October with Tia Chucha, Reyna Grande, and some thoughts....

Tia Chucha's Events for October 2007


Author Reading with Anna Marie Gonzalez
Saturday Oct. 6th at 2 p.m.




Ann Marie Gonzalez will present her new book and discuss its purpose. Divine for Life is a book written for people in search of divinity and understanding of who we are and what we are capable of. It is the Divine being's guide to life. This book will open doors to the truth of our existence.

"My deepest prayer is that sharing this information contributes to the empowerment of all who read this and ultimately to the spiritual evolution of humanity." Ann Marie Gonzalez


Book Reading with Mario Garcia
Saturday October 13, 2007 at 2 p.m.


Author and professor of History and Chicano Studies at UCSB Mario Garcia will present and read from his newly released book The Gospel of Cesar Chavez: My Faith in Action.
This is a book of spiritual reflections, prayers, or mantras from Cesar Chavez, one of the great spiritual leaders of our time. Perhaps the best-known Latino historical figure in the United States, a key aspect of why he did what he did was his faith. He was a devout Catholic and a man of deep moral and spiritual values, which is what drove him to seek basic rights for farm workers as well as recognition for their human dignity as children of God. Now, for the first time, The Gospel of Cesar Chavez calls attention to the spiritual side of this great leader through his own words.



Special Day of the Dead Workshop # 1
Satuday Oct. 20th from
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The first workshop of our 3 piece Dia De Los Muertos celebration!

-Danza Temachtia Quetzalcoatl
-Intro to group
-Historical Prospective of Day of the Dead
-Sugar Skull Workshop

Come join Danza Temachtia Quetzalcoatl as we introduce ourselves to the community and provide a historical and cultural perspective of the importance of Dia de los Muertos. This visual presentation will close with a sugar skull making workshop. It's fun for Everyone!

All the workshops are free!



Poetry Reading with Jim Moreno: The Artivist Movement
Saturday October 20th at 2 p.m.

Poet Jim Moreno will present and read from his newly released poetry collection, Dancing in Dissent: Poetry for Activism.

Dancing in Dissent is an artivist's (artist and activist) collection of poetry resonating with the legacy of speaking out against injustice and oppression. Moreno is a member of San Diego's Langston Hughes Poetry Circle and a past board member of the African American Writers and Artists.

He teaches poetry workshops for gang youth in lockups, children in after-school programs and adults who are beginning or practiced poets.



Michael Heralda Performs Aztec Stories
Saturday Oct. 20, 2007 at 6 p.m.

Come and experience the origins of this very special ceremony from the indigenous perspective in a presentation of music, songs, and stories.

The ceremony has evolved due to European influences, the artistic influence of Jose Guadalupe Posada's fanciful stylizations, and the commercial forces of our "modern" world. This program is for those interested in learning about the origins of this ceremony. It is also an opportunity to help establish a "balance" between today's modern practice and the ancient ceremony's true relevance and importance. You will hear things that touch your heart and at times seem very familiar. This is the ancient voice that you hear intuitively speaking to you from the past through your heart. Some of the information revealed in this presentation may surprise you, and some may validate an intuitive understanding you possess and have contemplated.


Special Day Of The Dead Workshop # 2
Sunday Oct. 21st from
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The second day of our 3 piece Dia De Los Muertos celebration
-Danza Temechtia Quetzalcoatl
-Historical Perspective of Danza
-3 groups
-dance, song, drumming
Day II of our Dia de Los Muertos workshop introduces the importance of danza in Day of the Dead celebrations. After the discussion, each participant is invited to learn an element of danza-drumming, dancing and/or Mexica songs-themselves!

All workshops are Free!
Special Day of the Dead Workshop # 3
Monday Oct. 22nd from
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
This is the last workshop of our 3 piece Dia De Los Muertos celebration!

-Danza Temachtia Quetzalcoatl
-Mexica story telling
This will be a review and expansion of first 2 workshops. Day III of our workshop will continue to teach the elements of "la danza" and will close with Mexica storytelling for all!

