1 TUSK
TUSK 2
WHAT, ARE YOU BLIND?! Desmond Delgadillo lost his eyesight, but he never lost his sense of humor.
THIS THEORY OF MINE A mother is forced to reimagine family life when her daughter is diagnosed with autism.
3 TUSK
ROUGH DRAFT
CULTURAL EXTINCTION
A soccer player’s constant search for a home lines path to greater goals.
An endangered Costa Rican tribe resorts to showcasing remnants of their heritage for survival.
M (HATE) RIARCH
GARDEN OF STEVEN
Childhood abuse leaves a girl at the mercy of her assailant – her mother.
One man’s garden holds the key to a sustainable lifestyle by living in harmony with nature.
COSTA RICA: SPECIAL REPORT CSUF students explore the struggling people and exotic culture of a south american paradise.
EN POINTE
ARAKNIDO: PURA RISA
After battling severe anxiety as a child, Maricela Gomez uses dance to find her footing in life.
A talented street performer brings his heart and passion to life on stage.
TROPICAL PARADOX With tourism being Costa Rica’s main source of income, living la pura vida is not what it seems.
TUSK 4
EDITOR IN CHIEF Samantha Perez
ART ADVISOR Arnold Holland
MANAGING EDITOR Veronica Felipe
EDITORIAL ADVISOR Jeffrey Brody
ART DIRECTOR Nilayam Patel PHOTO DIRECTOR Yunuen Bonaparte
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Nicole Bernardini Julie Edgington Blanca Navarro Nilayam Patel Melissa Yang
PHOTOGRAPHERS Dario Garcia Patrick Martin Kristy McCrossan Mike Tarronas Austin Henry Wallace Wicy Zhang
COPY EDITORS Jessica Butalla Chynna Carrera Darlene Casas Desiree Haley Amber Mason Traci Muldoon Vivian Pham Suleymi Recinos
WEB DESIGN Blanca Navarro COVER, MASTHEAD, TABLE OF CONTENTS & INSIDE PAGES DESIGN Julie Edgington Nicole Bernardini
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Crop: 9’’x 12’’ Fonts: Campton, Univers & Droid Serif
Tusk is produced annually by the California State University, Fullerton Department of Communications. The opinions expressed within are the responsibility of the writers and do not necessarily express those of the university, faculty or student body. This issue of Tusk was printed at Alliance Print & Graphic Srvices in Orange County. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. Published in spring 2016.
5 TUSK
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
I often wonder why I have such a hard time moving, and I mean moving in general. I never played sports in high school and I do not exercise unless I have to. When it comes to moving on, well, I am still not over “The Office” and “30 Rock” coming off the air. I am not one for movement, for movement begets change. However, not everyone fights this feeling as much as I do. The individuals in this issue of Tusk Magazine certainly do not.
In the MOVEMENT issue of Tusk, we feature stories about a comedian who keeps moving forward despite his blindness. We bring you the story of Christina Burkenroad, a Cal State Fullerton soccer player, who moves out of the backseat of her car and onto the field. We take you to Costa Rica where an indigenous tribe clings to their ancient culture as the modern world phases them out, and we feature a photo story about a man who found freedom
through juggling. This is the final issue under the care of professors Jeff Brody and Arnold Holland. Next year, Tusk Magazine will be taken into a new direction and we hope it is as successful in years to come as it was in the past. So, as my final year in college comes to a close, I am coming to terms with the idea of movement. Moving out, moving on and moving into the real world I’ve heard so much about.
Samantha Perez Editor in Chief | Class of 2016
TUSK 6
What
Are Yo u,
AN ASPIRING COMEDIAN FINDS THE BRIGHTSIDE TO BLINDNESS WRITTEN BY: VIVIAN PHAM PHOTOS BY: MIKE TARRONAS DESIGNED BY: NILAYAM PATEL
TUSK 8
9 TUSK
F
or the first three years of Desmond Delgadillo’s life, he
his mother punished him by making him read long braille books.
dwelled in and out of hospitals. With no trace of serious
Little did he know, this punishment would later serve him well as his
eye conditions, young Delgadillo changed the family history
life depended on this skill.
when doctors discovered he had glaucoma. They theorized that
After constantly bumping into walls at school, Delgadillo’s
he developed glaucoma while inside his mother’s womb when
physical needs eventually overcame his desire to fit in, and at 8 years
she suffered a week-long fever five months into her pregnancy.
old, he finally caved and went back to the cane. Tap, tap, tap. This cane
Each time pressure built up in Delgadillo’s eyes, he had to undergo
would now become a permanent fixture in his life.
surgery to prevent glaucoma from taking away his vision. However,
after three years of multiple surgeries, a doctor sat down with his
quickly learned that, in addition to the cane and braille, he had to
mother, Rose, and said, “Your son is either going to go blind or have
heavily rely on verbal cues. One day when he was 10 years old, his
to spend the rest of his life in hospitals, but it’s up to you to make
mother took him and his younger sister, Gabby, to the Montebello
that decision.”
Town Center. As Gabby helped him look for a shirt, she perused aisles
After three years of expensive medical bills with little
Throughout his early years, Delgadillo’s family and friends
of clothing. “Look over there!” she exclaimed when
she found the
progress, 21-year-old Rose decided to end the surgeries. Once again,
perfect one. An annoyed expression crossed Delgadillo’s face. “I can’t.
the pressure from glaucoma built up inside her son’s eyes, but
You need to be more verbal,” he said.
without an intervention, it eventually severed the retina from the
Four years later, Delgadillo started attending El Rancho High School
optic nerve. At age 3, Delgadillo had entirely lost his eyesight. The
in Pico Rivera at 14 years old. Freshmen year, Rose began persuading
cloudiness in his eyes disappeared and both the pupil and the iris
him into buying prosthetics for his eyes.
turned completely black.
The following year, Delgadillo started school at Selby Grove Elementary in Pico Rivera, California. Always carrying a white cane with him, kids would ask why he would carry a stick. Ashamed of the item that drew attention to his blindness, Delgadillo ditched the cane. Learning how to read braille became the next challenge. As
“You’re going into high school and social situations change. People are a lot more judgmental based on what they see. I think this would really help you out,” she said.
Why am I going to get something cosmetic that I don’t need, and it’s not going to help me in any way?
a first step, Delgadillo’s teacher instructed him to run his fingers
After a few months, and some more prodding from Rose,
along straight raised lines to increase their sensitivity. But as a hyper
Delgadillo and his mother drove to a clinic in Beverly Hills to view their
4-year-old, he had little patience. Every time Delgadillo misbehaved,
options. There, Delgadillo was informed about what exactly prosthetics
TUSK 10
were and how they functioned. He began warming up to the idea.
Through the next year, feelings of anguish washed over Delgadillo.
Toward the end of his freshman year, Delgadillo started dropping
Realizing the negative effects these feelings had over his identity,
by the clinic regularly to get fitted for molds. During the
he finally decided to — as Sara put it — “get over it.” Determined
following year, doctors assigned him blank prosthetics
to overcome his limitations, he worked hard in school and applied
so he could become familiar with them. Following
to several universities throughout Southern California. Despite his
coupious amounts of lab work, paperwork and the prosthetics were ready by the end of his At 16 years old, Delgadillo finally prosthetics, and with their help his eyes of a black abyss, a pupil and a brown friends and peers were taken “You look so different now,” But despite his new eyes, He still couldn’t see. People you see?” “Can you perceive same: nothing at all. No angst,
and
sophmore year. wore his long-awaited
his
obstacles, Delgadillo succeeded, and a few months later, a letter from the University of La Verne arrived to his doorstep in Pico Rivera. He was accepted.
looked natural. Instead
One evening during his freshman year of college, Delgadillo
iris were now visible. His
visited a small, run-down coffee shop in Pomona with a few friends.
aback by the results. they would exclaim.
