VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 155 ((previously aired as EP 106))
AIR DATE # 01 01 2021 ((previously aired 01 24 2020))
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Rebirth
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This year, I have decided to make two ravens
embracing. I thought it was one of the most important
things I'd ever seen.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Birding
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
In many places, the only legitimate place to go other
than the grocery store and the hospital, is the
outdoors. And it's a safe place to be right now as long
as you keep your distance from other people.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Festive Lights
((Lucy))
In 2021, I want COVID to be gone so we can go back
to our normal lives.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) BURNING SCULPTURE
((Previously aired January 2020))
((TRT: 15:00))
((Banner: Rebirth after Winter Solstice))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Native American flute: Aldean Ketchum))
((Map: Bluff, Utah))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 6 male; 2 female))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Hallowed ground retains its own energy. I relish the
day after the burn, when I get to come and clean it up
and walk away from a black stain. It's great. I mean,
something happened and there's a tiny black stain on
the earth where it happened. Very simply, it makes
me happy. I love it.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: John Grager))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
My name is Joe Pachak. I'm an artist. I love to do
sculpture. Every year, I make a very large piece of
sculpture
((Courtesy: John Grager))
and on December 21st, at a very important time,
Winter Solstice,
((Courtesy: Roger Hansen))
the beginning of the astronomical year,
((Courtesy: Eric Ming))
I set fire to it as a spiritual event connected to the
science of our relationship between Sun and Earth.
When you start a new year like that your spirit is
raised.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We are seeing a pecked route out that was done a
very long time ago. And I’m counting: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-
8-9 pecked steps going up right here.
Utah is a very rich place for prehistoric culture. It is
right on the crust of the earth, everywhere.
I've worked as an archaeologist in Bluff for 25 years
and rock art has inspired a lot of things that I have
produced as sculpture and painting. Hopefully,
people will see the importance of rock art as a
message to the modern world.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I used to come down here when I first moved to Bluff
in 1983. I was climbing two trees and sitting up there
in the crotch of the tree with a drawing pad. I looked
up and I saw a mammoth. I had just discovered the
first Pleistocene rock art in North America. And I got
choked up. I mean, it’s such a powerful event. I
mean, I had just discovered the first Pleistocene rock
art in North America. No other rock art depicting
mammoths have ever been found in North America or
South America. They are approximately 14,000 years
old. I actually cried out loud when I saw that that was
a mammoth and that there were other tusks on the
panel. It's inspiring, you know.
((Courtesy: Wayne Ranney))
((NATS))
About 20 years after the discovery, I built the life size
mammoth to commemorate that mammoths were
near the town of Bluff.
((Courtesy: John Gregor))
After the mammoth, I've done nine other
((Courtesy: R.E.Burillo))
effigies that were burnt on Winter Solstice,
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This year, I have decided to make two ravens
embracing. It's something that I saw on a river trip. I
thought it was one of the most important things I'd
ever seen. Our country, especially now, needs to
express love in any way that it can. There are two
sides that aren’t getting along. So, this is really a
good subject for this year.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
There is communication. It’s a relationship. I've been
feeding them for about 20 years. Here's one flying
around.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This is a good one. Maybe this one.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We are a few days away from Thanksgiving now and
it's gotten a lot colder. We still have a lot of work to
do.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Yeah, one person could not do this alone. It's
impossible. We have about 25 volunteers show up. I
feel great about having the community come down. I
like the idea that they feel that they've invested time
and that this is part of their celebration. So, I want
that to happen. It's important.
((NATS))
((John Gregor, Volunteer))
I’ve worked on that yesterday. That and then the other
one over there and then over there a little bit. You
know, this town has only got a few hundred people
but there's probably easily a significant majority of
them that are involved in this at some point.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Let’s go help unload.
((Jim, Neighbor))
Hey, how is it going?
Where do you want these willows?
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Jim.
Right in here, somewhere.
((NATS))
((Kelly, Volunteer))
We harvested these from our farm which is called the
Historic Curtis John's farm on highway 162.
((NATS))
((Neighbor))
Joe is my neighbor. He's a really great sculptor and
it's kind of an honor to be able to work with Joe
Pachak. Some people come around and want to tell
him what to do and he kicks them out.
((NATS))
((José Yavari, Volunteer))
Watch your leg.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Cut down a little bit.