On this final day of the workshop, Danza Temachtia Quetzalcoatl will host a community ceremony for all its participants. Traditional face painting will begin the celebration and everyone who participated will have a chance to share what they have learned!

All workshops are free!


Friday Oct. 26th at 8 p.m.

Join us for our famous Open Mic Night, this week featuring poet Thomas Gayton, along with some of the local poets and musican performers!

Works and Performances.
Thomas has read his poetry on Pacifica Radio, KPFK-Los Angeles and has performed with Jazz greats Charles McPherson, cousin Clark Gayton and Daniel Jackson. He has taught verse writing at the Writing Center in San Diego, founded the Poetry Workshop in La Jolla, California, at D.G. Wills bookstore and also cofounded the San Diego Poets' Press.
Book Reading with Beto Gutierrez


Saturday Oct. 27th at 1 p.m.
Author Beto Gutierrez will read and discuss his newly published book A Sentence with the District.

A collection of essays based on actual experiences of a former at-risk youth who became an inspired high school teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Gutierrez sheds insight from a first person point of view that others dare not mention. A must-read book that advocates educational equity and quality.

Sugar Skull Workshop Hosted by Norma
Sunday Oct. 28, 2007 at 12 p.m.

Come experience a hands-on workshop for the whole family in preparation for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with the making of Sugar Skulls, a centuries-old tradition in Mexico that plays an important symbolic role in this holiday. You are welcomed to join us in tribute of this fun and mysterious holiday.


Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural
10258 Foothill Blvd.
Lake View Terrace, CA 91342

(818) 896-1479

www.tiachucha.com
e-mail us at: info@chuchamail.com


Donate to Tia Chuchas! Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore | 10258 Foothill Blvd. | Lake View Terrace | CA | 91342

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Reyna Grande update



Under the Bridge Bookstore and Gallery
e-mail: underthebridge@sbcglobal.net
When:
Saturday Oct 06, 2007
at 5:00 PM
Where::
Under the Bridge Bookstore and Gallery
358 West 6th Street
San Pedro, CA 90731

UNDER THE BRIDGE BOOKSTORE AND GALLERY CELEBRATES DEBUT AUTHORS!

RSVP not required


SPREAD THE WORD...

Join us as Eduardo Santiago, author of Tomorrow They Will Kiss; Rosa Lowinger, author of Tropicana Nights and Reyna Grande, author of Across A Hundred Mountains, read and sign their new books.

Our readings/booksignings are a great opportunity to meet an author, hear them read from their work, or purchase an autographed copy of their latest book. As always, our events are free and open to the public.

If you are unable to attend an event and are interested in purchasing a signed book please please give us a call at 310-519-8871 or contact us via email at underthebridge@sbcglobal.net. We're happy to hold a book for you.



Some random autumnal thoughts...

Here in the Midwest, there is always a clear sense of seasons changing, of the time and life broken into segments. Now on my walks, I see the start of red gold rustling in the trees, the yellow and orange suns of zempasuchitl, and in my dreams, the faces of loved ones on the other side reminding me to make an ofrenda. On my good days, I see my things linked as a whole, a cycle beginning and ending and beginning.

Somehow too, at middle age, I feel more and more an affinity with autumn, I seem more in touch with the fullness of things as they begin to pass away. Somehow in the still of winter, the expectation of spring, and the busyness of summer I forget to quiet myself and take in what's everyday beautiful ---the walk in the park near my house, the full moon veiled partially with papel picado clouds.

Maybe it because I know once again things will fall away soon into a wintersleep , it seems more important to take time to walk, feel the crunch of leaves and grass under my feet, the smell of wood smoke from neighbor's fireplaces. Maybe it's because I have enough experience remembering and forgetting this, that this year I'm writing it down.

Lisa Alvarado

Noticias de Teatro Luna

Teatro Luna was founded in June 2000 by Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho, with an original ensemble of ten women from diverse Latina/Hispana backgrounds. We came together because we realized that the stories and experiences of Latina/Hispana women were undervalued and underrepresented not only on the Chicago stage, but beyond.

