{"id":53346,"date":"2025-09-08T14:26:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T21:26:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humanities.org\/?post_type=story&p=53346"},"modified":"2025-10-02T10:03:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T17:03:32","slug":"announcing-the-2025-2026-heritage-arts-apprenticeship-pairs","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.humanities.org\/story\/announcing-the-2025-2026-heritage-arts-apprenticeship-pairs\/","title":{"rendered":"Announcing the 2025-2026 Heritage Arts Apprenticeship pairs!"},"content":{"rendered":"

WACultures, Washington State\u2019s organization dedicated to documenting and preserving traditional skills, is excited to announce the 2025-2026 cohort of Heritage Arts Apprenticeship projects.<\/p>\n

The 16 projects include traditions like Mexican dance, Japanese calligraphy, Klezmer violin and many more, and were selected from over 50 applications representing the diversity of community-based art across the state. During the year-long project, each Master Artist works with an Apprentice for 100 hours to impart artistic and cultural knowledge, techniques, repertoire, and history. The teams work in close proximity to learn the kind of specialized knowledge an apprentice needs to soon be considered a master worthy of teaching themselves.<\/p>\n

Now in its eighth year, the program is growing in both scope and depth. \u201cWe\u2019re honored and excited,\u201d says WACultures director Thomas Grant Richardson, \u201cto get to support the cultural practices taking place in so many communities across the state. These are deeply meaningful artistic practices that benefit not only the Master Artist and Apprentice, but the communities they come from and indeed our whole state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Practitioners often lack the resources and networks to pass on their skills, and as a result, many traditions are at risk of being lost. In addition to both preserving traditional skills and generating income for the practitioners, the program also helps apprentices develop important leadership skills.<\/p>\n

Program participants may teach or study music, visual art, occupational arts, dance, culinary traditions, storytelling and other verbal arts, and much more.\u00a0Many who have been part of the Heritage Arts Apprenticeship Program use their experience to create businesses centered on their traditional products, or better establish themselves as teaching artists or paid performers. But most importantly, folk and traditional artists and practices provide meaningful ways for people to connect with their past and build bridges to other communities in the present.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lot more about the process than the product,\u201d says Director Richardson, \u201cand during that process so much is conveyed between master and apprentice that isn\u2019t easy quantifiable, and sometimes only seen by those who know how to look. But it\u2019s that kind of knowledge that really makes a master, and that\u2019s what keeps traditions thriving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Check out information about participants, their traditions, and their progress throughout the year at wacultures.org<\/a>. \u00a0Each team participates in a public event either in their own community or as part of the annual Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle over Memorial Day weekend.<\/p>\n

WACultures is co-presented by Humanities Washington and ArtsWA.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE TRADITIONS:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yakama fishing scaffolds (Harrah)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Aaron Whitefoot<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Isaiah Goudy<\/p>\n

Master Artist Aaron Whitefoot will teach Isaiah to build scaffolds and sew nets to fish for salmon on the Columbia River in the traditional Yakama way. Every year when the salmon return in April, enrolled members from the Yakama tribe migrate down to the Columbia River to run their hoops and nets. The Columbia River has been a gathering place for Native American fishermen for thousands of years, and this form fishing from scaffolding has been passed down from generation to generation.<\/p>\n

From Apprentice Isaiah Goudy, age 16, \u201cI’ve grown up watching my family and friends carry on this tradition, and I would like to be a part of history.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Capoeira Angola (Seattle)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Syed Taqi<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Hannah Ti\u00ean<\/p>\n

Capoeira Angola is a centuries-old African-Brazilian practice blending rhythmic combat, song, and handcrafted instruments into a living language of resistance and community. This apprenticeship will deepen movement, music, and instrument-building skills while cultivating inclusive leadership for women of color in Seattle\u2019s Capoeira leadership.<\/p>\n

From master Syed Taqi: \u201cMy goal is to prepare Hannah to be ready to graduate to the next level of Capoeira leadership en route to become an official leader of Mestre N\u00f4’s Capoeira lineage. I chose Hannah because I believe it is important for BIPOC women, especially LGBTQ+ members of my community, to represent Capoeira as role models and leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Danza folcl\u00f3rica (Mexican folkloric dance) (Walla Walla)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Sara\u00ed Gonz\u00e1lez<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Mariana Ruiz-Gonz\u00e1lez<\/p>\n

This project will focus on improving basic ballet folklorico footwork; learning to identify techniques from different regions in Mexico; and understanding its history and cultural influences, including its evolution in the United States.<\/p>\n

From Master Sara\u00ed Gonz\u00e1lez: \u201cFolkloric dance is a transnational expression that helps the greater Mexican-American community preserve and weave their cultural heritage beyond the border. Our purpose as a group [El Color de Mexico] is to create an inclusive space where people of all ages and origins can discover, learn, and connect with Mexican cultural heritage through dance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gathering of Materials: Cedar Root Baskets (Ellensburg and Wenatchee)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Randy Lewis<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Sia Aronica<\/p>\n