Sounds of laughter burst through the room as he sat at a table listening to stand-up comedians verbalize their scripted, clever jokes. It was
Delgadillo was still discontent.
open mic night. There were only six people in the audience; however,
often asked him, “How much can
one comedian was enough to turn a room with a small crowd into a
light?” and his answer remained the
place filled with roaring laughter and fun. In that moment, Delgadillo
light, no colors, nothing.
The various challenges teenage
preparation,
realized that, despite his blindness, he still had a voice. A voice that
of growing up in a low-income family,
could bring a positive impact on the people around him. And with that,
blindness filled him with rage. One
he decided to try stand-up comedy.
day, during his junior year,
while sitting on a picnic table with his
A few weeks later, Delgadillo visited the coffee shop again, but
friends during lunch, he
released his anger. Of all people in the
this time, with an arsenal of practiced jokes in mind. He stepped onto
world, why me?
the stage with only four minutes to engage the audience. As the lights
“There’s no point in me
going to college or getting a job because
focused on Delgadillo, he felt its warmth on his face. The audience,
I’ll always be that guy who’s
not like everyone else,” Delgadillo said
along with other stand-up comedians waiting for their turn, gave him
to his friends. “You need to get over
all their
attention. He cracked a joke, then
it,” Sara, his friend, said.
“But how? You don’t
understand. This is my whole life,”
he responded. “You still just need to get
laughter ensued and for the first time, he began to feel
confident. Well, if I can make
comedians laugh, then I can make over it.”
In addition to comedy, Delgadillo in La Verne’s communications building
11 TUSK
anyone laugh. took a newspaper class where he met the radio
"Go. Do your thing. ”
program adviser, Mike Laponis. Wanting to try out something new, Delgadillo asked Laponis if he could become involved with the school’s radio station. After gaining experience in radio and enjoying it, Delgadillo realized he wanted to continue pursuing radio and comedy. Three years later, he landed a radio station internship with KOST 103.5 and went on to host his own comedic radio show. No longer willing to take long commutes to work, Delgadillo began searching for his own apartment. Weeks later, he managed to snatch one within his budget. Up until this point, Delgadillo had been living with his mother in Pico Rivera. Worried that Rose would be sad, he broke the news the day before he moved. Her response surprised him. “Go. Do your thing,” she said. On August 31st, 2015, 21-year-old Delgadillo packed his belongings, hugged his mother goodbye, and left home to live in North Hollywood. Today, Delgadillo still interns for KOST 103.5 and has his own radio show. He is able to live a fulfilling, self-sufficient life, despite his limitations.
TUSK 12
ONE MOTHER FINDS BLESSING IN DAUGHTER’S DIAGNOSIS WRITTEN BY: ELAINE KONG PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY: AUSTIN HENRY WALLACE DESIGNED BY: NICOLE BERNARDINI
I
t is May of 2007, Lisa Guardado
loving and cuddly, but there are things
is taking her only daughter, Ava
that just make her seem different,”
Guardado, to her 22-month check
Lisa said over the phone.
up with the pediatrician. Lisa knew
“She has her check up soon,”
early on that something was different
Eddie replied. “Why don’t you ask the
about Ava.
doctor? I’m sure she’s fine.”
Ava was not reaching the same
During the appointment, the
milestones as her brothers, Niko and
doctor told Lisa that Ava should be
Jakob Guardado. As infants, Lisa’s
at the age where she is babbling and
boys made eye contact, but Ava did
learning to walk.
not. This behavior reminded Lisa of
smirked
then
laughed.
“She’s not even putting one word
diagnosed with autism.
together,” Lisa said.
A few weeks earlier, Lisa shared
The pediatrician began to ask
her concerns with her husband, Eddie
more questions about Ava and then
Guardado, about how Ava behaved
referred Lisa to a laundry list of
differently from Niko and Jakob.
doctors, including an audiologist, a
“Eddie, she didn’t start crawling until, like eleven months. She is so
13 TUSK
Lisa
her friend’s baby, who was recently
speechologist and a neurologist. She calls this her “ologist moment.”
TUSK 14
15 TUSK
Lisa will never forget walking
simply her friend’s little brother.
she began bringing the kids along,
into that appointment on June 7, 2007.
During the wedding reception,
Eddie came home from work and
the entire bridal party performed a
Lisa tried doing everything for
they went to the neurologist together.
choreographed dance, giving Eddie
her boys while also making sure Ava
After the appointment, Lisa walked
the opportunity to talk to Lisa.
had all the resources she needed to
these trips became complicated.
out of the neurologist’s room and into
“We will one day be together,
stay healthy. Baseball games were
the waiting area. She collapsed on a
and have a wedding like this one,” he
the only opportunities they had to see
chair and broke down. Ava had just
whispered to her during the dance.
their father during the season.
been diagnosed with autism. Lisa never imagined something like this would happen to her. She looked back at her life with Eddie
“You do realize the man sitting
Throughout the years, Lisa saw
next to me at the table is my boyfriend
the rigors of baseball tear family
right?” she responded.
friends apart. She did not want her
A few months went by before
and started reminiscing on how their
Eddie
precious family began.
baseball season. During his stay, he
returned
home
from
his
marriage to collapse, but caring for Ava forced her to work twice as hard to keep the family together.
ran into Lisa, greeting her as if they
After a long day of taking Ava
It was 1992, Lisa’s best friend
were already married. He would
to appointments, Lisa finally had
Kim asked her to be a bridesmaid in
say, “Hey honey how’s it going?”
a moment to relax in the tub. The
her wedding. Kim’s fiancé, Danny, had
Lisa would simply shake her head
uncertainty over Ava and her family’s
a younger brother named Eddie, who
and smile at her friend’s cocky little
future began to overwhelm Lisa as
was also in the bridal party.
brother. Each time Eddie returned to
tears rolled down her cheeks. After a
“I’m only going to be in the
Stockton, he cracked the same joke
moment, she called Eddie.
wedding if Lisa’s my partner walking
until Lisa finally agreed to see a movie
down the aisle,” Eddie said.
with him at the local theater.
“Why would I mind? He’s five
“I feel selfish because there are other children suffering from cancer or being incredibly unhealthy and
years younger than me. It’s just an old
By 2007, Lisa and Eddie had
I have a healthy little girl. I feel I’m
crush and if my best friend says this
three children and lived in Tustin,
mourning my child, but I shouldn’t be
makes her happy, I’ll go ahead and do
California. During baseball season,
because she’s so healthy,” Lisa said.
it,” Lisa responded.
they lived in Minnesota where Eddie
“You don’t get to walk her down the
She could tell Eddie had become
was a relief pitcher for the Minnesota
aisle at her wedding. All of the cute
his family’s favorite after making it in
Twins. Lisa did her best to see Eddie
little things for my little Ava — going
minor league baseball. To Lisa, he was
while he was on the road, but when
to prom — are now gone.”
