e-culture: Juneteenth, New Documentary Project, Camp Dos Cabezas
June 17, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE Camp Dos Cabezas Volunteer Meetings New Louisiana Documentary Project Celebrating Juneteenth Who Wants to Be a Prairie Dog? Feast of San Lorenzo in New Mexico

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Camp Dos Cabezas Volunteer Meetings

Camp Dos Cabezas needs volunteers:
Mentors who care about the future of at-risk and underprivileged children;
Camp volunteers who are willing to work hard to make the experience possible;
And, community members who are dedicated and qualified to select children for the camp.

In a recent email Sebha Sarwar sent us, she perfectly and sadly described the kind of at-risk student we want to reach early in the academic process. "(He) is seventeen years old, is a wonderful artist but he has failed 9th grade twice and he has no motivation to continue. Even though he is intelligent, creative and caring, he has known only failure. This June, Jorge was placed in summer school, which he has to pass in order to be promoted to 10th grade. Yesterday we learned that after attending summer school for just two days, he dropped out, is getting ready to start a menial job... and is not intending to return to school in the fall."

The plans for Camp Dos Cabezas may seem elaborate, and necessarily so, because if we are going to offer this opportunity to children who have experienced a tremendous amount of disappointment, we can't allow them to be disappointed by this camp. That's why we need your help.

We have informative meetings planned for Wednesday, July 9 at 12:00pm (Noon) and Thursday, July 17 at 4:00pm in the University of Houston African American Studies Conference Room in 315 Agnes Arnold Hall. Call 713-521-3686, or send me an email to me for more details.

Learn more about Camp Dos Cabezas:
http://www.houstonculture.org/camp


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New Louisiana Documentary Project

We are beginning a new documentary project in the nearby, but hidden lands of south Louisiana. With waterways for roads, the marshlands are traveled by shrimpers and tug boat pilots -- French-speaking Acadians, Houma Indians, Vietnamese and Canary Islanders. Like the documentary work we are conducting in Mexico and New Mexico, the project will involve repeated visits to follow old traditions that are quickly vanishing from the modern world.

In Louisiana, it is not only the way of life that is vanishing, but also the land. The Gulf of Mexico claims 25 acres per day. An area the size of Manhattan is lost every ten months. The rapid subsidence of our neighboring coast is a man-made disaster, with the potential to be an instant catastrophe. New Orleans now averages six feet below sea level and is protected by levees. A combination of factors -- the extensive levee system built through the middle of the last century, as well as destruction of cypress forests, encroaching land development and the rising sea level -- have left almost no natural buffer to protect New Orleans, or neighboring towns, from the storm surge of a major hurricane.

The fragile existence of land and people in south Louisiana is well illustrated by Mike Tidwell in his book "Bayou Farewell: The Rich Life and Tragic Death of Louisiana's Cajun Coast." Tidwell was recently recommended to us as a candidate for Cultural Advocate of the Year, but it wasn't until he spoke recently in Washington, D.C. at a reading covered by C-Span2, that we fully understood the magnitude of the problem. Tidwell described a land disaster occurring in south Louisiana that rivals any in the world, that is almost unknown to Americans, and is happening in perhaps the most culturally rich region in America. Tidwell also reported on his meetings with the governor of Louisiana following publication of his book and the action the state is taking to try to slow the damage.

With closer proximity to Louisiana, we will be able to conduct our work there with greater frequency than the Traditions of Mexico and New Mexico projects. Currently, trips are planned for July, October, December and March. We have some experience doing research on the historic route of Cabeza de Vaca off the coast from Morgan City, Louisiana and also exploring Jazz Funerals and Mardi Gras Indian traditions, but this project will begin from scratch. Anyone is welcome to get involved in this new documentary effort as we explore: Cajun, Italian, and German customs like St. Joseph's altars, Christmas bonfires, rural Mardi Gras and All Saints' Day; the annual Houma Powwow and Fiesta of the Canary Islanders; Vietnamese traditions and fishing industry; Creole plantations and legends like Brer Rabbit; Cajun and Zydeco music, as well as the Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs of New Orleans.

