Oct 1: sii agua sí

sii agua sí
Saturday, October 1st
2pm – Prayer walk from Mission Dolores to 18th Street
3pm-9:00pm – Festival on 18th Street between Church and Dolores Streets, SF
FREE Outdoor Event. RSVP HERE: (https://siiAguasi.eventbrite.
FLACC and Dance Mission Theater have come together for a day-long street closure to activate the Native American Heritage Site at Dolores Park and remember the waterways on the 18th Street/Mission Creek Corridor (between Church and Dolores Streets) via art and cultural events. In partnership with Ohlone leaders, local artists, Mission High School, and the American Indian Cultural District, this ritual performance intervention will bring awareness to the blocked and soil-filled waterways in Yelamu (what is now known as San Francisco) and will memorialize the 5,700 Indigenous ancestors buried in the Mission Dolores cemetery during early colonization.
sii agua sí means “water water yes”, “sii” being the Ohlone Ramaytush word for “water.” With a temporary sidewalk art by Adrian Arias and Pancho Pescador to guide the audience and dancers in the daytime and installing Ben Wood’s large scale video projections of water to light up the site at night, the October 1st festival will take place within a watery landscape. Water blessings, land acknowledgements, traditional and contemporary dances, ofrendas (ancestor altars) and a creek water sound installation by DJ Ras K’Dee of Audiopharmacy will decolonize the area replacing the usual presence of buses and cars from 3-8pm.
The opening ceremony will be led by Kanyon Sayers-Roods/”Coyote Woman” (Ohlone Mutsun and Chumash) and a closing ceremony with a video memorial for the 5,700 native ancestors will be led by Gregg Castro (Ohlone Ramaytush). During the day, Kanyon and Gregg will be hosting “Ask a Native”: An educational Oh lone-led Q&A space on the grass and Nizhone Ellen Wood (Nii Mii Puu/Nez Perce & Apache) is offering a participatory tobacco prayer-ties culture share near the water altar space.
In addition to traditional dance and Ohlone representation, the day will include: Hector Jaime (MX/US), Carmen Roman(Peru/US) and Violeta Luna (MX/US) creating work encompassing themes of water, queer latinidad, and immigration. The FLACC Community Dancers: Liz Boubion(US/MX), Nicole Maimon(US/MX), Stephanie Hewitt(US/DR/JA), Carmina Márquez(US/MX) will be activating the site at Dolores Park on Saturdays from 1-3pm leading up to the festival.
Funded in part by Kenneth Rainin Foundation, California Arts Council, and the Zellerbach Family Foundation.
SCHEDULE
SII AGUA SÍ PROGRAM ORDER
Indigenous-Led Prayer Walk: 2pm-3pmIn honor of the lost Waterways of Yelamu + the 5,700 native ancestors buried at the Mission Dolores.)
sii agua sí street closure (decolonizing 18th St. between Church St. and Dolores St.)
PART 1 : Day activation 3-6:30pm
Opening Celebration: 3pm
Gregg Castro (Ramaytush Ohlone)
Kanyon Sayers-Roods (Ohlone Mutsun Culture Bearer)
Hummaya Singers and Dancers (The Costanoan Rumsen Carmel Tribe)
Youth Performances: 4:30pm
Intertribal Friendship House- Youth Ensemble
Mission High School Youth
Red Lightning Woman Power
Interactive Chalk Mural Project: 3pm-5pm
Adrian Arias (Peru/US), Pancho Pescador (Chile/US), Cece Caprio (Philippines / USA)
Taco Truck! 3-7pm
Children’s Tent: 4-6pm
Arts and Crafts hosted by the American Indian Cultural Center
Tobacco Prayer Ties: 5-7pm
Nizhoni Ellenwood(Nii Mii Puu/Nez Perce & Apache)
DJ Dance Set! Ras K’dee (Dry Creek Pomo): 5pm
Come and dance to some amazing beats!
Mayan Yucatan Dance Class + Demonstration! 5:30pm
Asociación Mayab-Maya Yucateco
Kids Parade for the Waterways! 6pm
Children of all ages leading Salmon Run (Fishies and instruments provided)
Hosted by the American Indian Cultural Center and Piñata Dance Collective
Altar Artists:
Mara Lea Brown
Bea Laurel
FLACC/ sii agua sí Team
PART 2: Evening Activation 6:30-9:30pm
Performances by:
Carmen Roman(Peru/US)
Juliana Mendonca (Venezuela/US)
Violeta Luna(MX/US)
Jesus Cortés (MX/US)
Joel Pomerantz (Waterways Historian)
Piñata Dance Collective/Liz Duran Boubion(US/MX): Carmina Marquez, Laila Shabazz, Valerie Mendez, Bae Laurel
Kanyon Sayers Roods (Ohlone-Mutsun and Chumash)
Arenas Dance Company (Cuba/US)
Xochipilli Dance Company/Hector-Jaime Rodriguez(MX/US)
Gregg Castro (t’rowt’raahl Salinan / rumsien & ramaytush Ohlone)
Large Scale Video Projection / Memorial: 5,700 Ancestors (Ben Wood)
FILM: Jonathan Trudeau-Standing Rock/Dance Mission Theater