Flag Live - May 2023

Chicken Meditation

JESSICA CLARK

When my husband and I started farming, I thought it would be the goats that I would spend the most time with. Cute, energetic, weird eyes— what’s not to love about goats? Certainly we would be best buds.

It turns out that when I am in the mood to spend time outside with the animals, what most often draws me there is the desire for a break from constantly needing to do things (i.e. the dishes, the laundry, paying bills, writing…). The goats, while endowed with lovely personalities, are needy creatures. They shout at anyone in sight, demanding food, water, attention and treats—just more things that need to be done.

So, I am drawn to the chickens. When we come near, our chickens rush to us, wings extended, excited by the sudden appearance of a human, but after that initial greeting, they do not demand much of us. If released from their pen to forage in the gardens, they do so happily with little need for affirmation or accompaniment. For me, being with chickens expends none of my caretaking or social energy. I am just there. The chickens are there. We are communally sharing in this joy of being out in the world. Given appropriate weather and a comfortable enough seat, I could watch and listen to the chickens scratch and peck and softly cluck for hours. Their small movements—ducked heads pulling insects or seeds from between the dried stems of last season’s weeds, puffing up and then flattening out their feathers, scraping at the ground and then flattening themselves into the sunny holes they’ve dug—vary just enough so that there’s always something toward which to train my eye. Once in a while, one chicken will encroach on another’s treasured find and the defender will yell and peck and chase them away. Spontaneously, another will decide to move across the yard to a more interesting spot for forage. Every now and then, a hen or two will remember I am there and come watch me for a few moments before carrying on with more important matters.

It is a good way to be in the world—sitting among chickens. I think for me, chicken watching carries similar benefits to “body doubling,” a strategy used by people

with ADHD to stay grounded and focused. If I were to simply sit in the yard, sans chickens, my mind might go to any number of places—past failures, my current to-do list, the noises coming from the nearby road, that thing I have to remember to add to the grocery list or to tell my partner about later. Distractions quickly make simply sitting and enjoying the feeling of the sun or the pleasantness of my surroundings impossible.

With chickens, my mind stays (more or less) where they are. I might think about how to construct the new fencing I’m planning or what I should plant in the garden, but mostly, I think about chickens. Then, while the part of my mind that must always be doing things tracks the endless fidgeting of chickens, the rest of me absorbs the sunshine, delights at the gentle breeze on my face, takes in the scents of whatever plants are most active now, and chuckles at the goats roughhousing in my periphery.

This has turned out to be a surprise benefit of chicken ownership. When purchasing our first chicks, we thought they would yield mainly eggs, fertilizer, and preliminary animal raising skills—maybe meat eventually if we got brave enough. They have done this (all except the meat) but have also given us something more.

I’m working on giving something back to them. There are two main projects on the agenda for the year: 1) moving the main vegetable garden from its current, chicken-adjacent home to a different part of the yard and 2) building a multi-paddock chicken run in its place. Because we grow food here, we simply can’t let the chickens have their run of the place all the time. Besides that, there is no shortage of predators that would be happy to take a few that strayed too far toward the edges of the property. The next best thing I can give them is a chance to safely enjoy more space, more stimulation and more diverse diets.

The more practical, efficiency-minded part of my brain tells me that this change will give us healthier birds that live and lay longer, and that their eggs will be better quality. But, the romantic, child-like side of my brain that loves all animals and cried when my dad killed the prairie dogs in my childhood yard just wants the chickens to be happy. This is one of those rare projects that will let me serve both sides at once—the one that justifies all my choices to the world in the most practical terms and the one that just loves everything and everyone incessantly and unrepentantly.

As I sit watching the chickens, though, I’m not thinking about how my brain works. Neither am I constructing justifications for my choices. I’m really not thinking at all. I’m just observing and absorbing all the scratching and pecking and clucking. I’m just being here: a person in the world among the chickens.

JESSICA CLARK

Hot Picks

ONGOING | 5.5–5.8

A DARK SKY BREWERVERSARY

Spring has sprung and tops are being popped as Dark Sky Brewing Co. celebrates eight years of craft-brewing excellence with their not-to-be-missed Dark Arts Party and Market. This birthday bash will satisfy both the average Joe and the Masters of Brewtality crypt alike with live music every day, photo booths, food specials, yard games, tarot card readers, special beer releases and limited release merch. It’s not every day that a brewery throws a weekend-long community rager, so make sure to stop by and toast to another eight years of excess and success. Here is the music lineup for the weekend:

„ Tha Yoties: Friday the 5th from 6–10 p m.

„ The James Brown Band Band: Saturday the 6th from 2–5 p.m.

„ Dusty Rug: Saturday the 6th from 6–9 p.m.

„ Jeremiah and the Red Eyes: Sunday the 7th from 4–7 p.m.

„ Red McAdam: Monday the 8th from 5–7 p m.

If you would like to learn more, you can visit their website at darkskybrewing.com.

PICNIC PIEHOLE AND UNDERCOVER

CUCUMBER ARE OUT NOW!

UNDERCOVER CUCUMBER AVAILABLE AT HISTORIC LOCATIONS ONLY! KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR PICNIC PIEHOLE IN CANS NEAR YOU!

SPLASH INTO SUMMER SPLASH INTO SUMMER

A MAN, A CAM AND A BAND

In 1929, Dziga Vertov, his brother, Mikhail Kaufman, and his wife, Yelizaveta Svilova, created one of the most influential pieces of cinematic and Soviet art in their film “Man with a Movie Camera,” and today, it’s lauded as one of the greatest documentaries of all time So, what if we told you that you and your movie-loving friends could go see this magnificent achievement on the big screen with a live band performing an original score? That would be pretty sweet right? Well, you’re in luck because indie chamber music group Montopolis is coming to the Orpheum Theater to provide an original score to this revolutionary film. Partnering with the relief organization Bird of Light Ukraine, they will be raising both money and awareness with each screening on their two-month tour. “Man with a Movie Camera” offers a whole new context to the crisis in Ukraine, and this special performance will only heighten the reality through the beauty of their art. Visit the Orpheum’s website at orpheumflagstaff.com to purchase your tickets.

