07/08/2026
We are proud and grateful to have completed our second filmmaking workshop with the Tohono O'odham youth in Arizona. ✨🌵🎬
We experienced two weeks full of learning, filming and sharing with our new students and part of the music community from the Tohono O'odham Nation. Shoutout to Gertie & the TO Boys, Cameron, Denis, Daniel, Russel, René, Heriberto, Group Passion, Papago Warriors, Native Creed and all the people we got to meet along these couple of weeks.
Guided by the voice of Gertie, an extraordinary Tohono woman and leader of one of the region’s most renowned bands, the students produced a short documentary film during the workshop that explores the musical traditions of the Tohono O'odham Nation. Known as “Waila,” or more commonly as “Chicken Scratch,” it is a blend of European polkas with rhythms such as Mazurka, Cumbia and regional Sierreño from the north of Mexico.
A big thanks to the San Xavier Allottees Association and for all their support in making this workshop possible.
And, above all, special thanks to our students for joining us in the classroom to collaborate on creating a beautiful documentary that we hope to share with you soon.
