Life As An Indigenous Artist by Ballantine Communications

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LIFE AS AN INDIGENOUS ARTIST Native American creatives on making brilliant art, fighting stereotypes, and taking back their own stories

Also: Riff Raff on the Rio, MileHiCon, and a review of Jabba OG

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[advice]

Rocky Road | Katie Burford

Family political discourse and two old stoners Dear Rocky Road, I deeply love my family but find them intensely draining due to their political stances. I can avoid talking about politics, but they always seem to bring shit up. Always. I bite my tongue because we can never actually have a conversation. They don’t listen to anything I say. They just throw down their next talking point that they have decided is The Truth. (Usually, in an extremely condescending manner.) What the hell do I do? Is it bad to just stop talking to them? I don’t want to isolate myself but their politics and political interactions are all-encompassing and emotionally draining. Anonymous Dear Anonymous, Thank you for the honesty in your question. It’s a painful thing to admit that we don’t want to be around the people we love — whatever the reason. More difficult still is the number of people in the same boat. I don’t have a statistic to pull out, but Google “Thanksgiving” and “politics” and you’ll get a raft of articles about how the divisiveness of today’s politics have ruined Turkey Day. But what screams out at me in your question is that it’s not your relatives’ politics that boil your blood, but rather their behavior. Not listening, condescending, and harping are rude ways of interacting, regardless of the topic. Which brings us to the deeper question: do you think your family members are decent people or not? If they are, but the topic of politics turns them into thoughtless assholes, then you’ve got something to work with. Let’s assume this is the case. Then the challenge becomes getting them to act their normal, decent selves rather than their been-watching-too-muchcable-TV selves. I wonder how they would react if you pointed out to them how different their demeanor is on politics and how it makes you feel? This is uncomfortable but vitally important. Politicians can spew vitriol at the camera and feel no consequence. But when watchers turn around and do the same to their family members with different views, there are consequences. Relationships are strained and broken. Would your relatives be so aggressive with their views if you told them how much it alienated you? Before you walk away, I think it’s worth finding out. Assuming it’s possible to bring the discussion back into the realm of civility, the next challenge is to keep it there. This means setting aside the notion

Need advice? Need advice? Send your questions for Rocky Road to rockyroad@dgomag.com. that anyone’s mind is going to be changed. Instead, seek understanding. Our politics stem from our values, which stem from our experiences. When we talk about our experiences, we are telling stories, and human beings are wired to attend to stories. Like kindergarteners when the teacher opens a new book, we lean in. For example, I can say, “I support Obamacare,” and we can argue until every crumb of pumpkin pie is gone whether we’re headed to socialized medicine. Or, I can tell you how my ex was able to change jobs right before back surgery because of Obamacare’s prohibition on denying coverage because of preexisting conditions. The job change from a struggling industry to a growing one is better for everyone — him, the kids we have in common, the state (more tax revenue). Anyone could take issue with my political stance, but they can’t dispute my experience. Personal experience is the currency of human connection. J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” changed my view on Trump country in a way that no Fox commentator could. Through Vance’s eyes, I saw what it looks like when whole communities give up on the notion that hard work can get you ahead in life. Vance’s ascent from hillbilly origins to Yale Law School seems to prove that it still can, but he wrote the book to show how easily it could have gone the other way for him. The truth is there’s a lot of people feeling hopeless and desperate in this country right now. I think that’s a diagnosis that many on both the left and the right share. Your relatives have adopted a scripted way of talking and thinking about this national ailment because it gives them comfort. Comfort isn’t a cure. “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities,” said Voltaire. The trick is to get your relatives off script. I suggest starting with asking how things were when they were young. The idea is to get them talking from their hearts, not their amygdalas. From there, just maybe, they can hear you taking from your heart. This is really quite a radical act. To cut out the message makers and craft our own sui genesis conversations. Understanding can spread just as quickly as misunderstanding.