Many of us had similar experiences of being asked to perform stereotyped images of ourselves that were often one-dimensional and, at times, offensive: spicy sexpots, voiceless maids, pregnant gangbangers, timid "illegal" immigrants, etc. We were also concerned that the few parts written for Latina women often went to non-Latina actresses. We felt that we had to do something. Our answer was Teatro Luna, Chicago's first and only all-Latina theater.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teatro Luna, Chicago’s only all-Latina Theater company is pleased to announce the world premiere of LUNATIC(a)S, a new play about women’s everyday insanity.

LUNATIC(a)S

From Chicago-style road rage to an obsession with catching muggers, LUNATICAS uses Teatro Luna’s trademark humor and honesty to tell a truth we don’t always want to tell: Sometimes, we’re just a little bit crazy.

Directed and developed by award-winning playwright Tanya Saracho,
LUNATIC(a)S tackles Teatro Luna’s namesake The Moon (La Luna) and places our true-life stories in the context of myths and superstitions about women, Latinas, and the moon.


LUNATIC(a)S follows Teatro Luna’s critically acclaimed shows Quita Mitos and S-e-x-Oh!, bringing a range of Latina stories to light. Reimagining the Mayan goddess lx Chel as a modern day urban Latina, LUNATIC(a)S moves from the mythical (the moon is always female) to the serious (violent mothers) to the tragically hilarious (the slow slide from jealous girlfriend to bonafide stalker). As always, Teatro Luna is cheeky, straightforward, and willing to tell even the most outrageous secrets about our Latina lives.

Where: Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago, Chicago, IL

When: PREVIEWS: June 1st, 2nd and 3rd 2007 || OPENING: Thursday June 7th, 2007 || RUNS FROM: June 7th to July 15, 2007 (Thursdays @ 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays @ 8pm, and Sundays @ 3pm)

Who: PERFORMED: by Belinda Cervantes, Maritza Cervantes, Gina Cornejo, Yadira Correa, Miranda Gonzalez, and Suzette Mayobre. DIRECTED AND DEVELOPED BY: Tanya Saracho

How Much?: PREVIEWS: $10, $7 Students (ID required) || GENERAL: $15, $10 Students (ID required), Groups of 8 or more, $12

For Reservations: Call 773-878-LUNA

For more information visit: www.teatroluna.org

As all Teatro Luna shows, LUNATIC(a)S is performed in English with a sprinkle of Spanish.

Important note: This show features frank discussion about intimate topics as well as images of real women’s bodies and may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

About Teatro Luna:

Teatro Luna is Chicago’s first and only all-Latina theater ensemble dedicated to creating work that showcases the talents of Latina/Hispana artists. Founded by Tanya Saracho and Coya Paz in 2000, Teatro Luna is dedicated to expanding the range of Latina/Hispana roles visible on the Chicago stage and beyond. Previous shows include Generic Latina, Dejame Contarte, Kita y Fernanda, The Maria Chronicles at Theatre on the Lake, and Solo Latinas at Chicago Dramatists. In addition, Teatro Luna is frequently asked to bring their trademark blend of ensemble performances to theatres, universities and festivals across the county. www.teatroluna.org

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teatro Luna announces auditions for our fall run of MACHOS, an interview based project drawn from conversations with men all across the country.
We are looking for Latina/Hispana performers of all ages who are comfortable and able to play MEN. Previous performance experience is a plus, but not mandatory.

Performers must be able to commit to the following dates:

Performances Thursdays through Sundays,
November 1-Dec 15th.
Rehearsals Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays
starting September 4th.
Performance/writing workshops twice a week (TBD)
June 15-July 15th

Auditions for Machos will be held June 2nd, between 10am and 2pm. To schedule an audition, please e-mail coyapaz@teatroluna.org with your preferred time (15 minute slots) and a phone number where you can be reached.

To audition:
-Please come dressed to show us that you can perform as a man. We are looking beyond the stereotypes, so whatever that means to you! (There is a changing room available if you would like to change before or after your audition.)

