouragingly, "Good job, Yitazba, you ran half a mile!" Later that weekend, I found out I had overexerted myself. Running requires dedication and a keen awareness of your body and its limits. I am still learning how to navigate my limits, but hearing Eric congratulate me on my progress and having shown up to this event made me feel happy.
-Written by Yitazba Largo-Anderson
Upcoming Events
Check out our upcoming events by visiting our events page here.