CAAMP-FIRE SONGS

Since their self-titled debut album in 2016, the indie-folk band CAAMP has become more and more of a household name, culminating in their 2019 album, “By and By” hitting number one on the United States’ Heatseekers Chart, but after three years, the group has released their most jubilant and exciting record yet. “Lavender Days” is a wonderful summer album with its fresh instrumentals and fun-loving lyrics, and this May, the people of Flagstaff will be able to see them perform it live at the Pepsi Amphitheater. Fans of CAAMP know that their sound is the sound of fresh pine and mountain air; cool and gravelly like the singer’s voice; smooth like the strum of their guitar. Their live performances manage to strike a perfect balance between up-tempo joy and chilled contemplation, making them the perfect band to watch if you’re looking to enjoy a cool May night. The bottom line is that CAAMP, while young as a band, is a group to look out for, and if you don’t have anything to do on a Thursday night, check them out. You will not regret it. If you would like to buy tickets to the show, visit the Pepsi Amphitheater’s website at pepsiamp.com.

EXPERIENCE ARTx EXTRAVAGANTLY

What happens when you pair a poet with an astronomer, a renowned installation artist with students from an after school program or a traditional Native dance group with an emerging playwright? These are the questions that Creative Flagstaff seeks to answer with their newest and biggest venture, the ARTx Festival. For three days, this bold convergence of ideas and art will shower the city of Flagstaff with unexpected experiences and diverse perspectives from some of the most evocative voices in the Southwest. Each project that participates in the festival was supported by grants provided by the City of Flagstaff’s BBB fund and Creative Flagstaff. In the following pages, readers will be able to learn more about two of the projects that were funded by these grants, but there are 12 other incredible projects that will be showcased all around town this weekend. Here are some of our favorites:

 Bridges of Flagstaff: an art installation that represents the four ways that Flagstaff acts as a bridge. This piece will be located on the Coconino County Courthouse lawn all weekend.

 Capoeira Angola: a cultural art performance and game where participants use dance movements, agility and technique to move their fellow players without contact. This activity and presentation will take place in Heritage Square on May 27 from 12–1 p.m.

 Pop Goes the Ferret: an experimental rock opera that addresses environmental conservation, habitat restoration and climate change. This show will be performed on May 26 from 2–3 p.m. and on May 27 from 10–11 a.m. at Theatrikos Theater.

Feel free to pull the centerpiece of this edition’s Flag Live out and use it as a guide as you engage with and learn about the artists participating in this pilot festival event. Readers may also visit artxideas.org to view descriptions of all of the other projects.

Born from ashes

‘Envision’ sparks dialogue on Flagstaff’s environmental and social regrowth

From left to right: Mike Handforth, David Johnston, Easton Cribbs, Bryan David Griffith, Axel Franke, Troy Henderson and Nicholas Salmon.

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW HAYDEN

SABRINA GRIMALDI

Viola Award winner Bryan David Griffith is partnering with Creative Flagstaff and ARTx to share Envision, a visual art piece representing Flagstaff’s community, rising from the ashes.

Envision is an installation that exhibits a cloud of thousands of aspen leaves rising from a shadow of charcoal and stone that was gathered from recent fire and flood sites It is a large art piece that works off of the space and incorporates a variety of interactive elements. Developed in a short amount of time, Griffith said something of this scale could be planned to a certain degree but then must rely on the space it is built within. Griffith is also collaborating with the welding program at Coconino High School to have students fabricate some of the installation hardware.

“We won’t know the exact final shape until I get into the space and see what’s working and what’s not,” Griffith said. “I can design things on paper that look good, but we’re talking about a largescale, three-dimensional piece Sometimes a few inches make a difference. I have no way of testing it here beforehand–my space isn’t big enough, and I don’t have enough time I’m going to have to build it on-site and have to be able to make adjustments on the fly.”

This project not only had to be created on the fly but also relied on the use of aspen leaves, which Griffith said is more difficult than it may seem.

“Fortunately, before I got this project, I had gathered aspen leaves in the fall–thousands and thousands of them,” Griffith said. “I have been carefully drying them Aspen leaves are one of the most difficult leaves to preserve because if you try to press them like you would a maple leaf, they will turn brown. I’ve done a couple of installations with aspen leaves before, so I have figured out how to do it. They only last for one to two years when they are preserved and then the color fades away, so it will be an ephemeral thing for ARTx… it has a limited lifespan.”

Griffith is known for visual art installations with environmental undertones, often representing the ecological hardships Flagstaff has gone through with its cycle of fire and floods. The cloud of aspens in this piece stem, literally, from the stubborn science of how aspen trees react to fires. Unlike conifers, aspen trees can sprout from existing roots and these root suckers grow faster than coni-

fers, meaning that aspens can dominate in a grove for many years after a fire.

“Aspens have underground root stems, so they regenerate immediately after a fire,” Griffith said “That’s a metaphor

for our community We generate, rise and adapt from these environmental and social challenges that our community is facing. This [aspen] cloud is all of the people and ideas that we have–can we

forge new connections and relationships within that? This matrix of leaves is exploding outward, as you move around it, you’ll see different groupings of leaves. Those are the possibilities within our community if we can see those through and work together in new ways.”

Not only is Griffith’s Envision a dialogue on the environmental challenges the Flagstaff community faces, but it also pays homage to the social challenges the community is working through. The Flagstaff housing crisis is a hot topic and is creating a cycle Griffith wants to lead viewers to talk about. In Griffith’s eyes, urban growth will lead to the reduction of Flagstaff’s natural beauty, which is a driving force for its growing population.