Ugh?
((José Yavari, Volunteer))
Watch your leg.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Watch my leg?
I wouldn’t saw my own leg.
((John Gregor, Volunteer))
I said that about my thumb the other day and tried to
cut it off.
((NATS))
((Kelly, Volunteer))
I don’t know why we do this. We do it for the sake of
art, but it’s like how things work here.
((Bess Bennett, Neighbor))
Yeah. It’s just another thing of Bluff.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Do you have any more curved sticks? I’ll take that
one.
José, I like it that you keep referring to this as an
organic thing.
((NATS))
((John Gregor, Volunteer))
Oh, shoot.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I got it.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We’ve used all those large curved sticks up already.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We're looking for willows. Can you cut this one?
These died during a flood. You can see it’s plentiful.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Yeah, free sticks, makes it nice. I've probably spent
at the max. $300 on wire and a new saw and pliers.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
There's too much commercial stuff in our lives, you
know. We don't do anything because we truly love it
and I don't want to do this as a commercial thing.
((NATS))
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
Good morning. How are you doing?
((José, Volunteer))
How are you?
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
What was your name?
((José, Volunteer))
José.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
José. Good to see you….
((José, Volunteer))
Yeah.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
The raven, you know, it dissipates whatever bad is.
That's what we practice.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
How would you want to set them on fire?
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
When we want to burn this, we will say, “All the bad
things that's going on in the world, we're going to burn
it right now.”
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I really do try to involve the Native American cultures
that I live around. I want to make artwork that is
culturally sensitive that will bring people together.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
Okay. Ahe’hee’.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Ahe’hee’.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Curtis Yanito))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This is Winter Solstice morning. It's a happy day for
me. After two months and two days, we've finished
the sculpture and we're ready to celebrate.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
When this burns, it will come to life.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I feel so exhilarated. I feel so energized. I'm ready to
take on another year. I'm ready to take on my 70th
trip around the sun.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Curtis Yanito))
((Crowd))
Oh, God. It's too bad.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
They just took a nap. Yeah.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
They're taking a nap. I don't feel bad about it. Not
one bit. They're still embracing.
((Friends))
They are. Well, it was beautiful when it was standing.
It's beautiful now.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Yeah, it's beautiful now.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Michael Ramsey))
((Aldean Ketchum, Ute Flute Player))
Tog'oyak. Thank you.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
Winter Solstice for Native Americans is our new year,
so, Happy New Year.
((Crowd))
Happy New Year.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
The Raven, you know, it provides healing for like
nightmares and sadness and stress and leads onto
Alzheimer’s. Tonight, when the light is fired, say
"pah", so we send all the bad energy off. That's it.
Thank you. Pah.
((Crowd))
Pah.
(NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I believe the collapsing embracing ravens may be a
metaphor for what is happening in our world, in our
creative process of the industrial age. With that in
mind, I want you all to have a good year and I want
you to come back next year after you've traveled
around the sun, standing on this earth. Thank you
very much for coming.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
When you sacrifice or burn something that you've
worked hard on, it remains in the memory of all those
people who watch it because there's more profound
aspirations in the crowd.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We don't need a lot more objects in the world. We
need experiences to help us grow.
((NATS/MUSIC))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
More to Birding
((SOT))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
The connotation of bird watching is that all we do is
watch the birds. Not only do we look at them, we
study them. We do scientific surveys.
((Jessica Bowser))
Looked like a juvenile to me because I saw an adult
fly to the right.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) BIRDING
((Previously aired July 2020))
((TRT: 03:34))
((Banner: Birding))
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera: Mike Burke))
((Map: Alexandria, Virginia))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub character: 1 female))
((NATS: Larry Meade))
There is a Bluebird.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
I am Larry Meade. I am President of the Northern
Virginia Bird Club.
((Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
I’ve always been interested in birding, but I’ve been
seriously birding, keeping track since 2002.
((NATS))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
The connotation of bird watching is that all we do is
watch the birds. But birding is more of an all-
encompassing concept because not only do we look
at them, we study them. We do scientific surveys.
((NATS: Jessica Bowser))
Looked like a juvenile to me because I saw an adult
fly to the right.
((NATS: Larry Meade))
We study their behavior.
The one behind me in the pine tree.
We travel to see them.