While we’re on the topic of politics, this is a friendly reminder that election day is Nov. 6 and you must return your ballot to the county clerk no later than 7 p.m. on that day. If you have not received your mail ballot, contact the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s office. See the county clerk’s website for information on drop-off locations. Don’t mail it at the last minute because if arrives after the election, it won’t be counted. And that would be worse than post-Thanksgiving indigestion. Dear Rocky Road, My wife and I are reclusive, almost-retirees living in a non weed legal state. So, information and advice concerning our chosen medicine and the burgeoning industry are rather limited. Because we spent the majority of our years rearing a bunch of very cool kids (now adults), we simply neglected to set ourselves up financially for this time of our lives. My question is this. We’d like to invest a small amount of our monthly incomes toward cannabis futures, but we are unsure where to start and what would be the hot trends in the market? Living in a repressive environment doesn’t give us a lot of information and we’d like to get into this developing market. Andy help or direction would be greatly appreciated. 2 Old Stoners Dear 2 Old Stoners, Your question reminds me of a movie scene I’m sure you’ll appreciate: Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. … Plastics. Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman): Exactly how do you mean? Mr. McGuire: There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it? That’s 1967’s “The Graduate,” but nowadays I guess it would be Benjamin telling Mr. McGuire, “One word: weed.” As far as direction, I recommend opening the Google Maps and punching in D-U-R-A-N-G-O, C-O. If there’s a Merrill Lynch for pot portfolios anywhere, I’m sure it’s here. Katie Burford has worked as a social worker, journalist, university instructor, nanny and barista. These days, she’s a mom, professional ice cream maker and writer. Reach her at rockyroad@dgomag.com, @rockyroadadvice (Twitter) or Rocky Road, 1021 Main Ave, Durango, CO 81301.

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 4 Number 1 Thursday, November 1, 2018

Editor

Three Generations

Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551

Lindsay Mattison

“Three Generations” by A.J. Nequatewa. This piece was inspired by her family’s shared ability to make beautiful work. The hands are those of her paternal grandmother, a jeweler, her mother, a painter, herself, a painter, and her sister, a photographer.

Patty Templeton

A.J. Nequatewa

Staff writer Amanda Push apush@bcimedia.com Sales Liz Demko 375-4553 Contributors Katie Burford Katie Cahill Christopher Gallagher Bryant Liggett Jon E. Lynch

Advice

Eat What the Fork

Delivery Meal Faceoff 5-6 7

Sound

Album Review

Downtown Lowdown 8

Pages

10 Drink 11 Arts 17 Weed

Robert Alan Wendeborn

Reviews 17-18

Design/layout

Seeing Through the Smoke 23

Colossal Sanders Reader Services 375-4570 Chief Executive Officer Douglas Bennett V.P. of Advertising David Habrat

5 The battle between meal prep delivery services Believe it or not, there is life outside of Blue Apron or Hello Fresh. There are other delivery services out there that will help you dish up a lil sumpin’ sumpin’ that isn’t so status quo. And even if you suck at cooking, you should try them.

23 Reviewing the force of Jabba OG

19 Happening

Jabba OG harnessed the power of the Dark Side. And the other side. And whatever power runs the Death Star. This stuff would knock Jabba himself on his ass.

10 Riff Raffin’ on the rio DGO is a free weekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314. DGO Magazine is published by Ballantine Communications Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

The Chokecherry Habañero Margarita at Riff Raff on the Rio is one hell of a margarita, even if its spices came from the very flames of Hades’ underworld.

Tell us what you think! Got something on your mind? Have a joke or a story idea or just something that the world needs to know? Send everything to editor@dgomag.com

A SAVVY MAGAZINE FOR A SAVVY CUSTOMER.

20 DGO Deals 22 Horoscope/ puzzles 23 Odd Rot

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ON THE COVER A detail from “The Water Protector” by Chamisa Edd. Cover design by Colossal Sanders for DGO

Call 375-4570 or email info@dgomag.com

CARRY DGO IN YOUR BUSINESS �� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 3

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[eat]