“Our town is exceeding its capacity because it is growing so large,” Griffith said “It’s putting stress on our aquifer and the environment, but it’s also creating a housing crisis here in town. The way to fix that is to build more but that risks the very reason we moved here in the first place. How do we figure out that problem and do so in a way that all of the different parts of Flagstaff that have been historically neglected can participate in our economic growth in the future?”

This piece will also have an interactive component, in which community members are invited to materially contribute their dreams and concerns for Flagstaff’s future These thoughts and ideas will mesh together, much like the cloud of aspen leaves, harbored by fire and powered by one another.

With such a touching meaning, Griffith knows it will take a lot to reflect these thoughts within a visual piece. While reading about its meaning is great, he encourages readers to come see the piece for themselves and hopes it will speak to them in ways he never could.

“It’s hard to describe,” Griffith said. “You try to describe an installation in words, and it’s not inspiring to people. But then when they see it, they understand it’s something they want to be involved with That’s why visual art is visual art–there are things that we can say with visual art that we can’t say with words.”

Envision will be displayed during the ARTx Festival at the Nackard Pepsi gallery from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday May 26 and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday May 27 This project and all other ARTx installations were funded by a grant award from the City of Flagstaff’s Arts and Science BBB Fund.

Easton Cribbs,one of the Coconino High School students working on Envision,grinds down protruding metal for the frame.

Mike Handforth,the students’teacher,helps Nicholas Salmon and Axel Franke cut an expanded metal sheet.

The town I call home

Iam so in love with Flagstaff. A few months ago, I had forgotten how much joy this town brings me. Gloomy weather accompanied by dark gray snowbanks on the sidewalks and roads was not the most wonderful snow globe to be living in. I felt as if the sense of community that made me originally fall in love with the town was gone.

A few weeks later, the sun came out, and I remembered all the reasons why I want to call this place home after graduation.

As spring begins to peak around the corner, all the quads are green, yellow daffodils are starting to bloom across town and restaurant patios are beginning to open.

I love spending the evening outside. The other day, my boyfriend and I made the sporadic decision on the way home to detour and play frisbee on NAU’s south quad. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made in our relationship. As we tossed the frisbee in the quad, plenty of people were lying on the grass soaking up the last of the sun, runners passed us by and a group was playing a game of cricket next to us.

The weather was perfect and the colorful desert sunset reflected against the building’s windows beautifully, all framed by the snow-capped

peaks in the back. It felt peaceful. As the end of the semester and graduation creep in, taking a minute to laugh and be silly before another stressful week begins can be the exact activity needed for us to recharge.

I love farmer’s-market mornings. When I wake up to the cool mountain air and the sound of birds chirping coming through my open window, nothing can ruin my day. If that is accompanied by spending the next few hours eating croissants and drinking coffee in Wheeler Park while shopping for fresh honey and locally grown vegetables, a smile will be on my face for the rest of the day

The niche little nooks of Flagstaff is what captured my initial love for the town. Have you ever been on a Flagstaff Freaky Foot Tour? No? It is a must for everyone. How about spending an evening at Buffalo Park for The Flagstaff Star Party? That is one of the best night skies I have ever seen.

While attending events downtown in Heritage Square, it is a guarantee I will run into someone I know I absolutely love the community that Flagstaff fosters. Late spring through fall is the perfect weather for all these outside events Randomly running into my freshman year roommate at the Northern Arizona Book Festival is what makes Flagstaff so perfect. Seeing one of my co-workers at First Friday is such a collision of worlds, and I can’t wait to continue calling Flagstaff my home.

Emily Gerdes

Welcome to

For nearly 30 years, Flag Live has been this town’s foremost guide to local arts and entertainment, and the vast array of voices that contribute to our publication is what makes it so special and necessary. We make it our mission to support the creative community by sharing artist stories and o ering a platform for others to share their work, and today, we continue to strive toward that mission by partnering with Creative Flagsta to help present their newest venture that, we believe, will forever alter the creative fabric of our town.

This is ARTx. In its simplest description, ARTx is an ideas festival that celebrates and elevates creativity, diversity and innovation, but in its truest form, this event is meant to shepherd new experiences that are authentic yet evocative of the hopes, fears, loves and lives of the people who live in the Southwest.

ARTx is a platform that amplifies the voices and visions of a new generation of artists, thinkers, and activists who are shaping the cultural landscape of our time. From music to dance, from film to theater, from literature to visual arts, ARTx o ers a kaleidoscope of experiences that will inspire, challenge and delight you.

This is the pilot year for the ARTx Festival, and we understand that there may be some confusion on how to navigate from project to project. But don’t worry, that’s why we’re here.

If you turn the page, you will find that Creative Flagsta has provided a helpful map and schedule that can be used as your guide for the festival. Just pull this centerpiece out and enjoy the experiences that the diverse and talented artists of this community have produced to intrigue, inform and provoke.

We would like to thank our advertiser, partners and writ-

ers who have made this special edition of Flag Live possible. We hope that this guide will help you navigate the festival and make the most of your experience. We encourage you to explore, experiment and engage with the art and ideas that you encounter. Let ARTx be a catalyst for your own creativity and curiosity.

Thank you for joining us on this journey of discovery and inspiration and enjoy ARTx.

Matthew Hayden mhayden@azdailysun.com 928.556.2280

Of Trees and Toilet Paper

It’s ironic to be a writer concerned with climate change who uses, at least at the late stages when books may get published on paper, a product made from the pulp of our climate change salvor. If trees are at least one of our salvations, then cutting them down to make paper for books is hypocritical. It’s probably better to save a tree than to write a book. But, the amount of trees turned to paper for books pales in comparison to the number of trees used for toilet paper. Charmin and other super-soft brands pulp one redwood tree into 1500 rolls of toilet paper. Americans use about 100 rolls per year. One redwood tree supplies the paper for 15 people’s butts for one year. Americans on average read 12 books a year. I would give a lot for the toilet paper to be made from bamboo or hemp and for people to read 100 books per year. But if wishes were fishes, we’d swim in the sea.