TUSK 16
Eddie struggled to find the right
Even though the couple were
big blessing,” Lisa said. “Yeah, we did
words to comfort his wife from afar.
attending several events and felt
lose out on having all the moments
“Babe, we can get through this,” he
tremendous support from Eddie’s
of having ‘a normal little girl,’ but we
said, willing her to believe him.
team, the results were not enough.
gained something even better.”
Lisa took Ava to all of her recommended doctor appointments.
want
something
that’s
more
meaningful to us,” Eddie said.
Ava’s presence has brought the family a new outlook on life, Eddie
She thought she needed to fix Ava, so
“We can always go look for an
said. “She brings joy into our home
she could have a normal childhood.
autistic foundation to be a part of,”
by bringing awareness and light to
After some time, however, Lisa had a
Lisa responded excitedly. In 2008, the
others with disabilities,” he said.
revelation during another late-night
family launched the Eddie Guardado
“Heck, without her, we wouldn’t be
phone call with Eddie.
Foundation to raise money for other
doing any of this.”
“All we can do is provide her
families with autistic children.
Lisa and Eddie hope to continue
with love and care,” she told her
For this year’s “Stars and Strikes”
husband. “I really think she [Ava] just
event, hosted at their home in Tustin,
are “old and gray,” even when their
needs to be loved by us.”
spreading
awareness
when
they
they held a live silent auction. During
children are happy with their own
constantly
the event, volunteers wrap up prizes
careers and families.
traveling, being away from his family
in cellophane, while Lisa creates the
“I know we will still be doing the
and the knowledge that zhis only
event schedule. Eddie fills a table in
only thing we know, traveling to see
daughter had an incurable condition
the front with food for volunteers.
family, and traveling to see the kids
rested heavily on Eddie’s mind.
Ava finds a moment when no one is
with Ava,” Lisa said.
The
hardships
of
“Babe, I don’t know if it’s different
looking and grabs a sandwich.
Eddie feels incredibly blessed
because you are with her and seeing
“Ava, what are you doing? You
with how much Ava has developed.
it everyday, but this is something that
know you’re not supposed to be
She is fully potty trained and can now
we need to do more about,” he said.
eating that stuff. Give that to me. It’s
dress herself.
“It’s kind of like cancer in the way that
not gluten-free sweetheart,” Lisa said.
“Hey, sometimes I think maybe
While Ava has different needs
we won’t even have Ava with us,”
than other children, she is still a
he said to his wife. “God gave us
playful child.
what we could handle and he knew
it doesn’t have a cure. ” Lisa and Eddie wanted to become involved in a non-profit that supports autism, but quickly realized that none of them touched their hearts.
17 TUSK
“I
“If Ava was different, I really do believe our lives would have one less
we could handle this. The future is always so unknown.”
TUSK 18
19 TUSK
draft PASSION DRIVES STUDENT FORWARD, ONE GOAL AT A TIME WRITTEN BY: RYAN WHITEHEAD PHOTOS BY: KRISTY McCROSSAN & MIKE TARRONAS DESIGNED BY: BLANCA NAVARRO
TUSK 20
I
21 TUSK
t is a perfectly normal day in San Diego,
The death of her mother affected
In San Diego, everything her father
California. Mission Beach is packed
her father deeply. He suffered from
tried to escape resurfaced. He tried to keep
with surfers that are up early to
depression. When Burkenroad was nine,
the family stable as long as possible, but
catch a wave. One girl stands out from the
her father’s depression became so severe
he struggled financially and emotionally.
crowd. She is not using the beach showers
that they picked up and moved to North
Burkenroad used her dad’s Land Rover as
to remove the salty ocean scent off her
Carolina to live with his sister. The move
a home and a garbage bag as her suitcase.
body; rather, she is using the showers to
was bittersweet for Burkenroad since she
She would lie in the back seat, which she
start her day before going to school. For
loved living by the ocean. Little did she
used as a bed, and pray for a stable life.
16-year-old Christina Burkenroad, it was
know, North Carolina would bring her
common for her not to have a shower or
new friends and offer a different world.
Burkenroad recognized her situation as an opportunity to grow as a person.
a bathroom. She continually moved from
The southern hospitality experienced
She was embarrassed that her life had
place to place because she and her father
in North Carolina taught her to show
become a nightmare. Yet, through this
were homeless.
respect and kindness towards others. She
pain, she and her father continued to
Burkenroad was four when her
remains in contact with her friends in
support one another.
mother passed away from an unknown
North Carolina and will always remember
In the midst of her difficult living
cause. She did not understand the extent
their sincerity. Burkenroad lived in North
situation, Burkenroad constantly found joy
of this tragedy at that age, but later realized
Carolina until she turned 15 and her father
in sports. She was talented in basketball,
how that day changed the course of her life.
decided to return to San Diego.
tennis and softball.
But, when Burkenroad first played
During her senior year in high school,
soccer, she knew it was her calling. She
a recruiter spotted her playing soccer.
gained confidence from controlling the
Before she knew it, she was awarded a
ball and the pace of the game. Soccer
scholarship to Cal State Fullerton. When
began to take over her world.
she arrived at Fullerton, Burkenroad felt
As Burkenroad ran up and down the
blessed to start a new chapter in her life
freshly-cut, grass field, this place became
and to finally see her professional soccer
her
dream within grasp.
sanctuary.
Her
teammates
and
As Burkenroad ran up and down the freshly-cut, grass field, this place became her sanctuary. With seven game winning goals, she assisted her team to a Big West Conference
Not all her obstacles vanished during
title. Her diligence to the game inspired
her time at CSUF. Her academic experience
others, as she spent hours everyday
One of her best friend’s family took her
was rocky at first. It took her three
teaching herself how to play.
in during her last two years at Mission Bay
years to figure out what she excelled at
High School in San Diego. They provided for
academically. After declaring advertising
to contribute to her team and to have a
her and taught her basic responsibilities,
as her major, she continued to struggle with
more successful season than the prior.
such as laundry and other household chores.
her classwork. Fortunately, her professors
Her success on the field motivates her to
Burkenroad was grateful to have so many
and classmates stepped in to help her.
become an asset in all areas of her life. She
coaches became role models and stepped in as her intermediate family.
Burkenroad
consistently strives
people she could reach out to. However,
Now in her senior year, Burkenroad
treats the soccer field as her “sanctuary”
with virtually no financial support, college
ranks fourth in all of CSUF’s women’s
because that is where she can forget about
never seemed like a possibility.
soccer history.
everything and just play.
TUSK 22
Before Burkenroad puts on her cleats, she also writes, "trust in your ability" on the inside of her shoe for motivation .
As one of the leaders on the
Burkenroad hopes to play professional
team, she reminds the others
soccer either in the states or overseas. With
that soccer is something to feed
her advertising degree in reach, landing a
off of. Something to help them
job with an ad agency is her plan b.
rise up and conquer whatever is needed on the field.
For others out there with similar issues, Burkenroad’s simple message is to
Burkenroad is now able to focus on
By excelling on and off the field,
have faith and positivity, and to keep doing
where soccer can potentially take her to
she aided in her father’s recovery. He
what you do. She believes everything will
help her live out her dreams.
overcame his depression and committed
work out if you put in the work. She doesn’t
to a better path. Her success has helped
consider herself religious, but considers
them grow as individuals.
herself a person with a lot of positivity.
Soccer taught her almost everything in life: Time management, responsibility, and
Those difficult obstacles in her life were
accountability. This sport has also taught Burkenroad how to handle her real world problems. During her pre-game ritual, she always looks up towards the sky and thanks her mother, knowing that she is watching every day and asks for strength.