-Please prepare a short (1-2 minutes MAX) original piece - it can be a joke, a story, some chisme, a monologue, a poem, lo que sea - we just want to get a sense of what you have to say and how you say it! Pieces should be memorized if possible.

-Please bring a recent headshot or photo, and a copy of your resume.
Teatro Luna is Chicago's first and only all-Latina theater company. Visit us on the web at www.teatroluna.org and don't miss our upcoming show Lunatic(a)s, playing June 1-July 15th at Chicago Dramatists.

O Taste and See: These Roots Run Deep

Carnival of the Spirit
Author: Luisah Teish


Publisher: Harper Collins;
1st edition (September 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062508687
ISBN-13: 978-0062508683

How many of us have an ofrenda in our homes, pictures of santos, or sought out ways to revision a spiritual practice that soulfully incorporates our mestizo/indigenous roots? We are finally beginning to acknowledge and honor the part of our history that also includes our African brothers and sisters, and I am happy to offer my week's book recommendation, Carnival of the Spirit.

This is a tremendously useful book for those who want to create ritual rooted in the earth itself and its seasons--a perfect choice for me as I consider how to work my own legacy into a new personal spirituality. Teish wrote an accessible and poetic guide to seasonal ritual based on Yoruba tradition, but inclusive of many indigenous practices. She honors and appreciates the fact that las indigenas also revered ancestors, saw the universe as divine cosmology; believing that human life and all life on earth was divine, protected by divine law.

(After all, what are our santos, really, but syncretism, stand-ins for the older gods and goddesses that ruled over all people, places and things?)

Here's a quote from Teish that sheds additional light on her approach and her beliefs: "Somewhere in the distant past our ancestors observed certain truths about the activities of Nature and the behavior of human beings...they created songs, dances, rituals with the intention of attuning with, and celebrating the seasons. If we are wise, what we create will take us into the future."

Organized into sections titled by each season, Teish offers both meditative and ritual-based suggestions to honor the qualities of the particular time of the year. She gives a multicultural overview of these, highlighting the role of gods and goddesses from many cultures, as well as the celebrations of many peoples. There are clear and simple directions to help the reader build a repertoire of prayer and community-building based on connection to Mother Earth, her seasons, and the body and spirit of the individual. In one section, Teish explains she is guided by Yemaya, the Yoruba goddess of nurturing; and Oshun, Yoruba goddess of divine drama and sensuality. Very different from the traditional Catholic ideas of female divinity, which have more to do with forbearance, repudiation of the flesh, and self-sacrifice. Teish’s Yemaya and Oshun are close sisters to the Aztec Tonatzín and Tlotzateotl.

Even though suppressed and obscured by the colonizer, and hidden by the passage of time itself, these goddesses continued to live and work their charms in the deepest part of the diaspora’s spirit and psyches. Carnival of the Spirits is an inviting, earthy, and supportive guide to reclaiming the sacred in everyday life, in every season, for everybody. I felt this book encouraged me to delve further into my own roots for images to use in both my own personal life and performance. It also validated my feeling that time in nature, the prayerful celebration of it, is a critical part of who I am.

About Luisah Teish:

Chief Luisah Teish, a woman chief in the Ifa/Orisha tradition of Southwest Nigeria and the founder of the School of Ancient Mysteries and Sacred Arts Center, is the author of the witty, provocative and highly-acclaimed Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals, Carnival of the Spirits and Jump Up!

Teish is an internationally known storyteller who performs African, Caribbean, and African-American folklore and feminist myths. She designs and conducts workshops, rituals and tours in Europe, Egypt, South America and New Zealand. A performer and ritual arts consultant, Teish is also a playwright ("Olokun's Challenge" and other works) and director. Born and raised in New Orleans, she is a priestess of Oshun, the Yoruba (West Africa) Goddess of Love, Art and Sensuality. She has been on the faculty at University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco and is also a regular guest lecturer at Naropa and other educational institutions. She lectures worldwide, most recently in Nigeria and Costa Rica, and stateside at the Bioneers Conference, the Institute of Noetic Sciences and the Montclair Women's Cultural Arts Center.