Native American Cultures, particularly the Taino Indian tribe of the Caribbean. I have combined my other love, photography, with my Native American interest. My work reflects both those interests.
Music
There is basically no music which I dislike. I will listen and enjoy practically anything; rock, classic, country, new age, international... I am pretty much open to any and all good music.
Particular music which I do listen to includes: Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Rush, Yes, George Thorogood, Jimmi Hendrix, Santana, Jethro Tull, AC/DC, The Who, Queen, The Police, The Doors, Moody Blues, Chicago, Beach Boys, R.E.M, The Animals, Elvis Presley, Meatloaf, Styxx,Kiss, Tom Petty, and a bunch more. I also enjoy Alternative Rock from the 80's and 90's such as The Clash,Duran Duran, Blondie, The Cars, Men Without Hats, Men at Work, Soft Cell, Matchbox 20 Tones on Tail, The Cult,Bow Wow Wow, The Polecats, Missing Persons, The Tubes, Thomas Dolby, The Vapors, Love and Rockets, The Bangles, Haircut 100, Adam Ant.. you get the idea.
Movies
Same Time Next Year (Absolute Favorite), The Ten Commandments, Altered States, Miracle on 34th Street, Brazil(extended version), Blade Runner (Directors cut), Ben Hur, Silent Running, The Darwin Awards, Pathfinder (2007)
Messages
UCTP 634 Messages In This Digest (2 Messages)
1. Sussex County Native American Heritage Celebration From: UCTP Office
2. Available now: THE VOICE OF THE TAINO PEOPLE NEWS JOURNAL From: UCTP Office
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1. Sussex County Native American Heritage Celebration
Posted by: "UCTP Office" la_voz_taino@yahoo.com la_voz_taino
Thu Jul 9, 2009 8:59 pm (PDT)
Location: Sussex County Fairgrounds – 37 Plains Road, Augusta, NJ
Admission: $12 adults, $6 seniors and children (age 6 & under free)
Free Parking
Time: Saturday 11am to 8pm & Sunday 11am to 6pm
Dancers Entry: Saturday at 1pm & 5pm, Sunday 1pm & 3:30pm
Hot line (973) 447-0648 / 718 686 9297
As part of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's expiration of the Hudson River, the Redhawk Native American Arts Council will host the first of four Native American Celebrations called Native People of the Lower Hudson Valley the New Jersey event will take place at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, in Augusta. For a decade, this location has served as the site for the "Sussex County Native American Heritage Celebration" – a family friendly festival with more than 1,000 artists, performers and educators from across the Americas demonstrating the finest in Native American song, dance, drumming, food, art and crafts.
This event is part of a four festival series called Native People of the lower Hudson Valley. The mission of the events is to educate the general public about Native American traditions and cultures, and to help brake stereotypes about who Native Americans are today.
The highlight every year is the dancing, when Native Americans from across the country showcase their different styles. In contest powwows, the dancers are judged on their outfits, their dancing ability and how they tell a story with their dance. Some of the categories are:
• Men's Fancy War: With a circle of eagle feathers on their backs, they spin furiously
• Woman's Fancy Shawl: With shawls draped across their shoulders, they appear to float
• Men's Northern Traditional: The dancers tell stories of past hunts and battles
• Women's Jingle Dress: They make the sound of a gentle rain falling to the earth
• Hoop Dancer's: a magical dance creating animal shapes as the dance with small hoops
In honor of the indigenous people hailing from outside of the U.S. there will also be a Polynesian dance troupe representing through dance cultures from the islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa and New Zealand, an Aztec group from Mexico City and Inca groups from Peru and Ecuador.
Other highlights of the event include authentic cuisine: buffalo burgers, venison stew, corn soup and fry bread, and the opportunity to interact with tribes like the Sioux, Navajo, Winnebago, Cherokee and Mohawk. Many of the artists have journeyed across the continent to showcase and sell their breathtaking paintings, carvings, pottery, beadwork, jewelry and leatherwork.
The family friendly event also features a live bird of prey exhibit, pony rides and tipi raising.
About Redhawk: The arts council is a nonprofit headquartered in Brooklyn. It was founded in 1994 to educate the public about Native American heritage and contributions through cultural expression. In addition to hosting four major cultural events in the tri-state area, the council also addresses negative and incorrect portrayals by offering educational workshops and performances in schools and companies. Contact at (718) 686-9297 for more information.
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Messages in this topic (1)
2. Available now: THE VOICE OF THE TAINO PEOPLE NEWS JOURNAL
Posted by: "UCTP Office" la_voz_taino@yahoo.com la_voz_taino
Thu Jul 9, 2009 8:59 pm (PDT)
THE VOICE OF THE TAINO PEOPLE NEWS JOURNAL, Volume 13, Issue 2, April
– June 2009 has been uploaded to the DOCUMENTS Section of
www.uctp.org. This document is a pdf, downloadable version of the
print edition news journal: The Voice of the Taino People (ISSN
1553-9350). Featured articles include Indigenous Leaders Meet in
Panama and Indigenous Global Climate Change Forum and more...
