In the Northwestern area of the state of Michoacán resides an indigenous group known as the Tarascos, who are also referred to as Purépecha, pertaining to the language spoken by this group. The Purépecha people have been successful in retaining a variety of cultural expressions in addition to the language.
The descendants of the Yoruba people of Nigeria continue to preserve their connection to their ancestral traditions and art forms through ritual song, dance, and drumming.  The nuances of these traditional elements are available only to those initiated, allowing for a robust spiritual knowledge and deeper understanding of the religious…
Domitilia Clemente was born and raised in the small town of Ocumichu, Michoacán, Mexico.  As a child, she began helping her mother in the kitchen, preparing numerous traditional dishes to celebrate special occasions such as the celebrations of saints (Fiesta de San Pedro, Cristo Rey, Virgen de Guadalupe), as well…
The tradition of backstrap weaving is very popular in many towns in Oaxaca, Mexico.  Practiced and taught through generations of women, weaving on a backstrap loom is used to make shawls, napkins, belts, and other items needed for daily life and traditional clothing. In her hometown of San Juan Mixtepec…
Started in 2005, Grupo Folklórico Juan Colorado offers free Mexican folkórico (folk dance) instruction to students of Planada Elementary School in Planada, California.  The group is voluntarily taught and directed by committed community member Carolina Arceo. A grant from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grants Program in 2015…
Proyecto Purépecha was created with the mission to create an extensive and vibrant Purépecha (a native people of Michoacán, Mexico) community in the San Joaquin Valley and California at large.  Proyecto Purépecha works to restore and flourish Purépecha food, language, music, and dance in the Mexicano/Michoacano community residing in the San Joaquin…
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SUKAY

SUKAY, which means to open the earth and prepare it for planting, is an internationally touring musical group that for four decades has performed the music of the Andean regions of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.  Founded in 1975 by executive director Quentin Howard (pan-pipes, flutes, and…
About the Organization Raices Cultura’s mission is to create a space for artistic and cultural expression, to promote healthy communities, and to strengthen the voice of the Eastern Coachella Valley.  Since 2005, in an effort to build community through the traditional arts, Raices has held an annual…
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Senderos

Oaxacan arts and culture
Mutiple genres of traditional Mexican music rely on the sounds of stringed instruments, from mariachi’s guitarróns, vihuelas, and guitars, to son jarocho’s jaranas.  The quality of music produced is a direct result of the quality of craftsmanship that went into the creation of the instrument, including the mastering of necessary…