Imagine:
If you could hear what a prophetic tree had to say, would you share what the tree was telling you?
If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?
If you could become an animal, what animal would you be?

'Yomumuli and the Talking Tree' is a creation story that has been passed down for generations. There are many different versions. The one you are hearing is a combination of two: one by Yaqui leader Anselmo Valencia and the other by Yaqui temasti Lucas Chaves.

The Yaqui, or Yoeme, are Indigenous peoples whose homelands include the Río Yaqui valley in Sonora, Mexico, and the area below the Gila River in Arizona, Southwestern United States. They also have communities in Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico. Yoemem (also known as the Yaqui Nation) believe they descend from a tribe called the Surem.

About today's storyteller:
Mexican of Yoeme/Basque heritage, performer, choreographer, and instructor living in Toronto, Norma Papalotl Araiza works in different modalities within the arts blending dance, theatre, vocals, percussion, and text with cultural and traditional themes in a contemporary context. Norma has studied with international artists such as Jerzy Grotowski, Eugenio Barba, Natsu Nakajima, Tascabile di Bergamo, Kei Takei, Pol Pelletier, among others. Norma is the co-artistic director of Vanguardia Dance Projects, a collective promoting Latin American and Indigenous dance artists. She holds a Master’s Degree in Dance Ethnology from York University and graduated from the Expressive Arts Therapy Program at CREATE Institute. She has a private practice as an Expressive Arts Therapist. Her work has been presented at different venues in Toronto, throughout Ontario, Montreal, Hungary, California, Rochester, NY, New York City, Colombia and throughout Mexico.

Draw and share...
What was your favourite part of the story? If you’d like to share a drawing you've made inspired by 'Yomumuli and the Talking Tree', you can do that at catchmeinthekitchen.com/fan-art and we will post it on our story fridge!

Catch the latest!
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Our first audiobook, ‘Pigs, Princesses, and One Tough Turtle’, along with a paperback copy, is available through our website.

Yaqui / French / English from today's snack:

• yoawam / les animaux / animals


• bwia / la terre / land


• vaa’am / l'eau / water


• huya / l'arbre / tree


• eeye / les fourmis / ants


• monte / la montagne / mountain

Merci beaucoup!
Merci à Norma Papalotl Araiza for sharing her instruments and telling ‘Yomumuli and the Talking Tree.’ Thank you to Professor Pineapple and Bearkin for the episode illustration.

This Audio Snack was performed by Norma Papalotl Araiza, Professor Pineapple, and Bearkin. Creative and production support by Ginette Mohr and Stephen LaFrenie. Additional episode music by Tim Freeman and Red Velvet Revolution.

See you soon! A bientôt!

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