Burkenroad’s simple message is to
put there as a test for her to become the
have faith and positivity and
Sometimes she thinks it is the end of the
to keep doing what you do.
strong young woman that she is today. world for her, but she knows everything will eventually work out.
Written on her cleats is a Bible verse, Ezra 10:4, “Rise up; this matter is in your
Coach Damian Brown, stepped in as a
hands. We will support you, so take courage
father figure in her life. He has continued
Christina Burkenroad was drafted by
and do it.” Before Burkenroad puts on her
to provide Burkenroad a home during her
the Orlando Pride in January 2016. She
cleats, she also writes, “Trust in your ability,”
time at CSUF. Brown has taught her how to
made her National Women’s Soccer
on the inside of her shoe for motivation.
channel and use her emotions on the field.
League debut in April 2016.
TUSK 24
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU BEATS YOU?
WRITTEN BY: LAURA OIKAWA PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY: DARIO GARCIA DESIGNED BY: MELISSA YANG
er mother often tormented them as punishment to onique. he felt alone, unable to express er sadness.
*Some names and photos have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
I.
sibling, she felt responsible for her younger sisters. Her mother often tormented them as punishment to Monique. She felt alone, unable to express her sadness.
F
When Monique was 7, her uncle gave her a piano. She ive-year-old Monique paces frantically down
instantly fell in love with the instrument and taught
a grocery store aisle. Tears stream down her
herself to play. She found comfort in music and playing
cheeks. It has been 10 minutes and she cannot
the piano became her outlet. The keys allowed her to
find her mother. A friendly shopper notices her panic
express herself where words fell short.
and helps her locate her mother just a few aisles down.
At 10 years old, Monique’s family prepared to move
Her mother, Linda, had not even noticed she was
out of their house in Huntington Beach into a suburban
missing. Monique, though young, cannot help but feel
home in Mission Viejo. With everyone at work, Linda
that something is wrong. How could her mother just
sent Monique to her room to clean it. Monique complied,
leave her behind? Forgetfulness escalated to anger that
but soon realized that she needed hangers from a
same year.
different room. In the hallway, her mother saw her and
At home, Monique plays with her favorite toy, a
fumed. “I told you to go clean your room!” her mother
“The Little Mermaid” purse stuffed with treasures and
shouted, grabbing Monique’s neck. Luckily, she averted
trinkets. Something she did has upset her mother. Linda
her mother’s strangling grip, resulting only in scratches.
yells at Monique, but the anger does not subside. She rips
Monique rarely cried from the injuries her mother
the purse out of Monique’s hand and throws it at her.
inflicted. She tolerated the hitting, the pushing, the
The impact of the heavy toy against her tiny frame slams
constant harassment and the manipulation. She knew
her against the doorway. The blow knocks the wind out
her mother was sick, that she drank a lot and that she
of her. Monique can’t breathe. However, with her little
was mentally unstable. Only later would she understand
sisters watching, she gets up and shakes off the feeling.
the extent of her mother’s mental instability. Linda
She must have done something to deserve it.
suffered from a unique combination of narcissistic,
As Monique grew, so did her mother’s temper.
bipolar and borderline personality disorder. Though
Throughout elementary school, Monique dealt with verbal, physical and emotional abuse. As the oldest
TUSK 26
young, Monique knew she was bigger than her mother’s problems, but none of this mattered at the moment. She wept, overcome by the aggression in her mother’s eyes. Monique’s father, Hisham, traveled regularly for
spoke to them separately and managed to persuade them not to testify against her.
work and he often went away for weeks at a time. When
“Nicole doesn’t know what she saw,” Linda urged.
he was home, Linda was able to curb her alcoholism and
“She just wants to be involved. I wasn’t gonna hit you. I
better control her anger. He knew of his wife’s abusive
was just trying to bring you closer to talk to you.”
nature, but was sheltered from the worst of it. Linda
She warned them that the testimony against her
threatened Monique and her younger sisters, Nicole and
would cost their father a lot of money and that they
Lauren, if they told him the truth. They feared hurting
would be broke.Overwhelmed with guilt, Monique lied
their father, so they felt the need to keep the extent of
to the judge about what happened. She could tell by his
the abuse a secret. Here, however, the secret was out.
face that he knew she lied, but it didn’t matter. Without
Hisham walked into the hallway just as his wife shouted
any willing witnesses, the charges were dropped.
and grabbed at their daughter. Outraged by his wife’s
Monique’s hope that her circumstances would
actions, he immediately called the police and they took
improve started to wane after this incident. She found
her into custody – her family was finally going to court.
that many of the police officers she dealt with tended
Before the date of the hearing, Linda contacted
to side with her mother, unable to conceive a woman
Monique and Nicole, who both witnessed the attack. She
as abusive. She felt powerless and did everything she thought was necessary. She told other adults and had solid evidence, but none of it mattered. Her mother manipulated her in order to lie.
Two weeks later, her mother came back.
27 TUSK
“he just wants to be involved. wasn’t gonna hit ou; was just trying to bring ou closer to talk to ou.”
II.
T
welve-year-old Monique now sits in her room upstairs. It’s a warm August day and her father is away on business. Her mother drank heavily
all afternoon. Monique hears the back door slide open as Linda steps outside to smoke a cigarette. Moments later,
finally had enough evidence against her. “I can call the
she hears her siblings scream in horror. Wondering
police right now and your mom will be arrested, and I
what happened, she rushes downstairs. In the yard, she
promise she won’t ever come back.”
finds her mother’s body lying in a pool of blood. She
When the police arrived, Monique was surprised
immediately assumes her mother is dead. Shocked as she
to recognize one of the officers as the same officer
is, Monique does not scream. Assuring her sisters that
who responded to their home almost a year ago when
everything is going to be fine, she calmly calls 911 and
her mother passed out in the yard. She realized that
explains the situation to the paramedics and the police.
this officer knew their history, knew that Linda had a
Linda passed out from the copious amount of liquor she
problem, and that this was not a one-time case.
consumed and smashed her head on the concrete floor.
Linda awoke to the police opening her bedroom
It was not until hours later that Monique’s emotions
door. The police arrested her that night and sent her
caught up with her, and even then, her tears were brief.
to a rehabilitation center. “I’ll kill you!” she shouted
Little did she know how much change awaited her
at Hisham as she was carried away. Realizing the
and her sisters over the next year. One night, Linda went
severity of this case, the officers rushed to the judge’s
to bed after a feud that led her to lash out at Monique by
house at midnight and woke him up to have him sign
striking her violently. Lauren urged Monique to call their
an emergency 24-hour restraining order in case Linda
father. Accustomed to the behavior and not wanting to
escaped from where she was being held.
make a big deal out of it, Monique was reluctant. “It is a big deal,” Lauren insisted. “You have to call him.”
Hisham understood that it would not be easy for him to get full custody of his daughters. The case was
Hisham came home immediately and ushered the
drawn out for many months and felt like a losing battle.
girls into his room for a discussion. “We have an option,”
Linda made many false allegations, such as insisting that
he told them, revealing that he kept record of all calls to
Hisham was the one who was an alcoholic, that he had
the police and all instances of abuse from the past. They
another girlfriend, and that he was Muslim and thus wanted multiple wives. Linda had neighbors and
“ can call the police right now and our mom will be arrested, and promise he won’t ever come back.” 29 TUSK
family friends who wrote letters defending her as a good person. People who knew or witnessed the abuse still spoke well of her. Monique felt betrayed. Nevertheless, Hisham was determined.