At first, the news reported a man living in his truck committed arson in a part of the Coconino National Forest right next to Flagstaff. A white pick-up with Louisiana plates had been spotted in the forest where the fire began. I asked my good friend’s husband, who flies helicopters to fight fires, how they would be able to know if it was arson or not. He said, “Fire investigators do incredible work, figuring these things out.”

He was right. Just a few hours later the investigators concluded the man hadn’t intentionally set the fire. Instead, he had been camping in the forest and not wanting to litter, burned the toilet paper he used the day before and stowed the paper under a rock. The paper smoldered overnight and, the next day, when the wind came up, sparks flew toward the trees who were suffering from the dry needles on the forest floor. At first, the fire burned only an acre, but wind plus mega-drought plus ashamed-to-litter toilet paper turned the single acre to a thousand, then three, then four, then five thousand total acres. The fire edged closer and closer to town. Fire fighters began to evacuate people. They set up a shelter at Max’s middle school but fortunately, few people needed it. Thanks to a bit of rain, the fire didn’t cross the highway or leap into the crown of the next

wildly dry batch of trees. They called this 5,000 acre burn, the 3rd wildfire that year, the Pipeline Fire but you can Google Toilet Paper Fire and find the same results.

Making toilet paper from garbage and grass, combining short fibers of old paper with the long fibers of grass, making paper by cross-hatching the core of papyrus plants, is art. It’s work, to make art. It’s also work to cut down a tree but to take a life-giving tree and pulping it into bleached sludge is more like making excrement than art. To take a being of multiplicity, something that supports soil and birds, forms mushrooms, stores carbon, that come back from the fire dead, as my friend, the eco-science researcher

George Koch said of the redwood fires,“to rebuild a crown of vigorous green foliage after losing everything,” flattening it into single-colored reams and rolls of paper is a definition of death.

Is all true art a kind of recycling? To make art is to transform something from the muck of your mind, the crud of your past, the gunk of experience, the rubbish of shame and layering it in horizontal then vertical layers until the surface shines smooth and bright, silvering into an image or a mirror, shimmering in duplicate, triplicate, four, all the prismatic, luminescent edges, corners, planes, faces, nuances of this ever-expanding world. What if you don’t have an art or you

lost yours along the way? What if your forest has never been terribly resilient. Suffering from drought and pestilence, it is primed to burn from the start. What if the trees across the way can’t sense your nutrient needs, or worse, what if the mycelia in the forest can’t understand your call? If you don’t have the energy to grow toward the light, you can’t photosynthesize. If you can’t photosynthesize, you can’t store any carbon in your core. Your roots, loosened, become further unanchored in every wind. When the fires come, the flames lap at your thin bark. We can’t save all the trees. But by amending the soil, changing the story, we can save some of them.

Nicole Walker

Masters of Brewtality salutes the American Legion for their surprisingly wicked taste

Spring has sprung, boils and ghouls! And this month, just in time for that fine weather epic partying we’ve all waited so long for, your favorite gaggle of weirdos down here in the Masters of Brewtality crypt are giving a glimpse into one of Flagstaff’s most hidden, exclusive gems. You’ve even probably driven by it a million times without a second thought to what wonders could reside inside its humble outer exterior… The American Legion right on Birch and Humphreys. We’d only made it into this member’s-only watering hole a handful of times thanks to events like the ABV dinner, but, just recently, with the help of members of local noise-merchants Face Pulp, they’ve started hosting latenight underground shows once a month.

Folks, we’re gonna tell you, we’re two shows in, and it’s been epic already. First off, they’re all ages, which as anyone not of drinking age will tell you, is an outlet sorely lacking for the youth of the town. Now, if you’re anything like the staff down here in the crypt, you wake up with a rotating series of aches, pains and pops thanks to the never-ending march of time and seeing kids with fully functioning bodies flying around without a care in the world is, frankly, depressing. But, thankfully, there’s an entire separate bar space attached to the showroom where us dusty fossils can easily drown our sadness with some of the best deals in the entire downtown area. How best are the deals, you ask? We’re talking $3 cans of Tower Stations and green tea shots so cheap, you can buy all your scumbag friends a round and not wind up eating ramen for the next month. They’ve got ice cold brews on draft, as well as featured local favorites from Lumberyard, Joy Bus, and Kiltlifter plus a fully stocked liquor selection. It’s definitely not fancy and probably not a spot to order a mojito, but if you want a simple, strong Jack ‘n’ Coke that won’t break the bank, this is the jam.

On the 15th of this month, the Legion is hosting one of Portland’s favorite black metal acts Drouth alongside local ragers 137 Ways to Kill a Fly and Loaf. It bears mentioning that last month, the singer of

Loaf shredded so hard, he left the pit with a broken, bleeding nose. It was a bloodbath on par with the St. Valentine’s Massacre and was only bettered when one of our favorite local artists jammed her fingers into his shattered nose and reset with an audible pop. So punk! So freakin’ punk! This next show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are a paltry $5. We can’t recommend this venue and these bands enough if you’re a fan of underground hardcore.

But what if ear shattering punk and metal isn’t your speed? Can just anyone ever access this elite and forbidden wonderland? Well, unless you’re a veteran or the offspring of a veteran, you’re pretty boned if you’re looking for a daily haunt,

but hope springs eternal, as the Legion is open to the general public on Wednesdays and Sundays for their bingo nights. No one here in the MOB crypt has ever actually been to a bingo night, but it feels like we met someone once that had, and they heartily endorsed it. We’d give it try just to get at those sweet, sweet drink specials in a heartbeat. Sunday’s bingo starts at 1 p.m., and Wednesday’s is for the night owls with the party getting started at 5 p.m. There’s also food specials! Their Friday Fish Fry, done once a month, has become the stuff of legends and third Thursdays feature a Burgers for the Troops night to benefit veteran aid organizations. Finally, there’s regular, slow smoked BBQ served

right out front, too. If you’ve ever been in that Wheeler Park/library/Chase Bank area and gotten a whiff of airborne meat flavor that leaves your mouth watering, it’s the American Legion and we can’t recommend popping by for a plate enough.