((NATS))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
We are at Huntley Meadows Park. What is really
unique about this is it is a freshwater wetland which is
unusual. It’s got the nice boardwalk. It’s pretty
unique in that way and that you can get really pretty
close to the birds and other wildlife.
((NATS: Jessica Bowser))
Now, the Great Crested Flycatcher is back.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
Jessica is a member of our club.
((NATS: Larry Meade))
Here’s another. Here’s a Tree Swallow right here.
((NATS: Jessica Bowser))
I hear him singing.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
It’s nice to be able to share experiences.
((Stills Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
If I'm by myself, I like to post my photos on Facebook
and get reaction from people that way.
But when we’re with a person, number one, it's
another set of eyes, like she spotted some Cedar
Waxwings I probably wouldn't have seen. And I
spotted some stuff she probably wouldn’t have seen.
So, you've got more chance to see the birds, but you
can also discuss the birds and just catching up with
friends too. It's just a social thing.
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
Being outside is always rewarding regardless of the
weather, regardless of what it is that we get to see,
because the outdoors is always a surprise. You
never know what you're going to find. Back in 2013, I
was playing around on the Internet and found an app
that I could download on my phone that was a birding
app. And so that kind of piqued my interest. And
then I went and got a book about birding and realized
just how intricate and detailed it really is.
((NATS))
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
Birding kind of became like a scavenger hunt. And
Larry mentioned earlier that birders keep a life list,
which is a list of all the birds that they've seen.
((Stills Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
And so, when you start out and everything feels new,
you’re sort of, you know, adding to that life list and it's
growing and it’s growing and it just becomes
addictive.
((NATS: Bird Singing))
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
It's good for your health to be outdoors. It's a very
calming experience. But personally, as a former
educator, I believe that everybody should be
connected to nature because we have to conserve
nature.
The birds are diminishing. The research shows that
we've lost over 3 million birds over the past few
decades and that's really scary. And I think that
people aren't going to be aware of that, if they're not
connected to it.
((NATS: Nature Sounds))
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
In many places, the only legitimate place to go, other
than the grocery store and the hospital, is the
outdoors. And it's a safe place to be right now as long
as you keep your distance from other people. And so,
people are going outside in ways that they never have
before. And they're noticing things that they hadn't
noticed before. And they are making that connection.
And they're finding that birdwatching or birding, as we
like to call it, is very relaxing.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
The basic tools for a birder are binoculars and some
kind of field guide so you can figure out what the birds
are. I really like the Red-headed Woodpecker. That's
one of my favorites.
((NATS: Nature Sounds))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
I would encourage people to pay attention to birds.
((Stills Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
There is a whole worldwide community of birders. I
mean it's not just here. It's everywhere. It’s just a lot
of fun.
((NATS: Nature Sounds))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
New York City Lights
((SOT))
((Joe, Local Homeowner))
Well, I've been decorating my house for about 25
years since my son was about nine years old.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) NYC HOLIDAY LIGHTS
((TRT: 3:52))
((Banner: New York City Holiday Lights))
((Reporter/Camera/Drone: Aaron Fedor))
((Editor: Kyle Dubiel))
((Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Map: Brooklyn, New York))
((Main character: 9 females))
((Sub character: 6 males))
((MUSIC))
((Megan))
I've been coming to Dyker Heights. Well, this is my
first time actually so he's actually taking me on a tour
of Dyker Heights.
((Brian))
Yes and I’ve been here several years. My parents
grew up in Brooklyn. So, everybody knows about it
from the surrounding area.
((MUSIC))
((Megan))
Brian was just telling me about a house that you can
see from space, so we're on the hunt to find that
house that you can see from space.
((Brian))
Hot chocolate.
((Megan))
Hot chocolate. Wink, wink.
((Brian))
Yeah.
((Megan))
Nah, it's hot chocolate.
((MUSIC))
((The Calamine Family, Son))
It's really nice and I like, I think the lights are very
beautiful. It's just really nice how everybody
decorates and lets everybody come by their
properties and watch the lights.
((MUSIC))
((The Calamine Family, Father))
Since I'm a little kid. So, I'm 46. So, it's been a long
time. So, Lucy Spata, this is her house. Well,
supposedly, she started this, you know, doing it in an
extraordinary way and I guess that tradition sort of
caught on in the rest of the block and the surrounding
houses. And then it just started, I guess, expanding
to the whole neighborhood. So, it's become a
destination now.
