New Works: Heryka Miranda and Norma Araiza

Presenting new work by Norma Araiza (Yoeme Nation & Mexican Basque) and Heryka Miranda (Guatemalan American).

“Norma Araiza and Heryka Miranda are old friends of Nozhem: strong female Indigenous performing artists who bring deep practices of connection to cultural roots, earth, and land. They both dance with fluidity between beings. We look forward to seeing these new works!”

-Jenn Cole, Artistic Director, Nozhem First Peoples Performance Space

Heryka Miranda: Toj

‘Toj’ in the Mayan sacred calendar means to offer payment for the sustenance received throughout life. In this structured improvisational ‘work in progress’, Heryka offers an embodied prayer; her ‘Toj’ to the seven galactic directions; the wisdom of the jaguar that clears the path of obstacles, providing her with the courage to utilize and reveal her voice and the guidance of hummingbird as death doula. With love and grief in her heart from mourning the loss of loved ones who have recently passed, along with the process of letting parts of herself die; she offers a prayer of gratitude to the power of transformation as she enters a time of rebirth, connecting to the wisdom and teachings of Yaz Tz’unun – Blue Hummingbird.

Norma Araiza: Ewi! an old man? Are you kidding me???