For anyone interested in hosting a hootenanny of their own, the back hall is indeed available to rent. We failed on getting rates before this article ran, but, given that underground hardcore shows are notoriously not profitable affairs, we’re going to assume it’s pretty affordably priced. Lastly, a shout out to the staff, all of whom are equally amicable, fast and hilarious. Next show, again, is March 15th, see you freaks and weirdos there!

Mike Williams

MATTHEW HAYDEN

The members-only American Legion, located on Birch and Humphreys, has started hosting late-night underground shows once a month.

PAULA JEAN RICE

Tzonteyōtl Na’ach’ąą h

Cross-cultural resistance through art

PAUL GARCIA

Diné and Xican cultures are colliding in the most beautiful way possible.

Tzoneteyotl Na’ach’aah is the purest expression of Indigenous solidarity and defiance of the many challenges that all Indigenous communities face, and they’re doing so through art, poetry and music. The collaborative performance will feature Klee Jones Benally, a local Diné artist and musician, and Rubén Funkahuatl Guevara, a Los Angeles-based musician, activist and poet. The two spearheaded the collaborative art performance with Suzanne Thompson from the Arts and Cultural Bridge Foundation, who has worked with both artists in the past. Together they were able to reach out to other Indigenous artists and bring this event to life. Benally and Guevara will be joined by Diné drag artist Lady Shug, the Danza Mexica Mexicayōtl dance group and Sonni Pinto, an Indigenous visual performance artist.

Tzoneteyotl Na’ach’aah translates to resistance art; Tzoneteyotl is resistance in Nahuatl and Na’ach’ h means art in Diné [Navajo]. The idea behind Tzoneteyotl Na’ach’aah is to resist the ongoing erasure and violence that Indigenous people in the American continents face. It’s also a way to shed light on those who have been overlooked.

“We want to create awareness and acceptance of Indigenous existence. It’s coming around. There are strong Indigenous movements that are creating huge awareness of us and our struggles,” Guevara said. He expanded on this in a press release for the upcoming collaboration. “Knowledge of these struggles, contributions and achievements can possibly shift misperceptions and show the intrinsic, elemental value of Indigenous cultures and how their various contributions have continued to enrich this country and continent for thousands of years. Hopefully, a more transparent, equitable, educated and humane society will emerge.”

Other members of the art resistance also shared these sentiments.

“Collectively, we agreed on expressing the political [and social] issues that are affecting our communities,” said Massai Gonzalez, organizer for the Danza Mexica Mexicayōtl dance group for this collaboration. The Danza Mexica Mexicayōtl are

a danza group that focuses on bringing awareness to the injustices that Indigenous people face throughout the world through tradition and culture. “It’s not just issues that affect us [Diné and Xican] but issues that we are facing as human beings in general. I think the most important message we want to get across is that our communities are beautiful. In order to preserve our people’s identities, we need to give them their equality, liberty and dignity. We need to fight for their justice and their rights to practice their culture. And we do that through various forms of art. We use what was given to us by our ancestors as a tool to convey political messages that are important to us. We use our dances and movements to express our message that we are supporting whatever protest or event we are at. The most important thing to me is to make sure at least one person understands that message. That’s everything for us.”

Fellow artist Lady Shug also had similar thoughts about the performance. Lady Shug began her drag career in Las Vegas before moving back to the Navajo Nation. Since then, she has been using her drag shows to do her activism and political work.

“I want people to come out and build K’e [kinship] with one another,” Lady

Shug said. “I want people to have conversations and engage with one another. It’s going to be educational and entwined with our culture and tradition. It’s going to be an overall great production. I’m going to be there, so you know it’s going to be fabulous. We are going to push the boundaries as far as we can, and it’s going to be raw and in your face; Indigenous

Klee Jones Benally

excellence. It’s our time to shine. I also want to highlight the issue of the MMIW/ MMIR [Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/Relatives]. There are a lot of people that go missing and aren’t looked for, and I want to bring attention to that. That’s what my segment is going to be centered around. It’s something I feel passionate about because it’s still happening,

Ryan Sonni

centered around. It’s something I feel passionate about because it’s still happening, and it’s not really talked about ”

Benally also addressed the violence that Indigenous people are disproportionately affected by in a press release for the event.

“We live where the streets have no shame,” states Benally, “Where the most revered holy site of 13 Indigenous Nations is desecrated with treated sewage Where unsheltered Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately arrested while facing freezing temperatures. Where the names of Indigenous women like Ariel Bryant, Nicole Joe and Vanessa Lee are lost in

between brief news posts and labeled as missing, as murdered. This is occupied Kinłani, so-called Flagstaff, a ‘border town’ of many borders and buried histories. From forced migrations and border wall militarization, to assaults on bodily autonomy and transphobic attacks, how do we find harmony when the borders of colonial violence cross our lives every day?”

Tzoneteyotl Na’ach’aah isn’t just another piece of performance art. It’s more than that to the artists, it’s reshaping the way Indigenous people are viewed through cultural connections and educa-

tion It’s a way to share both the contribution and pain of the Indigenous communities. It’s also deeply spiritual.

“It’s a blessing and an offering.” Guevara said “It’s a protest as much as a celebration of Indigenous resistance, resilience and unification.”