III.
N
ovember 2013 was the last time Monique saw her mother. When she arrived at Linda’s sunny home in Whittier, the door gaped open and the
entryway was completely dark. Linda’s dog ran into the
He was willing to give Linda anything she wanted.
front yard. Monique rang the doorbell several times with
He offered her regular visitation as long as she agreed
no answer. Standing there instantly took her back to the
to take a drug test before every visit. He also offered her
scene where her mom lied motionless in the backyard,
more than a fair amount of money and everything in the
surrounded by blood. She felt a rush of anxiety and all
house with the exception of Monique’s piano and the
the emotions she didn’t feel back then poured out. She
girls’ belongings.
began to hyperventilate. She couldn’t bring herself to
Eventually, even Linda’s lawyer thought she was
enter the house. In this moment, she finally understood
being unreasonable and quit on her. Still, she acted like
the profound effects of her mother’s abuse. She reflected
the victim.
on the rollercoaster of events over the last few years.
Hisham and his daughters grew increasingly
During her adolescence, her mother’s bullying
frustrated. During the trial, the girls’ lawyer refused to
made Monique very insecure. Anxiety, phobias and
repeat anything they had told her, claiming that it was
obsessive-compulsive disorder dominated her life. At 15,
all confidential.
she was diagnosed with depression.
“It’s not confidential,” Monique insisted. “You need to say something. We can’t live with her. We will die.” One day, the judge they had been dealing with did not show up to court and a substitute judge took his
It was not until she turned 19 that Monique revisited the diagnosis. She did not respond well to antidepressants, because she was not, in fact, depressed. She, like her mother, had bipolar disorder.
place. He reviewed the paperwork. To him, the decision
Determined to get better and regain control, she
was obvious. “Hisham, you get 100 percent custody of
underwent a regimen of mood stabilizers and different
the children.”
kinds of therapy, including exposure therapy where she
After months in court, he was not expecting a decision to be made that day. Shocked and overjoyed, Hisham cried.
had to face her fears. How did she face her fears? She decided to redirect her focus onto helping others. During her first year at Cal State Fullerton, Monique involved herself with nonprofit organizations. She began volunteering for Illumination Foundation and Boys Hope Girls Hope as a court-mandated reporter, working with impoverished and homeless children. The kids she worked with lived in unstable conditions. Each of them witnessed or had experiences that merited filing a report to Child Protective Services. She felt she could truly connect with and help these children. She realized she could benefit from her hardships by learning from her past and using that knowledge to help others reach a brighter future.
TUSK 30
She also shared with them music’s healing power that she discovered when she was younger. Just like her, some of the kids could not put into words exactly how they felt. By playing the piano, she taught them how to let music speak for them. Later that year, Monique received a call from her mother, who said she had lymphoma and was going to die. To seek closure, she decided to visit her mother. She figured that if her mother dies, then this would be their last opportunity to address their past. She wanted to give her mother a chance to take responsibility for what she did, but Linda was just as closed off as before. She admitted to nothing. Monique later discovered that her mother did not actually have cancer. Instead, Linda’s symptoms reflected those of a person affected by alcoholism. Tired of the deceit, the emotional anguish and the seemingly inevitable disappointment of their relationship, Monique decided to cut ties with her mother completely. And yet, here she stood on her mother’s lawn, hoping that something changed. After a while, Monique calmed down and walked around the side of the house where she found her mother in the backyard. Everything seemed fine; Linda just did not hear the doorbell. As they planned, they went out for dinner, but Monique felt distraught and trapped the entire time. She felt herself revert into survival mode. Her mother confirmed Monique’s doubts that nothing had changed. Her mother only held her back and she needed to let go. Monique barely spoke over dinner and only answered her mother’s questions with a quick “yes” or “no.” Linda did not even notice her daughter’s emotional state. Shortly after this encounter, Linda moved to Northern California where she lives alone with her dog.
Monique has not spoken to her since.
31 TUSK
Tired of the deceit, the emotional anguish and the seemingly inevitable disappointment of their relationship, onique decided to cut ties er mother with completely. TUSK 32
33 TUSK
DANCER BREAKS OUT OF HER SHELL AND UNFURLS ON STAGE.
WRITTEN BY: MARICELA GOMEZ PHOTOS ILLUSTRATIONS BY: AUSTIN HENRY WALLACE DESIGNED BY: JULIE EDGINGTON
“Ball of foot first, heel second.” “Ball of foot first,
My childhood revolved around my passion
heel second.” The eight-count combination drilled
for dance. Polaroids captured a toddler’s elasticity
inside my mind as a troupe of metal shoes tapped on
during a stereo dance session of Xuxa’s “Ilarie.”
the black vinyl floor behind the curtain. When the
Ballerina dreams blossomed. But the rhythm that
march stopped in the darkness, I bowed my head.
had once followed me became silent as introversion
My fists clenched. My heart thumped as I stood still.
grasped my identity. By first grade, my report card
The brief silence transitioned into a funky
stated, “Maricela is very introverted. She needs to
guitar riff blaring through the speakers. Golden
socialize with students more.”
lights flickered from every corner, center and
Shyness projected throughout my teenage
ceiling. As the velvet curtain rose, the audience
years. My words would slur and my eyes would
appeared. My first instinct was to run backstage,
gaze toward the floor during conversations. I had
but the moment had arrived. At 17 years old, I was
very few friends. My classmates would constantly
about to perform for my first time.
ask, “Why are you so quiet?”
TUSK 34
Silence evaded participation as introversion
Fifteen dancers formed rows behind the
Introversion was my haven. Insecurities blocked
principal dancers and myself, each of us dressed in
my chances of joining the dance team, but my love
gold sequined vests and indigo jeans. My black tap
for dance crept through to senior year.
shoes buckled to the left and the right of the stage
The 2010 Downey Dance Review featured beginner,
intermediate
and
advanced
talent
that leaped, twirled and jumped in hip-hop, jazz,
35 TUSK
“I am actually doing this,” I said.
shielded the embarrassment and attention on me.
while my wrists bent with style. The groovy song, “Ain’t Nothing Wrong with That,” synchronized each tap to the beat.
ballet and tap. I joined the Regional Occupational
My hips and arms swung sideways. The tap
Program’s beginner dance team for a chance to
shoes shaved the floor with pirouettes. I stepped
shine. No longer was I going to dance behind closed
with the ball of my left foot first as the right foot
doors, in the comfort of my home.
followed. My feet shuffled ceaselessly. My arms
My arms swayed as my feet moved toward the
swayed through the movements with breeze.
front of the stage. A smile stretched across my face.
When my brother emerged from the audience with
a camera, my fists froze in front of my chest. He
me, but every step, leap, turn and arm movement
documented the mistake, but I carried on, relieved
felt natural to perform.
that my family was present and attentive.
My childhood rhythm was back in sync with
The dancers, lined up with arms wrapped
my confidence. The introverted hunch vanished.
around each other’s necks, and used the balls of
Isolation morphed into teamwork. Soon, the front
their feet and heels to escort themselves off the
corner position was mine, and the longtime follower
stage. Applause followed. I had never danced in
became an ROP leader who thrived with a smile.
front of an audience before. For the first time, I
I waited on the stage’s right hand corner for
was not afraid of expressing myself. I clapped and
my hip-hop performance to start. Throughout
jumped with happiness backstage.
the choreography, my knees bopped. My fingers
For nine months, I had rehearsed the review’s choreography at Downey High School’s dance room. A room that reflected aspiration, frustration and accomplishment. Jazz and ballet were foreign to
snapped with attitude, and my hips thrusted to Kylie Minogue’s, “Speakerphone.” The crowd’s enthusiasm fueled the team with confidence as cheers and claps filled the room.
