Our southern most festival is history, Tubac, Arizona, on the De Anza Trail (Juan Bautisia De Anza-1775). It was a festival of uncommon merit, the community & chamber of commerce put together an art festival that lasts for five days. It is filled with entertainment and some of the nations finest artists and artisans. We are humbled to be juried into the event. The festival is packed with people from all over the USA and Canada and many European Countries.
Today is Lauri’s birthday and unbeknownst to her she is about to to besieged by a group of 20 Indian Aztec dancers and their holy man/shaman. Their headdress’s spanned perhaps four or five feet (and reminded me of our encounter with Mark Plotkin / The Shamans Apprentice) Years ago at the Taos Mountain. Film Festival I was surrounded with blazing torches while playing music and now!! She was encircled by a swirling group of dancers as the public of hundreds…looked on…….The shaman came to our exhibit & blessed Lauri with smoke and chanting and then they broke into their indigenous “Happy Birthday Blessing.”
Fortunately, our friend Margaret Gilbertson had a camera to capture the moment, thanks Margaret! Thanks to Donna at the Chamber for her sneakiness in rounding up the dancers.
Bill Keitel