((The Calamine Family, Mother))
We've seen busloads of people. They have those big
buses coming and there's loads of people on the
buses. It's pretty wild to see, because, like he said,
we've been coming here for so long since we were
little. And then to see these giant buses pull up with
tourists to come and now it's a tourist attraction. It's
wild.
((The Calamine Family, Father))
What I heard, a lot of people restrained themselves
from decorating this year because they didn't want
crowds of people outside and stuff like that. They
were afraid.
((MUSIC))
((Joe, Local Homeowner))
Well, I've been decorating my house for about 25
years since my son was about nine years old. We
start right around Halloween. We put up some
orange lights for Halloween, and the day after
Halloween, they come down and the colored lights
begin to go up. Well, my house, of course, is my
favorite.
((MUSIC))
((Robert, Local Tour Guide))
I live here in Dyker Heights. I've been living here for
six years, and what I do is I tour. I have my friend that
owns the tour. The basic tour is just meet up on 86th
street, come down 84 all the way down from 12th
Avenue to 10th Avenue. Then we drive up, you go
down to 83rd and we come up and we meet up at
John's Deli up there on 13th Avenue.
((MUSIC))
((Joe, Local Homeowner))
This year, I'm looking forward to a vaccine that helps
put this world back in order.
((Lucy))
In 2021, I want COVID to be gone so we can go back
to our normal lives.
((Mary))
Here’s to a better 2021.
((Visitor))
Happy New Year. 2021 be better. Better days
ahead.
((Visitor))
Happy 2021 everyone. We wish you a happy New
Year and hopefully a healthy year.
((MUSIC))
((Kanwal))
To my family in Pakistan and Uzbekistan, we wish
you a very Happy New Year and a great year to
come.
((Felts Family))
Happy New Year. Happy New Years to everyone.
And we hope and trust that 2021 will bring us nothing
but peace, love and joy.
((MUSIC))
((Wendy))
Happy New Year.
((MUSIC))
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
EPISODE # 155 ((previously aired as EP 106))
AIR DATE # 01 01 2021 ((previously aired 01 24 2020))
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Rebirth
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This year, I have decided to make two ravens
embracing. I thought it was one of the most important
things I'd ever seen.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Birding
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
In many places, the only legitimate place to go other
than the grocery store and the hospital, is the
outdoors. And it's a safe place to be right now as long
as you keep your distance from other people.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Festive Lights
((Lucy))
In 2021, I want COVID to be gone so we can go back
to our normal lives.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) BURNING SCULPTURE
((Previously aired January 2020))
((TRT: 15:00))
((Banner: Rebirth after Winter Solstice))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Native American flute: Aldean Ketchum))
((Map: Bluff, Utah))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 6 male; 2 female))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Hallowed ground retains its own energy. I relish the
day after the burn, when I get to come and clean it up
and walk away from a black stain. It's great. I mean,
something happened and there's a tiny black stain on
the earth where it happened. Very simply, it makes
me happy. I love it.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: John Grager))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
My name is Joe Pachak. I'm an artist. I love to do
sculpture. Every year, I make a very large piece of
sculpture
((Courtesy: John Grager))
and on December 21st, at a very important time,
Winter Solstice,
((Courtesy: Roger Hansen))
the beginning of the astronomical year,
((Courtesy: Eric Ming))
I set fire to it as a spiritual event connected to the
science of our relationship between Sun and Earth.
When you start a new year like that your spirit is
raised.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We are seeing a pecked route out that was done a
very long time ago. And I’m counting: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-
8-9 pecked steps going up right here.
Utah is a very rich place for prehistoric culture. It is
right on the crust of the earth, everywhere.
I've worked as an archaeologist in Bluff for 25 years
and rock art has inspired a lot of things that I have
produced as sculpture and painting. Hopefully,
people will see the importance of rock art as a
message to the modern world.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I used to come down here when I first moved to Bluff
in 1983. I was climbing two trees and sitting up there
in the crotch of the tree with a drawing pad. I looked
up and I saw a mammoth. I had just discovered the
first Pleistocene rock art in North America. And I got
choked up. I mean, it’s such a powerful event. I
mean, I had just discovered the first Pleistocene rock
art in North America. No other rock art depicting
mammoths have ever been found in North America or
South America. They are approximately 14,000 years
old. I actually cried out loud when I saw that that was
a mammoth and that there were other tusks on the
panel. It's inspiring, you know.