View the journal at:
http://www.uctp.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=46&&Itemid=38
The Voice of the Taino People News Journal is designed to be and
functions as a different entity than our online news services located
at www.uctp.org and beyond. There are stories and features included
in the print edition that are not always included online. Likewise,
there are features online that are not always included in the print
editions. The United Confederation of Taino People strives to provide
many media options that will serve the different needs of our diverse
community. We hope that our readers find utility in several of our
products, and we appreciate your continued support.
Thank You,
United Confederation of Taino People -
Office of International Relations and
Regional Coordination (UCTP-OIRRC)
div>
Television
Alf, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, Heroes, The Dead Zone, The Prisoner (60's), old television shows. The Grimm Adventures of Bill and Mandy, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, Monty Pythons Flying Circus, Starlost, Star Trek Voyager, Beauty and the Beast, The Office (American), The Benny Hill Show (British), The Jack Benny Show (television and Radio), 1st season of Lost in Space, MTV the first three years it was in existence.
Books
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Political
Heroes
My Native American Ancestors. They fought the valient fight against those who oppressed them. In their honor, I use the phrase, "Cry not, for we YET live".
Welcome to the Boriken Warrior circle of friends. Don't forget to add yourself to the map below.
University Of Hawaii At Manoa
Honolulu, HI
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: In Progress
Major: Photography
Clubs: University Newspaper
1998 to 1999
Leeward Community College
Pearl City, HI
Graduated: 1998
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Associate's Degree
Major: Photography
Clubs: School Newspaper, Spanish tutor
1995 to 1999
Washingtonville Shs
Washingtonville, NY
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
1978 to 1978
Bayside Hs
Bayside, NY
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Click bar below for EXCLUSIVE Boriken Warrior Merchandise!
Welcome to Boriken Warrior.I was born in Panama Canal Zone in 1960. As a military "brat" for the first 17 years of my life, I had the opportunity to live in Georgia, New York, Colorado, Alaska and Hawaii. One of my fondest memories is living in a small post in New York called Fort Totten. I was there for seven years and to this day, it remains one of the happiest times of my life.
I entered military service Jan, 1978. I left the service in 1992 with just under 15 years. During that time, I was a helicopter mechanic (Uh-1h Huey), aviation maintenance supervisor and an Aviation Life Support Technician.
I have been interested in photography since the age of nine. I first processed and printed my own images in 1978 at Stewart Airport, upstate New York (Newburg/Washingtonville). I started my Native American Imagery in Puerto Rico back in 2004 and have continued with it to this day.
I have two daughters and one son. I am also grandfather to a boy and a girl. Hi, Elizabeth! My wife is from Hawaii and my family is from Puerto Rico, so shuttling between the two islands has become routine.
My Native American photography started quite by chance as a 9th grade class in Puerto Rico wanted their portraits made as Hawaiians. My wife and I asked ourselves why Hawaiian? Did'nt Puerto Rico have a culture of their own? Thus began my journey into an entirely new world.
-In researching the Taino culture of the caribbean, I found that there were very few true images available. And the few that were available made the Taino tribe look like savages. The images where just horrible. In addition, I also found out that much of the Puerto Rican people knew very little of their own culture. In fact, they were more interested in the Spanish culture from Spain than in the rich heritage in their own backyard.
Getting the project off the ground was very difficult. The biggest challenge was in getting the models. The Taino tribe, living in a tropical island, basically wore no clothing. In fact, the females wore no clothing at all until they were married. Finding models to pose and maintain accuracy was practically an attempt at self destruction.
The first real photo shoot was difficult. Two males and two females arrived at the location. One female opted to keep her top and bottom on. You can see her in some of the images. The second female, as soon as the word "Internet" was mentioned, left immediately. Either way, the shoot was completed and the rest is history.
Please note. Of all the images I have produced, only one set (with girl halfway buried in the ground) was made under a controlled environment. The rest of the images were made in the deep jungles of Puerto Rico. The work was difficult, the models suffered and endured harsh environments, but the results have been phenomenal.
My work is an attempt to bring dignity and respect to my people and in effect, to the rest of my Native American brothers and sisters. Our ancestors have suffered in the past and I think it prudent that they be recognized for their hardships as well as for their under-recognized contributions to this nation and the world. I can only pray that my work has an effect on everyone, be it scholastic or emotional.
