Jaguar Rising Event Summary
"FriendRaiser," Nogales, Arizona. Kate Scott & Will Clipman, Lauren Strohacker, Erick Meza, Cassina Farley, Virginia Maria Romero and a panel of experts. Wildlife and the Border Wall is central issue.
Jaguar Rising Premier
Over one hundred people attended the event on May 11, 2024 hosted by non-profit, Madrean Archipelago Wildlife. In essence it was a “Happening.”1 This happening mixed art, performance and science, highlighting our critical obligation to keep the U.S./Mexico border open to the needs of migrating wildlife, with special emphasis on the America’s apex predator, the Jaguar. Animals and people have crossed the border freely for thousands of years. Selfishly conceived to keep the human animal away, wildlife have become its “collateral damage.”
Over millennia people and animals have been forced to migrate for survival. The Wall only adds to their suffering and death in the southwestern desert.
It all begs the question, where did your ancestors come from, and why? Secondly, do the masses really value life on Earth? Third, do Americans condone the suffering of fellow men, and most innocent of all, wild creatures who cannot govern themselves?
In 2016, established environmental law was carelessly tossed aside by fiat. Poorly informed politicians unsympathetic to the critical connection of all life, and our obligation to protect it, made devastating unilateral decisions without input from indigenous peoples, residents along the southwest border, or scientists on the front lines.
The Border Wall is their poster child. Our poster child is the American Jaguar, top predator and third biggest cat on Earth, a creature of untold mystery.
The Activities
Kate Scott (jazz musician, designer, activist) & Will Clipman (7 time Grammy nominee, percussionist, poet and activist), came together in performance to express their love for nature through song, costume, poetry, video, and the visionary imagery of Las Cruces artist, Virginia Maria Romero. Virginia couldn’t be present because of a family health emergency. She was dearly missed. Roz Switzer read her story about the Mexican Gray Wolf, Mr. Goodbar. Erick Meza offered an animated performance of a Native American parable in Spanish with English translation by Cassina Farley with her Anna’s Hummingbird puppet, with flute accompaniment by her husband Zach Farley and his Jaguar flute.
The second act at the Wittner Museum was a panel discussion by distinguished experts well-versed in the plight of the Jaguar and the ecocide being perpetrated by the Border Wall. The panel (L-R): Rewilding Institute, Conservation CATalyst, Northern Jaguar Project, Great Old Broads For Wilderness, Wildlands Network.
For almost 30 years Jaguars have been attempting to move north into the Southwest, once part of an indigenous habitat that included most of the United States. U.S. Government policy extirpated the Jaguar in the twentieth Century. Despite the Border Wall, in recent months new Jaguars have entered through a small number of unfenced sections, demonstrating resolve and need for habitat s. Minimally, these sections must not be closed lest we continue ecocide at the southwest border (our lower 48 state’s most diverse ecosystem). All of this turmoil is the result of Donald Trump’s Border Wall and his outrageous policies from 2016 to 2020.
Become part of the effort to spread the word. This can only be stopped with grassroots activism and in the voting booth this November 5th. Don’t fail to cast your vote. Stand up for responsible environmental policy. Be the agent of change.
After a break for refreshments at La Linea Art Studio supplied by Madrean Archipelago Wildlife and the Rune Winery, Lauren Strohacker (eco-political artist from Knoxville, Tennessee) featured her images of endangered wildlife projected onto the hateful, razor-wired border wall itself.
Appreciation goes to all who migrated between three locations for the festivities, and to those who graciously contributed a suggested donation. Thank you.
—Tony Heath
Thanks to Artists, Experts, Staff & Contributors
Alphabetically: Valer Clark, Janay Brun, Will Clipman, Cristina & Zach Farley, Diana Hadley, Tomàs Jonsson, Laiken Jordahl, Evan Kory, Erick Meza, Russ McSpadden, Robin Motzer, Aletris Neils, Ryan Olinger, Faith Posey, Virginia Maria Romero, Lauren Strohacker, Turtle Southern, Roz Switzer, Myles Traphagen and Paula Wittner.
Rune Winery, Sonoita, Arizona
Producers: Kate Scott & Tony Heath, Madrean Archipelago Wildlife (MAWC).
Support and Assistance: India Aubrey, Alyson Ball, Christie Brown, Kelly McClung, Marilee McTigue, Virginia Maria Romero, Turtle Southern, Maggie Urgo, and Dre Huerr.
Final Note: To produce these events costs money, hours of time and creativity. MAWC is an all volunteer non-profit. Kate & Tony receive no renumeration and regularly contribute a portion of their social security. All contributions go to the critical needs of wildlife and to educate the public. These events are an act of love and friendship with every contributor volunteering their knowledge, time and talent.
Please submit your contributions for future event expenses and the wildlife advocacy of Madrean Archipelago Wildlife at Donate to MAWC. Thank you!
“A happening is a performance, event, or situation art, usually as performance art. The term was first used by Allan Kaprow during the 1950s to describe a range of art-related events.
Happenings emphasize the organic connection between art and its environment. Kaprow supports that ‘happenings invite us to cast aside for a moment these proper manners and partake wholly in the real nature of the art and life.’
Allan Kaprow and other artists of the 1950s and 1960s that performed these happenings helped put ‘new media technology developments into context’. The happenings allowed other artists to create performances that would attract attention to the issue they wanted to portray.”
–Wikipedia
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This is wonderful!!! You are wonderful people