Wikitmallem Tahmuwhae: A Southern California Favorite
Wikitmallem Tahmuwhae: A Southern California Favorite
Written by Terria Smith
Each and every year the anticipation for Wikitmallem Tahmuwhae is thrilling. Some of us get new ribbon dresses made just for the occasion. After all, it’s the event that kicks off the rest of Southern California bird song gatherings, fiestas and festivals for the year.
For those of you who don’t know what I am talking about (you might want to ask somebody), I am referring to the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum’s Singing the Birds (Wikitmallem Tahmuwhae): Bird Song and Dance Festival – bird songs are what we sing socially. The gathering takes place each year, bringing together hundreds of people – especially bird singers and dancers – from across the region. Groups and families come from tribal nations including the Kumeyaay, Luiseno, Mojave (as well as Mohave), Maricopa, Serrano, Quechan, Cupeno, Chemehuevi and lots of other neighbors. It all takes place in the middle of Cahuilla territory in Palm Springs.
I have been coming to this wonderful event year after year, seeing it grow tremendously. This year was my first year officially running the booth for Heyday’s Roundhouse (former News editor Lindsie Bear did a wonderful job with this last year). The entire day was filled with seeing relatives and friends; happily hugging them, teasing one another, eating together, and catching up on gossip all. Most importantly, all we got to hear are our bird songs all day long. Those songs hold our pride as peoples and our history.
The singing grew stronger and stronger as the hours grew on, as more singers and dancers came. Groups who came included the host group the Hot Water Bird Singers, L.H. Mojave Bird Singers, Morongo Bird Singers, Cocopah Bird Singers, Pai’niktem Bird Singers, Parker Boys, Spitfire Bird Ingersoll, Fort Mojave Bird Singers, Inter-Tribal Bird Singers, and the Kumeyaay Bird Singers. It seems we all have our favorite groups as well as songs.
It’s absolutely wonderful the way this tradition has grown (from 30-or-so-years-ago) from being just a few remaining elder singers who were keeping the power in those songs alive, to now a huge gymnasium full of fetching singers and beautiful dancers who live for those songs. The strength and endurance that’s prevalent is magnetic!
The day seemed to race by far too quickly and before I knew it, it was time to pack up and leave. Already, I can hardly wait until next year. But before that, there’s a string of other wonderful events surrounding birds songs that I will have to get to in the coming seasons!