I sincerely hope you enjoy "our" work as much as we enjoyed making it. Boriken Warrior will be offering merchandise based on these images in the near future. Don't forget to request a "friend" add. You can then contact me directly or leave a public message in the comments section. In addition, you will receive timely notices on news and availability of new merchandise via the bulletin board. Thank's for visiting and please, pass the word along. -Koa-
At an early age, Koa knew that photography would be his chosen path. He became a professional photographer for the United States Army after studying journalism and photography at the University of Hawaii. He later returned to Puerto Rico to seek, find and photograph life where it did not exist…
In the manner in which humanity evolved and eventually discovered the secrets of nature, it ultimately stopped believing in magic. The bolt of lightning no longer announced the coming of the Gods and became a simple discharge of electricity and our origins were no longer attributed to corn or to clay but instead became a logical result of natural selection.
In Puerto Rico, this magical condition still lives via it’s indigenous past. It is no wonder that it still persists to this day since our indigenous roots not only form part of our past but also part of, although not actively, of our present. Feliciano has researched the works regarding the indigenous tribes on the island. He culled all his knowledge, experience and resources of more than 25 years to begin an Indigenous photography project in 2004. He wanted to present the theme in a manner which would showcase their humanity instead of presenting them as relics from the past. His desire was to show the sensuality, friendliness and tenderness which the Taino Indians held for their families. He did not want to photograph them as savages but instead, as human beings.
This talented photographer also unites with the Puerto Rican film, Guatagua. He presents his work to demonstrate that the indigenous culture of Puerto Rico still exists and that the magic of their beliefs should not be forgotten. The legend of Guatagua and this photographic exhibition complement the dreams and desires of the past and of the culture. Together, they reveal our desire of never forgetting who we truly are.
Koa’s photography evolves into a short film as you emotionally animate the static images into living objects by simply focusing the lens in your mind. On this occasion, Galerias Dilan invites you to transform these static images into a mental film by allowing your imagination to be the central character of each photograph.
Gretchelle Dil�n
Executive Director
Galerias Dil�n
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Producing this body of work was not an easy task. There were many people and agencies, both private and public who placed some very heavy barriers in my way. I am very sorry that they did not help and some even actually interefered. Nothing would have pleased me more than to have added them in this section.
However, there were many individuals who contributed immensely in the making of the images and those are the ones that I would like to thank.
I would like to thank Tony Gonzalez, history teacher at Gabriela Mistral High School in Casta�er, Puerto Rico. He was a fountain of knowledge and encouragment. I had a question, he had the answer.
My mother and father, who without them I would never have gotten started. They helped me with equipment purchases and materials. My father must have placed several thousand miles on his car taking me to photoshoots, factories, meetings; he even played photo assistant at many of the shoots. His house was always available for the models to come over and shower and even for huge BBQ's. Yes, we ransacked his place. He even brought to one of the shoots, on an emergency basis, several boxes of pizza. That was a bad day that produced many excellent images. He was a pilar of support then and now. So, to mom and dad... thanks!
I also need to thank all of the models involved. Without them there is nothing. They took a chance on me and my vision and where rewarded with pride in a job well done. Some did it for cultural pride, others did it so they could have something to show their grandkids what they looked like in their younger years (yes, grandma, you were a hottie). Regardless of their motivations, they endured long hours in harsh environments; hot outside and freezing when in running rivers, muggy and dangerous and the slippery rocks did not help either. Almost all of us slipped, tripped or otherwise found ourselves on the ground at one time or another. We laughed at our "clumsiness", brushed ourselves off and kept on going.
Using little to no clothes, the makeup itching and the positions they were placed in; it was all a challenge which they endured and a miracle that many of them actually came back for more.
To all of the models... I am humbled by your trust in me. I was thrilled when I saw the looks on your faces as you set your eyes on the finished images for the first time. And I was doubly surprised and thankful when you asked, "So, when is the next photo shoot"?
To all of you... thank you. THANK YOU! You are all the best and I bow before you for allowing me to capture your shining souls withing my tiny light capturing box.
I thank my wife Lilson and my son Raven for their un-yielding support. They were there from the very germination of an idea and have seen it grow. No complaints, no hassles... I thank you. And also to my daughter Samantha and my granddaughter Elizabeth. I rarely see you both, but we talk every week on the phone and as usual, your support has always been there for me.
And last of all, I thank all of you! The Native Americans who have become a part of the Boriken Warrior family, the photographers who spend countless hours with me discussing our craft and to all of you who happen to have stumbled upon this page. Thank you for your support, for passing the word around and for allowing me to share my vision with you.
-Koa-
..
Who I'd like to meet:
I would love to meet and accept as friends those people with similar interests in Native American Culture and in Photography.
Good Mornng Koa! Thanks so much for the friendship! Please let us know what ya think of the music if you get a chance! Hope you are having an amazing day! T.S
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