TUSK 36
After a third wardrobe change, I was ready to
The African and disco routines concluded. The
beige tights under a blue striped, knee-length dress.
ballet performance was next. The ballet’s gracious
A oversized bow decorated my black hair. Darkness
and balanced act worried me. I had to soften my
surrounded me in the theater’s wing again, but this
rapid pace. The Jonas Brothers’ song, “Love Bug,”
time my nerves disappeared.
beckoned the dancers to the stage. My curled feet
White lights glared as I guided the dancers
touched the floor. My arms curved above me. I was
from the right corner to the center stage. A rigid
ready to dance. Pirouettes were done backwards.
march continued and rounds of pivots followed. The
My weight shifted to my right leg as my left leg
theatrical jazz routine displayed sleek and extended
extended into the air. The dancers clustered in
steps on stage. Double turns were performed while
circular formation as the music stopped, and the
Estelle and Kanye West’s “American Boy” played in
show came to an end.
the background.
37 TUSK
with energetic smiles that sailed them offstage.
dance jazz. I was now dressed as a sailor girl with
Then the velvet curtain dropped gently.
The dancers on the left and I escaped toward
The former shy girl had just conquered the
the theater’s wing while the dancers on the right
Downey Civic Theatre by performing three routines.
performed a solo. 20 dancers bolted toward the
The stage manifested a dancer who defeated
stage. Arms moved left and right. Leaps highlighted
introversion through dance. A smile represented
the dancers’ legs. Dancers saluted the audience
accomplishment, and the new and improved me.
TUSK 38
39 TUSK
In the fall of 2015, a group of journalism students ventured to Costa
such as Manuel Antonio, Quepos and La Fortuna. There they
Rica for 10 days under the instruction of professors Jeff Brody
reported on income disparity, a struggling indigenous tribe, a
and Brent Foster. Using their broadcast, print and photo skills, the
man on a mission to restore nature, and a street artist whose
students traveled around San Jose, the capital, and through towns
freedom is derived from laughter.
TUSK 40
BREATHTAKING VIEWS CONCEAL LOCAL IMPOVERISHMENT
WRITTEN BY: ELAIZA ARMAS PHOTOS BY: YUNUEN BONAPARTE & AUSTIN HENRY WALLACE DESIGNED BY: MELISSA YANG
41 TUSK
COSTA RICA—Ruth Angulo Chacón boils a pan filled with rice and pinto beans—gallo pinto, the traditional Costa Rican plate. She turns to wash a spoon in her closet-sized kitchen and gazes out the window.
Ruth and her family reside in the vicinity of Quepos, an area densely populated by tourists. Located off a beaten path, their town—Isla Damas—was once the biggest contributor of bananas when banana plantations were prevalent and created larger revenue than tourism. From her backyard, tourists can be seen boarding a boat for a $65 Mangrove tour—more than what she makes in three days. Tourism is known to be Costa Rica’s main source of income, ranking among the top tourism economies in Latin America. Annually, 67.5 percent of international arrivals come from North America—making the U.S. the main source of travelers. Ruth is just one of the many impoverished locals who struggle to live in this tropical paradise due to the heavy influx of tourists. According to Rafael Anguero, a Tican tour guide, the president of Costa Rica changed the minimum wage, salary amount of commerce, industrial and tourism jobs by setting a max amount of $600 that could be earned monthly. As a tour guide, Rafael can work up to 12 to 14 hours in one day and earn the same pay as someone working an office job for only eight hours—the only difference is that he can make tips.
TUSK 42
“It’s assumed that tour guides can live off tips,” says Rafael’s partner, Jorge Hernandez Aguilera. “But you’ll never make enough tips to live off of, especially when dealing with an excessively large group that doesn’t tip well.
For families like the Chacón’s that do not have the necessary skills to become a tour guide, their monthly earnings are far less, making about $2.50 an hour—the same price for a loaf of bread. Daniela Angulo Chacón, 20, arrives to the house with her brother. “The tourists here do not see the reality of Costa Rica,” Daniela says. “They’re deceived because they’re only shown the beautiful, good parts of Costa Rica, not how the prices affect us and the people that are trying to make it.” “The tourists come to Costa Rica for about a month, spend money, and then leave,” Daniela says. “They see the beaches, hotels, Manuel Antonio—the touristy places, and I think they know we need help, but because they’re not from here, they don’t care.” The Chacón’s are not the only locals who have recognized their limitations. In La Fortuna, near Arenal Volcano, is a Guatuso reserve. Here is where Filander Alvarez and his family demonstrate an ancestral Maleku dance to tourists and sell Maleku artisans as an extra source of income.
43 TUSK
TUSK 44
45 TUSK
“Everything is in the hands of extranjeros, foreigners,” Filander says. Unsustainable tourism practices are what contribute to the overdevelopment of countries like Costa Rica. Filander, however, says he understands why tourists flock over to Costa Rica; and instead, blames the government for not limiting the amount of land they can buy, and for allowing them to influence the cost of products. “To give you a better idea, the Costa Rican beer, Imperial, is more expensive here than in other countries,” Filander says. “How is a product that is 100 percent Costa Rican, produced in Costa Rica, more expensive in Costa Rica than in surrounding countries?” A six-pack of Imperial beer in Costa Rica costs $8.50. The same six-pack can be found in the states for $7.99, and for $6 in Panama.
TUSK 46
CULTURAL
EXTIN
NCTION
TRIBE EXPLOITS CULTURE FOR SURVIVAL
WRITTEN BY: VERONICA FELIPE PHOTOS BY: YUNUEN BONAPARTE & AUSTIN HENRY WALLACE DESIGN BY: NILAYAM PATEL
LA FORTUNA, COSTA RICA - Merlin Alvarez Elizondo walks barefoot across the dirt floor. He opens the door and looks at the wood and palm leaf thatched ceiling of a traditional Maleku home. Behind him stand girls and boys dressed in clothing made from bark. They watch as strangers from the United States stroll into the home. Handmade, wooden masks carved from balsa trees line the dark room. Each mask features a different animal that represents certain attributes. A mask featuring a jaguar, for example, is called a “Tafa,” and represents leadership, intelligence and love for nature. They are colorful, they are beautiful and they are for sale. “Capi capi!” Elizondo says in his native language of Maleku Jaica. “Very, very welcome.” As the tourists sit on wooden benches, Elizondo tells tales of Maleku culture and customs. They were a tribe of strong hunters who gave up hunting during the 21st century to create art and reforest their land. “Most of us work in La Fortuna,” Elizondo, 31, says. “Sincerely, tourism is an economic fountain that helps us stay alive.” The Maleku is the smallest indigenous tribe in Costa Rica. Once a tribe with approximately 265,000 people and territory that stretched out as far as the Nicaraguan border, their population has dwindled to a mere 625. Their land is now reduced to three small palenques, or villages, inside their reserve – Palenque Tonjibe, Palenque Margarita and Palenque El Sol. Inside this small, earthly home in La Fortuna, the Maleku showcase their traditions and culture, yet it is simply just that – a show. “This is a small representation. Why? Because today we dress like all of you,” Elizondo says, pointing to the tourists wearing shorts and T-shirts, taking photos of him. While tourists witness a colorful, ceremonial performance, in reality, the ancient Maleku tribe is struggling to keep their culture alive. Government policies and pressures to modernize are affecting their land, customs and education.