This cross-cultural, collaborative art performance will be hosted at the Coconino

Center for the Arts as a part of the ARTx Festival. The doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the event begins at 7:30 p.m. It will be free to all ages, but donations will be accepted at the door to benefit Northern Arizona Immigration Legal Services and Kinlani Mutual Aid. Due to health and safety concerns, masks will be required for admittance to the event

Lady Shug

Ruben Funkahuatl Guevara

THE PULSE

NORTHERN ARIZONA’S DAILY EVENT LISTINGS » MAY 4-MAY 31, 2023

ONGOING

MONDAY

Dark Sky Brewing: Locals Monday Every Monday from 12–10 p m enjoy $2 off non-barrel aged pours 10 oz and higher for Flagstaff locals

Bingo Night Play bingo every Monday from 6–8 p m $5 entry fee

Museum Club: Open Mic Night Every Monday night from 6–9 p m Bands welcome Many musicians have been asked back for paying gigs

OenoWineLounge: Hospitality Night Every Monday,hospitality workers get 20% off their order Proof of employment required

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

TUESDAY

Flagstaff Brewing Company: Poet Brews

Poets and writers are welcome to share their work with the public at this open mic Sign up at 6:30 p m , show starts at 7 p m

Jazzercise: African Dance Class Lessons focus on the traditional dances from Guinea, West Africa 6:45–8:15 p m

Museum Club: Line Dance Lessons Every Tuesday from 5–8 p m

Karaoke Every Tuesday from 9 p m to close

Oeno Wine Lounge: Teacher Tuesday Every Tuesday educators get 15% off wines

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

WEDNESDAY

Brews & Cues: Brews Trivia Eight rounds of hosted trivia Up to 6 people per team Prizes for 1st,2nd,and 3rd place $3 Mystery Bags and $2 Jello Shots 6:30 p m

Charly’s Pub and Grill: Wednesday Night Blues Presented by Northern Arizona Blues Alliance 6:30–9 p m

East Flagstaff Community Library: Family Storytime Every Wednesday from 10:30–11:15 a m

Firecreek Coffee: Singer-Songwriter Open Mic Share your original songs between 7–10 p m

Gopher Hole: Karaoke & Service Industry Night Happy Hour prices for service industry personnelfrom6 p m untilclosewiththesinging starting at 9:30 p m

Mead Hall: Trivia Night Themed categories, including visual and sound, and prizes for the winners 6–8 p m

Oeno Wine Lounge: Warrior Wednesday All activemilitaryandfirstrespondersget15%off

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

Shift: Wine Wednesday Half-priced bottles of wine all evening

Weatherford Hotel: Blues Night at Charly’s Every Wednesday night from 7–9 p m

Uptown Pubhouse: Team Trivia Join them every Wednesday for what Flagstaffians are calling “the best trivia night in town!” 7:30–9:30 p m

THURSDAY

DarkSkyBrewing:TriviaNight TAPP’DTrivia!

Thursdays 7–9 p m at the DSB Beer Garden

Gopher Hole: Trivia Night Doors open at 6 p m with trivia starting at 6:30 p m

Mead Hall: GREENLAW Live Celtic music at the Mead Hall every Thursday at 7 p m

MuseumClub: Free Line Dance Lessons from 5–8 p m

Free Country Swing Lessons from 7–8 p m

Dimes with DJ FRSH Amazing drink specials from 8 p m to close

Oeno Wine Lounge: Wine Tastings Stop by between 5 and 7 p m to enjoy $20 wine tastings and $5 tastings for club members

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

FRIDAY

Flagstaff Visitor Center: Indigenous Art Market Support indigenous artists from 5–9 p m

Jazzercise: Casino Rueda in Flagstaff Cuban-style Salsa Dancing followed by social dancing 7:30–10 p m

Museum Club: Acoustic Happy Hour Live country music from 5:30–10 p m Check the

schedule for shows and times

OenoWineLounge: Tappy Hour Monday-Friday12–4 p m Allwineandbeertapsarehalfoff

SATURDAY

Museum Club: Live country dance bands every week from 8:30 p m –1 a m

SUNDAY

Dark Sky Brewing: Pints and Poses: Yoga at the taproom every Sunday morning from 10:15–11:30 a m $15 fee per class

SundayFunday LivemusiceverySundayatthe

DSB Beer Garden 4–6 p m

Flagstaff City Hall: Flagstaff Community Farmers Market Celebrate your community and the hard work of its regional small growers and small businesses at the farmer’s market every Sunday 8 a m –12 p m

Jazzercise: Ballroom social dancing Dance lesson,open dancing from ballroom and swing to latin dance genres 5:15–7 p m

Museum Club: Latino Night Celebrating Latino and Spanish music every Sunday from 9 p m –2 a m

Oeno Wine Lounge: Wine Education Night A 30 minute lesson on wine topics starting at 4:30 p m $20 per person

Yucca North: Degenerate Bingo For Grown Folks Allsuppliesincluded,happyhourspecials and prizes for winners 4–6 p m

Thu/5 4

MUSICEVENTS

CoconinoCenterfortheArts: The Carbonics Thislocalalt-rockbandwithstrongrootsin folk, blues and soul can fill a dance floor with an infectious bass groove 7:30 p m

band with naval theatrics and special guests.

Doors: 7 p m | Show: 8 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

Coconino Center for the Arts: The Mysto

REALLY BIG Magic Show! Award-winning magicianinbothstagemagicandclose-upsleight of hand Two showtimes: the first at 3:30 p m and the second at 7:30 p m

High Country Conference Center: 5th Annual Kentucky Derby Charity Fundraiser

Live watch party filled with music, bestdressed contests, hors d’oeuvres and more 1:30–5:30 p m

Willow Bend: Science Saturday: Fires and Forests Learn about fire ecology in Flagstaff as a part of National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day 9:30–11:30 a m

CabComics:FreeComicBookDayFoodDrive

Donate food to the Flagstaff Family Food Center and grab some free comics 11 a m –2 p m

Dark Sky Brewing: 8th Anniversary Party

Live music, photo booths, food specials, yard games, tarot card readers, special beer releases, merch boxes and an Art Market 12 p m –12 a m

OrpheumTheater: Michael Martin Murphey: A Solo Performance Singer-songwriter known for creating classic country music Doors: 6:30 p.m. | Show: 7:30 p.m.