((Courtesy: Wayne Ranney))
((NATS))
About 20 years after the discovery, I built the life size
mammoth to commemorate that mammoths were
near the town of Bluff.
((Courtesy: John Gregor))
After the mammoth, I've done nine other
((Courtesy: R.E.Burillo))
effigies that were burnt on Winter Solstice,
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This year, I have decided to make two ravens
embracing. It's something that I saw on a river trip. I
thought it was one of the most important things I'd
ever seen. Our country, especially now, needs to
express love in any way that it can. There are two
sides that aren’t getting along. So, this is really a
good subject for this year.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
There is communication. It’s a relationship. I've been
feeding them for about 20 years. Here's one flying
around.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This is a good one. Maybe this one.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We are a few days away from Thanksgiving now and
it's gotten a lot colder. We still have a lot of work to
do.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Yeah, one person could not do this alone. It's
impossible. We have about 25 volunteers show up. I
feel great about having the community come down. I
like the idea that they feel that they've invested time
and that this is part of their celebration. So, I want
that to happen. It's important.
((NATS))
((John Gregor, Volunteer))
I’ve worked on that yesterday. That and then the other
one over there and then over there a little bit. You
know, this town has only got a few hundred people
but there's probably easily a significant majority of
them that are involved in this at some point.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Let’s go help unload.
((Jim, Neighbor))
Hey, how is it going?
Where do you want these willows?
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Jim.
Right in here, somewhere.
((NATS))
((Kelly, Volunteer))
We harvested these from our farm which is called the
Historic Curtis John's farm on highway 162.
((NATS))
((Neighbor))
Joe is my neighbor. He's a really great sculptor and
it's kind of an honor to be able to work with Joe
Pachak. Some people come around and want to tell
him what to do and he kicks them out.
((NATS))
((José Yavari, Volunteer))
Watch your leg.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Cut down a little bit.
Ugh?
((José Yavari, Volunteer))
Watch your leg.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Watch my leg?
I wouldn’t saw my own leg.
((John Gregor, Volunteer))
I said that about my thumb the other day and tried to
cut it off.
((NATS))
((Kelly, Volunteer))
I don’t know why we do this. We do it for the sake of
art, but it’s like how things work here.
((Bess Bennett, Neighbor))
Yeah. It’s just another thing of Bluff.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Do you have any more curved sticks? I’ll take that
one.
José, I like it that you keep referring to this as an
organic thing.
((NATS))
((John Gregor, Volunteer))
Oh, shoot.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I got it.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We’ve used all those large curved sticks up already.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We're looking for willows. Can you cut this one?
These died during a flood. You can see it’s plentiful.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Yeah, free sticks, makes it nice. I've probably spent
at the max. $300 on wire and a new saw and pliers.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
There's too much commercial stuff in our lives, you
know. We don't do anything because we truly love it
and I don't want to do this as a commercial thing.
((NATS))
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
Good morning. How are you doing?
((José, Volunteer))
How are you?
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
What was your name?
((José, Volunteer))
José.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
José. Good to see you….
((José, Volunteer))
Yeah.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
The raven, you know, it dissipates whatever bad is.
That's what we practice.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
How would you want to set them on fire?
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
When we want to burn this, we will say, “All the bad
things that's going on in the world, we're going to burn
it right now.”
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I really do try to involve the Native American cultures
that I live around. I want to make artwork that is
culturally sensitive that will bring people together.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
Okay. Ahe’hee’.
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Ahe’hee’.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Curtis Yanito))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
This is Winter Solstice morning. It's a happy day for
me. After two months and two days, we've finished
the sculpture and we're ready to celebrate.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
When this burns, it will come to life.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I feel so exhilarated. I feel so energized. I'm ready to
take on another year. I'm ready to take on my 70th
trip around the sun.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Curtis Yanito))
((Crowd))
Oh, God. It's too bad.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
They just took a nap. Yeah.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
They're taking a nap. I don't feel bad about it. Not
one bit. They're still embracing.
((Friends))
They are. Well, it was beautiful when it was standing.