TUSK 48
“Our culture is going extinct,” Elizondo says. “I feel like no one is supporting us live our Maleku identity.” Costa Rica is home to eight indigenous peoples (Bribri, Brunca, Cabecar, Chorotega, Guaymi-Ngobe, Huetar, Maleku-Guatuso and Teribe-Terraba) living in 24 territories. The Maleku is one of the only four indigenous tribes that continue to conserve its culture. “I feel proud to be 100 percent part of my authentic Maleku culture,” Elizondo says. In order to support their way of life, the Maleku have turned to hyper-local tourism. While mainstream tourism offers common activities such as zip lining and horseback riding, the Maleku sell access to their lives through tours of their homes, schools, medical gardens and dance ceremonies. These tours are not offered in La Fortuna, but at the Malekus’ reservation in Guatuso, which is located about 25 miles north of La Fortuna. Two immense volcanoes – Arenal and Tenorio – shadow the reservation. This land is surrounded by forest, which is a central part of the Maleku culture. Trees are the heart of their economy since selling masks, bowls and musical instruments carved from wood are their biggest source of income. However, the Maleku try to only cut down the balsa trees they grow. “We do not want to destroy any more trees because by doing so, we are destroying ourselves,” Elizondo says. Part of Maleku culture is to live among Mother Nature and avoid affecting natural habitats. Despite its conservation efforts, the need of farmers outside of the tribe to grow pastures and livestock increases. This has spurred deforestation around the reservation, destroying valuable plants, leaves and herbs from the surrounding forest that the Maleku use for medicine. “(Farmers) have cut so many, so many trees, and it hurts because we are protectors of Mother Nature,” Elizondo says. The Maleku have been battling to regain land for years. The Maleku and other native tribes across Costa Rica have lost land to non-indigenous
S I E R U T L U OUR C
people who’ve encroached upon reserved land. “Approximately 6,000 non-indigenous persons are occupying at least 43 percent of the areas belonging exclusively to indigenous peoples,” according to a study conducted by the Forest Peoples Programme. The loss of land and trees is more than just a loss of space and scenery for the Maleku; their culture and way of life stems from the ground beneath them and spreads to the nature that surrounds them. “We used to eat with leaves and when we finished, we’d throw the leaves on the ground because they were organic,” Filander Alvarez says. “Then we were given glass plates and when we finished eating, we’d throw the plates away because no one told us we could reuse them.” The 29-year-old Maleku leader said that the Costa Rican government, in an effort to modernize the reservation, slowly stripped away parts of Maleku culture. “The worst enemy of the Maleku is the government,” Alvarez says. “We can no longer construct typical Maleku homes because the government has forbidden the use of palm. In reality, they don’t want us to continue with our culture.” Unlike their ancestors who lived in palm and wooden homes, today, the Maleku live in concrete houses, constructed and funded by the Oscar Arias administration in 1986. “They didn’t consult with us on how to live in these homes. My people were used to our traditional homes with dirt floors and fire pits, which symbolize the flame of life, in the middle of the home,” Alvarez says. “So when they made us these concrete homes, my people thought that they could still have a fire pit on top of the concrete floors. But, the heat from the fire broke the ground; the smoke made the ceilings black and 28 years later, the houses are severely deteriorated.” The Maleku no longer use wood for their homes. The only wooden homes they have are
T C N I T X E G S GOIN TUSK 50
used for ceremonial purposes and for visitors to see. “We are from the bosque, forest, and want to be from the bosque,” Elizondo says. Despite these outside pressures, the Maleku fight to keep nature and land a part of their culture through various cultivation efforts. “We are trying to grow more trees so that animals return and we can coexist with Mother Nature,” Elizondo says. While some Maleku spend their workdays planting balsa trees and re-cultivating their land, most are devoted to making souvenirs to sell. Yet only about 30 members of the tribe actually work on the reservation, Elizondo says. Everyone else must travel to outside towns for work, which creates its own issues. “We need to forget parts of our culture in order to find work,” Elizondo says. He describes how dependent on tourism Costa Rica is, and how those who work outside of the reservation need to know Spanish and some English to succeed. “Our language, nuestra lengua, we have to practically forget.” As a way to assimilate, the Maleku began teaching their children Spanish within their schools. Schooling is provided to all Maleku children until sixth grade. After that, they have to finance the rest of their education. Very little, if any, government aid is provided to help continue the Malekus’ education, Alvarez says. “It’s a shame to see kids give up on going to school because they don’t have the economic means para seguir, to keep, paying for the bus, para seguir buying books, or para seguir in school,” Alvarez says. Alvarez believes that if the Maleku received more support to attain higher education, then “more Einsteins would come from (his) town.” Indigenous children make up 2.5 percent of all Costa Rican children and adolescents. Within that indigenous population, school attendance is 60 percent, which is below the national average of 68.54 percent. Yet, despite not having urban resources, “the illiteracy rate is 7.7 percent, a full 5 percentage points higher than the national average,” according to UNICEF’s 2013 annual report on Costa Rica. “The majority of the approximately 14 Malekus who work in La Fortuna are trilingual. It wasn’t because we studied them, but because we listened to them and practiced them. That’s our intelligence,” Alvarez says. Without further education, most Malekus Indians are inclined to work as tourism guides.
51 TUSK
“We n ee d to FORGET p a rt s of ou r C U LTU RE in o rd e r to fi n d WORK .” Yet, some like Alvarez are able to attend college through personal perseverance. Back in La Fortuna, inside the Maleku home, recreated to entertain tourists, Alvarez dances around a fire pit placed in the center of the room. He wears nothing but a skirt made out of long, brown palm leaves and bark. His shaggy, black hair points out in different directions under the strain of a leather headband decorated with sunflowers. After the dance, he stands, maybe 6 feet tall, and holds a long, wooden rain stick. Alvarez doesn’t look like a college graduate, let alone an ex-politician. As a child, Alvarez always knew he wanted to pursue education. Every job he’s ever had was in pursuit of that desire. Then, at the age of 12, he began attending political town meetings. “I came to the conclusion that the only way someone was going to do something for the indigenous territories was if an indigenous is in the government; an indigenous that is always thinking of the tribe and not of their pocket,” Alvarez says. Alvarez used up all his savings to earn a degree from INCAE Business School. Then he went on to forge a political campaign in hopes of becoming a deputy candidate for Alajuela. That campaign, and the rest of his political career, was lost after he was accused of stealing information from other candidates, Alvarez says. Alvarez had hoped to receive assistance from the government in order to help his community. With very few Malekus, government assistance with land retention, living conditions or schooling could help preserve their unique life and culture. The small traditional Maleku home and tourist attraction is also home to the hope of cultural survival. Every item represents a Maleku family. Written on each mask is a few numbers representing which of the 15 families made that mask. “Este lugar es una gran bendición para mi cultura Maleku. This place is a great blessing for my Maleku culture,” Elizondo says.
