2014 Archives - Alliance for California Traditional Arts

Pangalay dancer and culture bearer

Wilverna Reece (Karuk) has been weaving baskets since 1978. She was taught by Karuk tribal elders Grace and Madeline Davis in Happy Camp, California. Wilverna is proficient in the skills and knowledge needed to weave many types of Karuk baskets, and has been teaching weaving to community members since 1983.

The skakuhachi is a bamboo flute whose origin is in China but migrated to Japan around the sixth century. It was primarily played by Buddhist monks, who used it as a spiritual medium in order to master breathing techniques. The primary genres of shakuhachi are honkyoku (solo), sonkyoku (ensemble), and…

Salvador Ramírez learned how to play the guitar and violin from an aunt in his hometown of San Juan Mixtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. He has been playing Mixtec (indigenous Oaxacan) chilena music for over twenty years, and is often invited to play at baptisms, weddings, and community festivals throughout Central California.

Traditional Hupa, Yurok, and Karuk Baby Basket Weaving

Shiwaya Peck, a member of the Maidu tribe of modern-day Plumas County, has been weaving baskets for nearly sixty years. She learned as a child from her grandmother, Nellie Peck, and her aunt, the renowned weaver and elder Lily Baker. As a master artist in ACTA’s…

Japanese Koto Music

Colombia’s Caribbean coast is host to a plethora of rhythms and musical styles. Many fall under the umbrella of cumbia, which is but one of a number of styles. In this region, the most commonly used instruments are the alegre, llamador, tambora, maracón, guacho, and gaita. Together, they represent the…

Tsugaru shamisen is a three-stringed instrument which has its origins in the Tsugaru region of Aomori, Japan. The earliest form of shamisen made its way from China to Okinawa, Japan, in the 16th century. Of the three most common types of shamisen in Japan, the tsugaru shamisen is the largest…

Hawaiian rich and ancient culture depends on plants, and still depends on them today. Native plants played a vital role in all aspects of life related to ancient Hawaiian culture. Learning about native Hawaiian plants and their medicinal and cultural uses has the capacity to connect Hawaii’s cultural past with…