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MAY
OF THE AMERICAS PRESENTS:
PORTRAITS
OF THE TARAHUMARA
Photographs by Kitty Alice Snead
Opening Reception With the Artist:
Sunday,
May 4, 2003 – 5-8 PM
With
guitar music by Dueto Matachula and a special concert by musical
guest VISION ANDINA at 7 PM.
Shown
concurrently with Portraits: Recent
Photographs by Angilee Wilkerson and Tierra
Mia: Photographs by Pablo Esparza
Gallery
Talk (with all three artists):
Saturday,
May 10, 2003 – 5-7 PM
Also
including:
"The Tarahumara Culture"
by Mary Domínguez Santini, President of Casa Chihuahua,
Inc., Rosario Salas Beall from Coordinación Tarahumara
(a governmental organization of the State of Chihuahua, Mexico)
and Francisco de la Peña, a representative of both Coordinación
Tarahumara and Casa Coahuila in Mexico City.
A
sneak preview of "Unwanted" and
"Dead Dreams," a couple
of films by photographer Pablo Esparza will also be included in
the gallery talk.
Ms.
Snead has been interested in the Tarahumara people of Mexico because
they offer one of the last remaining views of indigenous life
in North America. The rough terrain and steep canyon walls of
western Mexico’s Copper Canyon region have both isolated
and protected the Tarahumara from post Spanish-contact civilization.
It is the way of life, and the remaining beliefs and ritual customs
of a pre-Christian civilization that the artist finds so captivating.
Ms.
Snead presents two views of the Tarahumara people as she has experienced
them. On the one hand, she chooses to make a series of portraits
of people going about their daily lives. On the other hand, she
photographed the Tarahumara as they appear dressed and painted
for their communal, religious celebration of Semana Santa. In
both instances the artist frames her work within the context of
their environment.
Throughout
the Christian world, Holy Week (Semana Santa) is observed during
the week preceding Easter. But for the Tarahumara, Semana Santa
is a three day and night festival calling forth the energies of
the earth. It is celebrated today with much of the original, pagan
intention (albeit with Christian overtones) as it was before the
Spanish conquest. The pagan celebration honors this period as
a time of rejuvenation and regeneration for man, the land and
the larger Tarahumara community in anticipation of spring planting.
Today, the traditional Tarahumara family lives in caves or in
small stone or adobe homes on remote rancherias. They are farmers
and herdsmen. From birth, the people spend most of their lives
out-of-doors. As in ancient times, the primary mode of transportation
is walking and running. Mexicans named these indigenous people
the Tarahumara. They call themselves, Raramuri, or "people
who run." The Tarahumara’s abilities and endurance as
long distance runners are recognized throughout the world.
For Ms. Snead, the Tarahumara are an important bridge to the past,
not only to the pre-conquest cultures of the Americas, but as
a vital and living link to indigenous peoples of all cultures.
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