Please contact me, mark@houstonculture.org, if you would like to work on this project. Another project in the works, however in the early stage with only two interviews set, is a documentary on migrants from Latin America.

Get more information on line:
http://www.houstonculture.org/laproject


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Celebrating Juneteenth

Juneteenth started right here in southeast Texas and the tradition was almost lost only a couple of generations ago. Now it is a growing nationwide celebration of emancipation.

Read about the tradition:
http://www.houstonculture.org/tour/texas3a.html

Here are some area Juneteenth celebrations:

JUNETEENTH IN HOUSTON
Juneteenth Academic Forum, "Juneteenth: Celebrating the African-American Woman in Texas"
Wednesday, June 18th from 9:00am to 1:00pm
University Museum at Texas Southern University
3100 Cleburne Ave.
713-313-7145

Juneteenth Freedom Festival
Thursday, June19
Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park
713-529-4195

Kids Celebrate Juneteenth with Crafts and Special Activities
Thursday, June19 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm
Houston Children's Museum
713-522-1138


JUNETEENTH IN GALVESTON
Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation
Thursday, June 19th at 8:00am
Ashton Villa in Galveston
2300 Broadway
409-772-8773

Jubilee Parade in Galveston
Thursday, June 19th at 11:00am
41st and Ball to 33rd and Church
409-762-7777

4th Annual Gospel Explosion
Thursday, June19th from 4:00pm to 9:00pm
Menard Park In Galveston
409-621-1414

Annual March & Prayer Service
Thursday, June 19 at 6:00pm
21st and Sealy In Galveston
409-621-5007


MORE AREA JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS
17th Annual Brazoria County Juneteenth Parade
Thursday, June 19 at12:00pm (noon)
Downtown Angleton, Texas

17th Annual Brazoria County Juneteenth Program & Rally
Thursday, June 19 at 5:00pm
Dr. Lloyd Choice, guest speaker, music, and crowning of "Mr. and Miss Juneteenth"
Bates Park, Angleton, Texas

2nd Annual Juneteenth Festival Parade
Saturday, June 21 from 8:00am to 1:30pm
Hwy. 3 and 19th Street
Dickinson, Texas


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Who Wants to Be a Prairie Dog?

We will present our "Listen for Clues" Summer Kids Program on "Anasazi (the Ancient Puebloans) and the Modern Navajo" with a Navajo folk tale, "Who Wants to Be a Prairie Dog?, " at Koinonia Community Center. Adults are welcome, "If you think you're smart enough to compete with the kids." Let us know if you are interested (713-521-3686), so we can make arrangements for you to attend (and you may be assigned to cookie or punch duty).

Koinonia Community Center, 3229-A Hadley Street, July 16, 3:00pm.


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Feast of San Lorenzo in New Mexico

We have a couple of fun and educational trips planned for the summer and fall:

Native American History and Culture in the Southwest, July 30(pm) - August 11
(to include Zuni and inter-tribal activities, and San Lorenzo Feast Day ceremonies)

And, The Tarahumara of Copper Canyon, November 21(pm) - November 30

Next month, we will travel to New Mexico to attend historic events commemorating the Pueblo Revolt and return of the Spanish, including the traditional Feast of San Lorenzo. This is a great time to participate in many Native American activities and learn about important events in our nation's cultural history. We will spend several days of the trip hiking in the mountains and visiting lakes and springs -- not a bad way to escape the summer heat.

The very scenic 10-day loop will take us from New Mexico to Trinidad, Colorado, Aspen, Montrose, Durango, back to Gallup, New Mexico, Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Our trip costs are based on the actual cost to travel with a small group. We drive from Houston to keep the cost low for students (and those of us on student budgets!), but you may choose to fly to New Mexico and start from Albuquerque.

http://www.houstonculture.org/travel/adventure.html


Thank you for supporting Houston Institute for Culture.

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M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org


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