It's beautiful now.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
Yeah, it's beautiful now.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Michael Ramsey))
((Aldean Ketchum, Ute Flute Player))
Tog'oyak. Thank you.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
Winter Solstice for Native Americans is our new year,
so, Happy New Year.
((Crowd))
Happy New Year.
((Curtis Yanito, Navajo Tribal Member))
The Raven, you know, it provides healing for like
nightmares and sadness and stress and leads onto
Alzheimer’s. Tonight, when the light is fired, say
"pah", so we send all the bad energy off. That's it.
Thank you. Pah.
((Crowd))
Pah.
(NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
I believe the collapsing embracing ravens may be a
metaphor for what is happening in our world, in our
creative process of the industrial age. With that in
mind, I want you all to have a good year and I want
you to come back next year after you've traveled
around the sun, standing on this earth. Thank you
very much for coming.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
When you sacrifice or burn something that you've
worked hard on, it remains in the memory of all those
people who watch it because there's more profound
aspirations in the crowd.
((NATS))
((Joe Pachak, Artist and Rock Art Expert))
We don't need a lot more objects in the world. We
need experiences to help us grow.
((NATS/MUSIC))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
More to Birding
((SOT))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
The connotation of bird watching is that all we do is
watch the birds. Not only do we look at them, we
study them. We do scientific surveys.
((Jessica Bowser))
Looked like a juvenile to me because I saw an adult
fly to the right.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) BIRDING
((Previously aired July 2020))
((TRT: 03:34))
((Banner: Birding))
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera: Mike Burke))
((Map: Alexandria, Virginia))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub character: 1 female))
((NATS: Larry Meade))
There is a Bluebird.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
I am Larry Meade. I am President of the Northern
Virginia Bird Club.
((Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
I’ve always been interested in birding, but I’ve been
seriously birding, keeping track since 2002.
((NATS))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
The connotation of bird watching is that all we do is
watch the birds. But birding is more of an all-
encompassing concept because not only do we look
at them, we study them. We do scientific surveys.
((NATS: Jessica Bowser))
Looked like a juvenile to me because I saw an adult
fly to the right.
((NATS: Larry Meade))
We study their behavior.
The one behind me in the pine tree.
We travel to see them.
((NATS))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
We are at Huntley Meadows Park. What is really
unique about this is it is a freshwater wetland which is
unusual. It’s got the nice boardwalk. It’s pretty
unique in that way and that you can get really pretty
close to the birds and other wildlife.
((NATS: Jessica Bowser))
Now, the Great Crested Flycatcher is back.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
Jessica is a member of our club.
((NATS: Larry Meade))
Here’s another. Here’s a Tree Swallow right here.
((NATS: Jessica Bowser))
I hear him singing.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
It’s nice to be able to share experiences.
((Stills Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
If I'm by myself, I like to post my photos on Facebook
and get reaction from people that way.
But when we’re with a person, number one, it's
another set of eyes, like she spotted some Cedar
Waxwings I probably wouldn't have seen. And I
spotted some stuff she probably wouldn’t have seen.
So, you've got more chance to see the birds, but you
can also discuss the birds and just catching up with
friends too. It's just a social thing.
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
Being outside is always rewarding regardless of the
weather, regardless of what it is that we get to see,
because the outdoors is always a surprise. You
never know what you're going to find. Back in 2013, I
was playing around on the Internet and found an app
that I could download on my phone that was a birding
app. And so that kind of piqued my interest. And
then I went and got a book about birding and realized
just how intricate and detailed it really is.
((NATS))
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
Birding kind of became like a scavenger hunt. And
Larry mentioned earlier that birders keep a life list,
which is a list of all the birds that they've seen.
((Stills Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
And so, when you start out and everything feels new,
you’re sort of, you know, adding to that life list and it's
growing and it’s growing and it just becomes
addictive.
((NATS: Bird Singing))
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
It's good for your health to be outdoors. It's a very
calming experience. But personally, as a former
educator, I believe that everybody should be
connected to nature because we have to conserve
nature.
The birds are diminishing. The research shows that
we've lost over 3 million birds over the past few
decades and that's really scary. And I think that
people aren't going to be aware of that, if they're not
connected to it.
((NATS: Nature Sounds))
((Jessica Bowser, Conservation Advocate))
In many places, the only legitimate place to go, other
than the grocery store and the hospital, is the
outdoors. And it's a safe place to be right now as long
as you keep your distance from other people. And so,
people are going outside in ways that they never have
before. And they're noticing things that they hadn't
noticed before. And they are making that connection.