This project passes knowledge of what materials are needed in the creation of traditional Cedar Root baskets, what materials will need to be foraged, where and when to gather said materials, and how to prep them for use.<\/p>\n

From Master Randy Lewis, \u201cIn basketry, much time and labor are involved in the gathering and preparation of the materials. You cannot make a good basket out of bad or badly prepared materials, you need good materials to make good baskets.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mexican Mural Making(Vancouver)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Christian Barrios<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Marianna Cruz<\/p>\n

With the guidance of Master Christian Barrios, and his deep knowledge of Mexican traditions and symbolism, apprentice Marianna will research, plan, and produce a local mural that represents Mexican traditional culture.<\/p>\n

From Master artist Christian Barrios, \u201cMy artistic journey is deeply intertwined with my community’s vitality, embodying a commitment to enriching and celebrating diverse cultural landscapes through art. This engagement with the past fosters a sense of heritage and appreciation within the community, bridging cultural divides and promoting a deeper understanding of our interconnected world.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shodo: Japanese Calligraphy (Lacey)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Chiyo Sanada<\/p>\n

Apprentices: Lisa Maria d\u2019Aquila, Max Boone<\/p>\n

Japanese calligraphy, or \u66f8\u9053 (shod\u014d) “the way of writing,” is a traditional art form that uses<\/p>\n

brush, ink, and paper to create art using Japanese characters like kanji, hiragana, and katakana. The purpose of shodo is to train good penmanship, meditate, and create art that adds a personal, expressive touch to each stroke.<\/p>\n

From Master Chiyo Sanada, \u201cWhen it came time to choose a university, I decided to pursue a career as a Shodo teacher, with the dream of sharing the joy of Japanese calligraphy with people worldwide. I have been teaching calligraphy for 25 years in Washington. While teaching at university and high school, I emphasized Japanese calligraphy as a cultural and heritage section of the curriculum.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Klezmer Violin: Repertoire, Style, and History (Seattle)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Sandra Layman<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Shulamit Kleinerman<\/p>\n

Klezmer music has accompanied Jewish communal life with both celebration and lamentation. It expresses a unique mix of joy and grief, capturing the sense of both loss and resilience that characterized the centuries long history of Yiddish-speaking Jews in Eastern Europe.<\/p>\n

Master Artist Sandra Layman will share the tune repertoire and the specialized violin skills of the oldest traditional style of klezmer music, including ornamentation, phrasing, and expression, as well as the arts of playing sekund (violin harmony), improvising, and arranging for ensembles.<\/p>\n

From Master Artist Sandra Laymen, \u201cWhile klezmer today has come to mean different things to different performers and audiences, we\u2019ll focus on the older violin sound, style, and repertoire that I came to love. We want to keep klezmer string playing alive, both as part of the Yiddish-culture musical heritage and for the musical artistry it brings for players themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lao Natasinh: Lao Classical Dance (Auburn) <\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Sirichanh Sisavatdy<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Keira Gan<\/p>\n

Lao Classical Dance uses hand gestures and movements to tell poetic stories. Lao Classical dance is an artistic expression and a national treasure that embodies the essence of Lao identity, traditions, and values.<\/p>\n

From Master Sirichianh, \u201cPreserving original choreography, music, and meaning is both a personal responsibility and a cultural imperative. It is both a privilege and a profound responsibility to carry forward traditional Laotian classical dance, a cultural treasure entrusted to me by one of the last surviving Master Dancers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tsimshian Language Preservation: Social Sm’algyax (Lynnwood)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: David Boxley<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apprentices: Barbara Belk, Jerome Nathan<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sm\u2019algyax is the language of the Tsimshian people. This project will strengthen and expand participants’ foundation of Sm\u2019algyax vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and conversational skills. Throughout the learning process, apprentices will develop curriculum and workbook materials for use in family and community-based learning and teaching.<\/p>\n

From Master David Boxley, \u201cOur language is the foundation of our culture. Everything that we do, everything that we think, everything that guided us historically was through Sm’algyax. The fact that there are less than 50 people on the planet who speak our language rings the urgent bell in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Songs Documenting PNW history (Renton)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Hobe Kytr<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Joe Seamons<\/p>\n

The tradition of making songs that reflect the stories of working people and the land that sustains them is much older than Washington State. This project is to learn and address our true history through songs of our region.<\/p>\n

From Master Hobe Kytr: \u201cMy specialty is songs and stories of the Northwest, with a focus on the lower Columbia River and adjacent environs in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. Traditional songs from this region are rare, but there are wonderful stories to tell. I have been writing songs in traditional style for most of the past fifty years to share these stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

This apprenticeship is a partnership between WA Cultures and the Oregon Folklife Network.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Barrio Culture and Ballpoint Pen Art (Granger)\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Madeline Alviso Ramirez<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Noah Lara<\/p>\n

