Culture takes a starring role in war against COVID-19

The fertile mind of poet/author Juan Felipe Herrera was trapped in the COVID-19 bubble for more than a year.

“I’m always in my studio, but this time I was stuck there in isolation,” said the 72-year-old Fowler resident. “I felt very disconnected.”

In March, the U.S. poet laureate emeritus got a telephone call from Amy Kitchener, founder/director of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), asking him to write a poem to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Together, so many years; I do not want you to leave my side”

The poem blossomed into a play, which is a part of a four-part effort – teatro, poetry, mural and music – in the Central Valley to raise awareness about vaccines and continued COVID-19 safety precautions. It is part of California’s Your Actions Save Lives campaign.

Herrera’s first public appearance in more than a year was at the Madera flea market the morning of June 13.

In between remate visitors lugging watermelons, mops, plants or any other item that caught their fancy at the Madera fairgrounds, Herrera brought ‘Vacúnate Prudencio’ (Get Vaccinated Prudencio) alive as a teatro in the styles of Teatro Campesino and radio plays from the 1940s that blended humor with a message for their audiences.

“My love, do you remember? When we picked fruit, apples, grapes, strawberries, then cotton, beets and cauliflower?”

“I started to write the play in that style, the carpa libre, where the mother and daughters convince Prudencio to take the vaccine,” said Herrera following the second, morning performance by his Teatro La Familia Feliz.

Herrera did write a poem, ‘Tantos Años Juntos’ (So Many Years Together), which fellow poet Miguel Villegas has translated into Mixteco.

Pop up performance preparation began in March

Kitchener didn’t have much time to organize ACTAvando Contra COVID, the performances featuring Herrera’s play, Los Originarios del Plan and their tierra caliente music, as well as a poem by Herrera and trilingual performance artist Una Isu (Villegas), and music by CarmenCristina Moreno.

She was contacted in March, and told the work had to be performed by the end of June.

“I do not want you to leave my side. Vaccinate, protect yourself against Covid-19 – and all this about masking up, six feet apart; do not be afraid, fill yourself with hope”

The cultural outreach, said Kitchener, is key because the coronavirus has “disproportionately hit the Latino community here in the Valley.”

Latinos form many of the frontline workers, she said.

Herrera said getting the message out in Spanish and English – along with Villegas’ Mixteco – is important because such information getting to the Latino community “is limited.”

“It’s not bilingual, typically, and it doesn’t get there. Materials don’t come,” he said.

“Nother is stronger than our family and our love”

Kitchener’s proposal was vetted and approved by the governor’s office.

An important byproduct, said Kitchener, is spotlighting Valley talent.

“The artists that we commissioned in this project are the cultural treasures among us here in the Valley,” said Kitchener. “They all have their own expression, their tradition and their interpretation of tradition. It’s not just one size fits all.”

“Storms approach us, sometimes yet the sun conquers, always take the vaccine, health is our light, our family, our beauty”

Los Originarios del Plan, who wrote and recorded the song ‘Valona pal Covid,’ are based in Merced County. Two friends of the group died from COVID.

“We know how important it is to get vaccinated and we don’t want any more deaths,” said group leader Leonel Mendoza. “It has been almost a year and a half since this nightmare began – we would like a sense of normalcy and to see our country back on track. The longer it takes for us to all get vaccinated, death may be waiting for us around the corner.”

Moreno, who now lives in Colorado, recorded ‘La Canción del Covid,’ in which she recommends the use of face masks, proper distancing and the vaccine.

“Take the vaccine, a brilliant path awaits us, together we’ll go, now is the time”

Grupo Recreación Musical is based in Bakersfield. The group wrote ‘Chilena Covid 19.’

“It’s a different challenge to compose and sing a chilena about COVID-19,” said group leader Pedro Cruz. “We hope that our song reaches many of our fellow country people from Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Puebla to raise our voices and together beat this illness.”

A website – www.actaonline.org – provides additional information.

‘El Poeta de Fowler’ reached back for inspiration

Herrera – whose name is ‘El Poeta de Fowler’ in the play – reached back in time to come up with the play. Teatro Familia was the name of an El Paso border troupe his uncle and aunt participated in. Their performances were broadcast by Mexican radio station on the border.

“So many barriers we have crossed, days, nights, lakes and mountains, valleys and deserts yet we survived, take the vaccine and filled with light we shall continue our struggle, growing, living smiles, fountains, happiness, in unity”

Students who were in Herrera’s teatro classes at Fresno State a quarter century ago were recruited.

The play is simple. Prudencio thinks he’s too tough to worry about the coronavirus. After all, he took a train from Ojinaga, Chihuahua, México all the way to Colorado “all by myself!”

He won’t listen to his wife.

His daughters’ words are wasted on him. Prudencio belittles his oldest daughter’s college education by calling her “La Doctora de la Cebolla” (Doctor of the Onions).

“Grandfathers, grandmothers send us prayers the until path ahead call us”

Leave it to the Bruja de Avocado Lake to strike fear into Prudencio. The witch “convinces” Prudencio of his wayward thinking, and he decides to get vaccinated.

The radio play has aired on Radio Bilingüe, and will be performed outdoors in Arvin this weekend.

“The father realizes it isn’t about him, that it’s about his family,” said Herrera, who believes El Teatro de la Familia Feliz will be instrumental in getting post-pandemic life back on track.

“Our daughters and sons, new celebrations in each heart life will pronounce its songs fiestas and quinceañeras and miracles, all the good we planted is about to blossom; take the vaccine, together we go, all of us”

“It’s the medicine that cures COVID II, as well as the vaccine,” said Herrera, referring to the post-pandemic reality. “It releases all the negative stuff and brings up the positives.”

Herrera suggests people reach out to others to make sure they’re feeling OK, “whether it’s a phone call or whatever, just to say hello.”

The pandemic isolation, he said, “cuts us away from friends and family outside.”

“Today is the day, the table is served; gifts of life will flourish in our house”

“We have to speed up and let go of our isolated selves,” said Herrera. “Stretch out to the sun, look at the trees. Sing a little song and tell a little story. Otherwise, COVID II is going to grab us; and that’s another kind of infection.”

“Take the vaccine, I do not want you to leave my side; nother is stronger than our family and our love”