TUSK 52
WRITTEN BY: LAURA OIKAWA PHOTOS BY: YUNUEN BONAPARTE & AUSTIN HENRY WALLACE DESIGNED BY: BLANCA NAVARRO
FROM CALIFORNIA TO COSTA RICA, ONE MAN STRIVES TO NURTURE NATURE
T
ucked within the lush green hillsides just south of La Fortuna, Costa Rica, lies a hidden gem. Spread out across 207 acres of sky-scraping trees and ground-hugging
Farrell took up an “organic lifestyle” in his college years,
vegetables, herbs and flowers, one man has crafted what can
when he was attending Florida Atlantic University. He recalls the
only be described as a tropical Garden of Eden.
first time he was inspired to eat clean.
For the last 21 years, Steven Farrell, a California native,
“I remember I saw a program on PBS about a coconut
has devoted himself to organic farming. Grooming the land
cream pie and they went through the ingredients and there was
and making use of the climate, the naturally fertile soil, and
no coconut and there was no cream in it and thought, that was
native Costa Rican vegetation, he has produced what is called
the most absurd thing.”
a “forest farm.” In other words, his focus is not on row crops,
He and his college friends, inspired to lead healthier lives,
but on working with the natural ecosystem to sustain the
started raising their own food in the garden of their home,
rainforest and produce food.
while following the Rodale Composting Book and the Rodale
Finca Luna Nueva is alive with the sights, sounds, and
Growing Book as their manuals.
smells of Costa Rica. Sloths and toucans can often be spotted,
After spending a year in Europe traveling to different
perched high in palm trees, and hummingbirds found frequently
farms, he wound up in California where he worked for five
in the sweet fruit trees. The farm is visited regularly by about
years on an organic farm in Santa Barbara and sustained his
250 species of birds and houses 35 different species of frogs, an
real agricultural education.
important indicator that the land is healthy, Farrell explains.
53 TUSK
“I was always connected with nature,” he says, tracing his interest back to his Cub Scout days.
After receiving his agricultural education, he moved to
At 66 years old, Farrell himself echoes the essence of his
Costa Rica at 33 years old to pursue macadamia nut farming.
surroundings. With piercing blue eyes, a distressed red bandana
Farrell soon found the climate to be too wet and the rain severely
tucked beneath his rugged grey beard, a research hat slung
impacted his harvest. He was eventually able to purchase the
across his neck, and a mind chock-full of knowledge eager to be
land that now houses Finca Luna Nueva, and began trying to
shared, his energy is just as vivacious as his garden.
grow other crops.
TUSK 54
“I love it,” he says, of the home he has made for himself. “I couldn’t think of living anywhere else.” “His farm is his work of art,” says Danilo Solano, a consultant at Finca Luna Nueva. As Farrell’s vision grew, so did his farm. Today, he cultivates about 120 edible crops, producing everything from common household vegetables like tomatoes and peppers to exotic treats like jackfruit and acai berries. He grows cultural staples such as pineapples and papayas, but also lesser known plants such as the nutty-tasting katuk, and moringa, which offers a complete protein with more calcium per serving than yogurt.
He also tends to about 150 cacao trees on his field. The pods are harvested as Farrell alongside his fellow farmers, extract, ferment the cacao beans and later grind them with an authentic 3,000-year-old metate to produce casero-style, artisan chocolate. Part of the farm is dedicated to cultivating and preserving “sacred seeds.” According to Farrell, deforestation is causing about 150 to 250 species to go extinct every day. “But, if we can take those plants and semi-domesticate them in different areas, we’ll have these pockets of genetic material that we can reintroduce to other areas,” he says. Everything Farrell grows at Finca Luna Nueva is done through biodynamic agriculture. Biodynamics promote a holistic approach to farming, interrelating the importance of the soil, microorganisms, plants, animals and environment. First conceptualized by Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s, biodynamic farming is considered a spiritual science, one that promotes healing the earth, believing it to be a sanctuary for nature spirits. Though Farrell says he is skeptical about gnomes and fairies himself. “I haven’t seen any yet,” he jokes. “I’ll send out an email when I do.” Cara Cipolla, a holistic nutritionist from Toronto, Canada, has been working at Finca Luna Nueva for about three months now and believes thoroughly in its spiritual qualities. “Some days, you meditate and you’re just really in tune with what’s going on. It sounds really silly, but you can talk to the plants and they listen.” Despite his upbeat demeanor, Farrell’s passion stems from a bleak vision of the future.
“I felt that the world was heading to a terrible conclusion,” he says. “Tom, my partner on the farm, we would just lament that, here we’ve done all this work and we were just moving the deck chairs on the Titanic, but no matter what we’d do, the whole ship was gonna go down.” But two years ago, he discovered the power of regenerative farming. This technique emphasizes the importance of returning carbon into the earth by composting and nourishing the microorganisms which live in the soil. 55 TUSK
“We release more carbon from farming, than we do from all the tailpipe emissions in the world,” reveals Farrell. This reality is what has inspired his newly found sustainable methods for farming at Finca Luna Nueva. “We are on nature’s side,” Cipolla elaborates. “We really try to compliment it and benefit it in the best way possible.” Joseph Biechler, director of the research department and compost manager, has been working at the farm since February 2013. He is a soil ecologist and microbiologist who believes that the farm is paving the way for research in regenerative agriculture. He also admires Farrell’s thirst for knowledge, desire to keep expanding and improving his methods. “It’s like working in a school,” says Ismael Torres, who has worked as a tour guide at the farm since 2010. “You learn something new every day.” Torres believes deeply in Farrell’s work, calling him “a guardian of Mother Earth and protector of nature.” “For many, he is a hero,” Solano elaborates. “He’s a little bit crazy, but it’s a sublime kind of crazy, he’s the kind of person with very noble ideas and strong convictions.” Farrell, who lives 20 minutes away from the farm and works on it six days a week, says it is his children, his 19-year-old son and 25-year-old daughter in particular, that motivate him. “I want young people to have the same wonderful life and experiences that I had getting to know nature and becoming a part of it.” He believes the future lies in this generation’s hands, to create a thriving planet that can be enjoyed for another 60 or 70 years. Farrell says, “There’s a lot of hope. I take that hope, and I dedicate my life to doing it.” His advice for consumers? “Put your dollar where your fork is. Buy local, go to your farmer’s market. Ask them about their system, drill them, and if they know what they’re talking about, they’ll be happy. Buy from people that are doing it right. We really need to all work together.”
TUSK 56
57 TUSK
BY: YUNUEN BONAPARTE WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED N ILLUSTRATED BY: WINIFRED KWA TON ING EDG IE JUL BY: DESIGNED
TUSK 58
Sebastian Gaetano, better known by his performer name, Araknido Sapiens, has enacted circus-type shows in the streets and on stage for nearly 20 years. Araknido seeks self identity within his character through “teatro proprio,” or “personal theater,” and draws inspiration from his everyday experiences or “hechos cotidianos.” He then uses different tools to enhance his performance, such as monocycles, balls or bowling pins.
59 TUSK
Araknido, or “spider,” a nickname given to him in middle school, demonstrates a balancing act with a couple of small basketballs. He rarely does street performances because he is more organized on stage and can put on a better show. “Toda la vida a sido artistico”, he says, “I’ve been artistic all my life.”
TUSK 60
61 TUSK
“Este pais es un poco dificil,” Araknido says, “This country is a little challenging.” But this is all he has ever wanted to do. He found freedom working in the streets – freedom to move, freedom to live. His whole life is based on ingenuity and a constant pursuit of the next act. He says he will continue to perform until the day he cannot. “El que entra al circo, nunca sale,” he says, “Once you join the circus, you never leave.”
TUSK 62
65 TUSK
TUSK 66