VARIOUSEVENTS

Museum Club: Standup Comedy Live LA comics Reid Brackenbury and Nick Tavarello bring their excellent routines to Flagstaff 8:30–10:30 p m

Fri/5 5

MUSICEVENTS

CoconinoCenterfortheArts: Tow’rs Flagstaff-based, husband-and-wife duo will be performing their newest album“Joy Alchemy” for the first time in town 7:30 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

Dark Sky Brewing: 8th Anniversary Party

Live music, photo booths, food specials, yard games, tarot card readers, special beer releases, merch boxes and an Art Market 12 p m –12 a m

OrpheumTheater: UTV Film Festival A presentation of films made by NAU students and brought to you by their production company, UTV Doors: 6 p m | Show: 7 p m

Bright Side Bookshop: First Friday Local

Author Signing Jim Ruland and JD O’Brien: 4–5 p m Susan Olberding: 5–6:30 p m Kathy Hooker: 6:30–8 p m

Mountain Sports: An Evening with Jeremy Adair Southwestern artist who captures simplified abstracts of the landscape 5–8 p m

Sat/5.6

MUSICEVENTS

OrpheumTheater:YachtleyCrew Yachtrock

Sun/5 7

MUSICEVENTS

Orpheum Theater: Clutch Hard rock band that blends the best parts of stoner and altrock together Doors: 6 p m | Show: 7 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

Dark Sky Brewing: 8th Anniversary Party

Live music, photo booths, food specials, yard games, tarot card readers, special beer releases, merch boxes and an Art Market 12 p m –12 a m

Mon/5.8

VARIOUSEVENTS

EastFlagstaffCommunityLibrary: LGBT+ Book Club This month,the club is reading“The Black Tides of Heaven’’ by Neon Yang 6 p m

Dark Sky Brewing: 8th Anniversary Party

Live music, photo booths, food specials, yard games, tarot card readers, special beer releases, merch boxes and an Art Market 12 p m –12 a m

Tue/5 9

VARIOUSEVENTS

LowellObservatory:MarsHillChallengeRide

Ride to the top of Mars Hill anytime between 12 and 5 p m to receive a free 2 for 1 guest pass to Lowell

Wed/5.10

VARIOUSEVENTS

The Arboretum: Opening Day Join the Arboretum in kicking off the 2023 season 9 a m –4 p m

City Hall: Savvy Cyclist Bike Safety Class Taught by League of American Bicyclists Cer-

JAKE BACON, ARIZONA DAILY SUN

Participants in the Kidical Mass group ride jog and bike through Coconino Estates in this 2018 photo.Join the Flagstaff Biking Organization in celebrating 20 years of promoting bicycling in Flagstaff.

tified Instructor Martin Ince & Kim Austin. 5:30–7 p.m.

East Flagsta Community Library: Game Day. Swing by the Community Room to play both table-top and video games. Ages 8-17. 2:30–4 p.m.

Thu/5.11

MUSIC EVENTS

Dark Sky Brewing: Jazz Funk Trio. Josh Moore and the Jazz funk trio play the second Thursday of each month. 5–7 p.m.

VARIOUS EVENTS

Bright Side Bookshop: B/RDS with Beatrice Szymkowiak. A reading and Q&A with a local poet, followed by a book signing. 6–7:30 p.m.

Flagsta City-Coconino County Public Library: Thursday Night Book Club. Join the library’s longest-running book club. This month, they are reading “Outlawed” by Anna North. 6 p.m.

Fri/5.12

MUSIC EVENTS

Orpheum Theater: F-Town Sound with Flag Collective. A local showcase of western funk, latin groove and brass that you can dance to. Doors: 6:30 p.m. | 7 p.m.

VARIOUS EVENTS

Cli ord E. White Theater: Flagsta Spring Dance Festival. Local and regional dancers present their original dances. 7:30–9:30 p.m.

Museum of Northern Arizona: Easton Collection Center Tour. Behind-the-scenes tour of the Platinum LEED-certified Easton Collection Center. 3—4 p.m.

Sat/5.13

MUSIC EVENTS

Orpheum Theater: K.Flay. Singer and musician who defies genre with her alternative, hip hop and rock blends. Doors: 7 p.m. | Show: 8 p.m.

Coconino High School: Flagsta Inspired Concert. Join Orchestra Northern Arizona for

THE PULSE

NORTHERN ARIZONA’S DAILY EVENT LISTINGS » MAY 4-MAY 31, 2023

a free concert inspired by the landscapes of northern Arizona. 7–8:30 p.m.

VARIOUS EVENTS

The HeArt Box: Sgra to Workshop with Gabby Long. Make your own ceramic bowls at this three-hour workshop. 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Willow Bend: Food Fermentation for Health and Flavor. Learn how to ferment your own food safely at this adult workshop. 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

East Flagsta Community Library: Science Café—Nuclear Power. Duane Ray talks about the myths, problems and possibilities of nuclear power. 10 a.m.

Cli ord E. White Theater: Flagsta Spring Dance Festival. Local and regional dancers present their original dances. 7:30–9:30 p.m.

Mon/5.15

VARIOUS EVENTS

Orpheum Theater: “Man with a Movie Camera.” Watch one of the greatest documentary films ever made with a live score performance.

Doors: 7 p.m. | Show: 8 p.m.

Bright Side Bookshop: Puzzle Exchange. Take home as many puzzles as you bring in. Any remaining puzzles will be donated. 5–7 p.m.