And they're finding that birdwatching or birding, as we
like to call it, is very relaxing.
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
The basic tools for a birder are binoculars and some
kind of field guide so you can figure out what the birds
are. I really like the Red-headed Woodpecker. That's
one of my favorites.
((NATS: Nature Sounds))
((Larry Meade, President, Northern Virginia Bird
Club))
I would encourage people to pay attention to birds.
((Stills Courtesy: Northern Virginia Bird Club))
There is a whole worldwide community of birders. I
mean it's not just here. It's everywhere. It’s just a lot
of fun.
((NATS: Nature Sounds))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
New York City Lights
((SOT))
((Joe, Local Homeowner))
Well, I've been decorating my house for about 25
years since my son was about nine years old.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) NYC HOLIDAY LIGHTS
((TRT: 3:52))
((Banner: New York City Holiday Lights))
((Reporter/Camera/Drone: Aaron Fedor))
((Editor: Kyle Dubiel))
((Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Map: Brooklyn, New York))
((Main character: 9 females))
((Sub character: 6 males))
((MUSIC))
((Megan))
I've been coming to Dyker Heights. Well, this is my
first time actually so he's actually taking me on a tour
of Dyker Heights.
((Brian))
Yes and I’ve been here several years. My parents
grew up in Brooklyn. So, everybody knows about it
from the surrounding area.
((MUSIC))
((Megan))
Brian was just telling me about a house that you can
see from space, so we're on the hunt to find that
house that you can see from space.
((Brian))
Hot chocolate.
((Megan))
Hot chocolate. Wink, wink.
((Brian))
Yeah.
((Megan))
Nah, it's hot chocolate.
((MUSIC))
((The Calamine Family, Son))
It's really nice and I like, I think the lights are very
beautiful. It's just really nice how everybody
decorates and lets everybody come by their
properties and watch the lights.
((MUSIC))
((The Calamine Family, Father))
Since I'm a little kid. So, I'm 46. So, it's been a long
time. So, Lucy Spata, this is her house. Well,
supposedly, she started this, you know, doing it in an
extraordinary way and I guess that tradition sort of
caught on in the rest of the block and the surrounding
houses. And then it just started, I guess, expanding
to the whole neighborhood. So, it's become a
destination now.
((The Calamine Family, Mother))
We've seen busloads of people. They have those big
buses coming and there's loads of people on the
buses. It's pretty wild to see, because, like he said,
we've been coming here for so long since we were
little. And then to see these giant buses pull up with
tourists to come and now it's a tourist attraction. It's
wild.
((The Calamine Family, Father))
What I heard, a lot of people restrained themselves
from decorating this year because they didn't want
crowds of people outside and stuff like that. They
were afraid.
((MUSIC))
((Joe, Local Homeowner))
Well, I've been decorating my house for about 25
years since my son was about nine years old. We
start right around Halloween. We put up some
orange lights for Halloween, and the day after
Halloween, they come down and the colored lights
begin to go up. Well, my house, of course, is my
favorite.
((MUSIC))
((Robert, Local Tour Guide))
I live here in Dyker Heights. I've been living here for
six years, and what I do is I tour. I have my friend that
owns the tour. The basic tour is just meet up on 86th
street, come down 84 all the way down from 12th
Avenue to 10th Avenue. Then we drive up, you go
down to 83rd and we come up and we meet up at
John's Deli up there on 13th Avenue.
((MUSIC))
((Joe, Local Homeowner))
This year, I'm looking forward to a vaccine that helps
put this world back in order.
((Lucy))
In 2021, I want COVID to be gone so we can go back
to our normal lives.
((Mary))
Here’s to a better 2021.
((Visitor))
Happy New Year. 2021 be better. Better days
ahead.
((Visitor))
Happy 2021 everyone. We wish you a happy New
Year and hopefully a healthy year.
((MUSIC))
((Kanwal))
To my family in Pakistan and Uzbekistan, we wish
you a very Happy New Year and a great year to
come.
((Felts Family))
Happy New Year. Happy New Years to everyone.
And we hope and trust that 2021 will bring us nothing
but peace, love and joy.
((MUSIC))
((Wendy))
Happy New Year.
((MUSIC))
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