Unique to Chicano\/a barrio culture, ballpoint pen art has become a dominate form in recording the amazing identity that comes from a culture deeply rooted in art, resilience, and pride. Chicano barrio artwork is recorded by using a basic ballpoint pen and paper to create images displaying \u201cthe barrio.\u201d<\/p>\n

From Master Artist Madeline Alviso Ramirez, \u201cBallpoint pen art, often created with what we had access to, reflects creativity born from limitation\u2014drawing in notebooks, on envelopes, on anything we could find. These art forms are passed down informally\u2014through homies, family, and the neighborhood\u2014and serve as acts of self-love and survival. They preserve our voice. They honor our ancestors. They challenge stereotypes. Barrio art isn\u2019t just art\u2014it\u2019s how we remember who we are, and how we teach the next generation to stay rooted in cultura.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Traditional Japanese Taiko Drumming (Auburn)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Ringtaro Tateishi<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apprentice: Eugene Arai<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taiko Drumming has been used in Japan for various occasions including religious ceremonies, entertainment, and even military actions since the 6th century through Chinese and Korean cultural influences. The current popular form of “kumi-daiko”, or ensemble taiko, started taking shape in 1951 by Master Taiko drummer Daihachi Oguchi.<\/p>\n

From Master Ringtaro Tateishi, \u201cThe whole reason that I brought my family over to the United States in 2003 is because the U.S. is a country that runs with immigrants from all over the world, which means this country is basically a small version of the whole world. Here, as we spread this Japanese culture in the U.S., we will be able to understand each country\u2019s culture as they understand ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

This apprenticeship project is generously funded by ArtsWA\u2019s Wellness, Arts and the Military program.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Traditional \u00d1uu Savi (Mixteco) Gastronomy (Seattle)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Lucila Gonzalez<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Gloria Ramirez Santiago<\/p>\n

This project focuses on the ancestral foodways and artisan traditions of the \u00d1uu Savi (Mixteco) Indigenous community from Oaxaca, Mexico. It focuses on preparing ceremonial dishes such as traditional mole and tamales rooted in the cultural and spiritual practices of women in La Mixteca.<\/p>\n

From Master Artist Lucila Gonzalez, \u201cI come from La Voz Tututepec, a Mixteco (\u00d1uu Savi) town on the Oaxacan coast. \u00d1uu Savi means \u201cpeople of the rain,\u201d and our traditions are rooted in land, food, language, and storytelling. My grandmother was a keeper of our culture. She spoke Mixteco and taught me how to make mole, tamales, and other ceremonial foods that are shared at weddings, funerals, and community gatherings. These recipes are not written down, they are taught by doing, by memory, by heart. Women in our community carry this knowledge, and food becomes a way to show love, to remember our ancestors, and to bring people together.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Y\u00e9il Koow\u00fa Raven\u2019s Tail Weaving, \u201cDressing Our Dancers\u201d (Tumwater)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Shaadootlaa Iyall<\/p>\n

Apprentices: Daphyne Albee, Sammantha Williams<\/p>\n

“Dressing Our Dancers\u201d revitalizes regalia, stories, and history while strengthening urban communities. Tlingit artist Shaadootlaa teaches apprentices Daphyne Albee (Tlingit) & Sammantha Williams (Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian) to weave with traditional dyes, thigh-spun warp, and ethnomathematics for ceremony.<\/p>\n

From Master Shaadoootlaa Iyall, \u201cThis work is spiritually significant, time-intensive, and materially costly. Sustained funding is critical to support the weavers\u2019 ability to teach, create, and continue wrapping future generations in the strength of tradition, identity, and resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ragapravaham: Carnatic music on the Indian violin (Covington)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Ganesh Rajagopalan<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Amatra Jagannathan<\/p>\n

Ragapravaham is a tradition within Carnatic music that features lyric-less compositions designed to showcase the uniqueness of melodic instruments. These works bring fresh, innovative perspectives to Indian classical music.<\/p>\n

From Master Ganesh Rajagopalan, \u201cIn my community, Ragapravaham has opened new pathways to engage with tradition, especially among younger generations and global listeners unfamiliar with the languages of Carnatic compositions. Though contemporary in presentation, it remains grounded in the time-honored grammar of raga and tala. It honors tradition while innovating within it, ensuring that our musical heritage remains vibrant, accessible, and ever-evolving.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Swan Dancing (Yakima)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Master Artist: Mary Lee Jones<\/p>\n

Apprentice: Joelle Jones<\/p>\n

The Little Swans, aka Iksiks Washanahla, are a group of young girls ages three and above. The collaborative work helps young girls with a sense of identity, cultural competence, tribal language, and public speaking.<\/p>\n

From Master Mary Lee Jones, \u201cThe significance of the Swan Dancers in our culture and community is vital! The Swan Dancers have traveled far and wide with over 100 girls during my time with the group. The community utilizes the dance group as a representation for our area.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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