Tue/5.16

VARIOUS EVENTS

Sechrist School: Kidical Mass Ride and Ice Cream Social. Join your community for a 3.5 mile ride on the FUTS. Ice cream will be served after. Riders leave at 4:15 p.m.

Dark Sky Brewing: Paint ‘n’ Pints. A pint of beer served with step-by-step painting instruction. Hosted by Creative Spirits. 5:45–7:45 p.m.

Wed/5.17

VARIOUS EVENTS

Bu alo Park: “Step Into Health” Walking Club. Every third Wednesday of the month, join North Country HealthCare for a walk between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.

Horizons Summer Concert Series

Sundays in June & July at 3 PM in Kitt Recital Hall Ticket information at nau.edu/cal/events.

Flagstaff Piano Festival - Concerts |Academy |Competition

June 24 - 29

Public concerts, masterclasses, & immersion day activities

Teens and adults register for FPF academy through June 1

Thu/5.18

VARIOUS EVENTS

Museum of Northern Arizona: International Museum Day. Enjoy free admission to MNA from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and live music by FoxyKoshka from 5–8 p.m. in the courtyard.

Fri/5.19

VARIOUS EVENTS

Theatrikos Theater: Dance Nation. An army of competitive, pre-teen dancers navigates ambition, friendship and desire as they plot to take over the world. 7:30 p.m.

Fort Tuthill County Park: Overland Expo West 2023. Join a community of overlanders at this professional-level trade show. 8–5 p.m.

Sat/5.20

VARIOUS EVENTS

Museum of Northern Arizona: Plant Sale & Festival. Fill your home and garden with plants and get ready for summer at this family-friendly event. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Orpheum Theater: Heath Harmison and Scott D. Henry. Anger Management Comedy presents a night of PG-13 styled comedy from two upand-comers. Doors: 7 p.m. | Show: 7:30 p.m.

Bu alo Park: Flagsta Doggie Dash. Bring your dogs to run in the 5k or fixed-time races.

7 a.m.–7 p.m.

Theatrikos Theater: Dance Nation. An army of competitive, pre-teen dancers navigates ambition, friendship and desire as they plot to take over the world. 7:30 p.m.

Fort Tuthill County Park: Overland Expo West 2023. Join a community of overlanders at this professional-level trade show. 8–5 p.m.

Downtown Flagsta : Downtown Geology Rocks! Tour. Learn about the ancient history of the stones used to build Flagsta during this 45-minute tour. 1–2 p.m.

Sun/5.21

MUSIC EVENTS

Orpheum Theater: Colt Ford. Georgia sing-

er-songwriter whose independent, modern country style consistently lands himself in the top tens. Doors: 7 p.m. | Show: 8 p.m.

VARIOUS EVENTS

Downtown Flagsta : Bike Bazaar, Bike and Gear Swap and Bike Parade. Join Flagsta bikers in a true celebration of all things cycling.

9 a.m.–12 p.m.

The HeArt Box: Botanical Ink Making Workshop with Jill Sans. Learn to create botanical inks from household materials. 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Theatrikos Theater: Dance Nation. An army of competitive, pre-teen dancers navigates ambition, friendship and desire as they plot to take over the world. 2 p.m.

Fort Tuthill County Park: Overland Expo West 2023. Join a community of overlanders at this professional-level trade show. 8–3 p.m.

Mon/5.22

VARIOUS EVENTS

Flagsta City-Coconino County Public Library: Adapting Books to Film with Sharon Lynn. Learn about the process of adapting novels into feature films. 5:30–6:30 p.m.

Tue/5.23

MUSIC EVENTS

Orpheum Theater: Sarah Shook & The Disarmers. Singer-songwriter lyrics paired with an outlaw country style. Doors: 7 p.m. | Show: 8 p.m.

Thu/5.25

MUSIC EVENTS

Pepsi Amphitheater: CAAMP. Young yet legendary indie-folk group celebrating the release of their new album, “Lavender Days.”

Doors: 6 p.m. | Show: 7 p.m.

VARIOUS EVENTS

Downtown Flagsta : ARTx Festival. Discover more than 14 art-centric experiences from performances to sculptures. See pages 12 and 13 for a map and schedule.

Fri/5.26

MUSIC EVENTS

Yucca North: The Slackers. A ska band that brings a New York attitude. 7–11:30 p.m.

VARIOUS EVENTS

Arizona Handmade Gallery/Fire on the Mountain: Live Painting with Joe Sorren and Emma Gardner. See the world-renowned mural artist and local surrealist painter work live. 6–9 p.m.

Downtown Flagsta : ARTx Festival. Discover more than 14 art-centric experiences from performances to sculptures. See pages 12 and 13 for a map and schedule.

Theatrikos Theater: Dance Nation. An army of competitive, pre-teen dancers navigates ambition, friendship and desire as they plot to take over the world. 7:30 p.m.

Sat/5.27

MUSIC EVENTS

Pepsi Amphitheater: Michael Franti & Spearhead. A Flagsta favorite returns for another bubbly, reggae-pop performance. Doors: 5:30 p.m. | Show: 7 p.m.

VARIOUS EVENTS

Heritage Square: Movies on the Square. Bring your kids and enjoy activities, crafts and live entertainment followed by an all-ages movie. To kick o the 2023 season, they’re showing “Sing.” 4 p.m.

Downtown Flagsta : ARTx Festival. Discover more than 14 art-centric experiences from performances to sculptures. See pages 12 and 13 for a map and schedule.

Theatrikos Theater: Dance Nation. An army of competitive, pre-teen dancers navigates ambition, friendship and desire as they plot to take over the world. 7:30 p.m.

Sun/5.28

VARIOUS EVENTS

Theatrikos Theater: Dance Nation. An army of competitive, pre-teen dancers navigates ambition, friendship and desire as they plot to take over the world. 2 p.m.

Ticket information, registration and more at flagstaffpianofestival.com

they can talk.