What the Fork | Lindsay Mattison

Food from scratch is totally worth the effort

veryone has a favorite sandwich. For years, mine was an open-faced grilled cheese with cheddar and plenty of cracked black pepper. Before you complain that a sandwich is defined as “two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between,” know that Merriam-Webster is getting soft. They also define a sando as “one slice of bread covered with food” and “something resembling a sandwich.” (I’m kind of disappointed in the editors of the dictionary for this wishy-washiness, but I digress.) Over time, my favorite grilled cheese faded from glory and was replaced by the sweet-and-smoky flavor of pastrami. I don’t remember how it happened, but somehow I became entranced by transformative nature of pastrami. After all, have you ever undercooked a brisket? It’s the saddest, chewiest, most flavorless experience of your life. But after brining, smoking, and steaming that same brisket, it literally melts in your mouth as you eat it. Phenomenal! I decided I had to make my own. After all, how could I truly appreciate something I’d never tried making myself ? So, I picked up a copy of “Charcuterie,” by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn, and got to work. After brining, smoking, and steaming the brisket, my pastrami was okay but not great. I made a few tweaks and went back at it, brining and smoking briskets until I had an impossibly good sandwich. Some might wonder why I spent so much time (and money) trying to get it right when there are tons of store-bought options out there, but I know the guys over at 2nd Deli & Spirits understand that kind of dedication. When Colin Brunson and Zach Williams met back in 2010, they had no idea they’d be opening a deli less than a decade later. They should have known – they basically became friends because they both liked eating sandwiches and drinking beer – but who could predict something like that? Then, the space on the corner of Second and College became available. Durango might have a thousand sushi restaurants, but there are few sandwich places and even fewer traditional delis making their food from scratch. They’d regret it forever if they didn’t go for it, so they did. They entertained the idea of buying their deli meats. It would be easier, and probably more cost effective. But after taste-testing corned beef and pastrami, they knew they could do it better. Like me, they went through a lot of brisket during the testing phase, enlisting the help of their friends to eat batch after batch until they found a recipe everyone loved, which was 10 days on the brine, followed by 18 hours of low-and-slow smoking and steaming. They were

BCI Media file

»» Colin Brunson, left, and Zach Williams show off beers and sandwiches at 2nd Deli & Spirits, a new deli in Downtown Durango. finally ready to open their doors, but they had no idea how badly the people of this town wanted sandwiches. During their first week, they had to close twice because they ran out of food. When you’re making stuff from scratch, you can’t exactly call up Sysco and ask them to deliver more. Their customers weren’t deterred, though. Every day, the line went out the door and around the corner, usually forming before they even opened. Now that they’ve been open for a few months, things are starting to come together. They’ve gotten into a rhythm with their from-scratch products, which includes corned beef, pastrami, roast beef, and all the dressings, sauces, and sides. They even grind the meat in-house for their burgers. I don’t think I could ever get tired of sandwiches like these, but there’s plenty of variety on the menu to keep things fresh. There’s so much you can do between two pieces of bread. Lox on sourdough, ham and goat cheese on baguette, turkey bacon and cheddar, or my favorite, pastrami and mustard on Jewish rye. These guys are doing it right, and they’re building specials and serving up two ever-changing soups to keep things fresh for returning customers.

If you haven’t been yet, check out the little community they’re creating on the corner of Second Ave, nestled in between the Wild Horse and The Bookcase & Barber. When you walk through that welcoming, bright red door, you’ll get a good view of the cooks back in the open kitchen, who are slicing those deli meats and the fresh vegetables you’ll find on your sandwich. They don’t buy anything pre-sliced, including the lettuce, which tastes crisper when you shred it daily. Order a sandwich to go for the office, or sidle up to the custom-made concrete bar and rest your feet on the old railroad ties that line the floor as you enjoy your meal. In the end, cooking this way takes a lot of work and a ton of dedication. If you’re asking yourself why you should go through all that trouble when you can buy everything on the menu after it’s already made, just take a bite. When you taste it, it will all make sense. Lindsay D. Mattison is a professional chef and food writer living in Durango. She enjoys long walks in the woods, the simplicity of New York-style cheese pizza, and she’s completely addicted to Chapstick. Contact her at lindsaymattisonwriter@gmail.com.

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[eat]

KITCHEN WARS:

Meal delivery services face off in a fight to the death Hey there, meal delivery service fans. We know you like your boxes of fresh veggies and straight-off-the-farm meats and cheeses, and we get it. Life is busy, and having a box chock full o’ all the ingredients you need for dinner dropped at your door is baller af. We think you need to broaden your horizons, though. Believe it or not, there is life outside of Blue Apron or Hello Fresh. There are other delivery services out there that will help you dish up a lil sumpin’ sumpin’ that isn’t so status quo. And you should try them. To help convince you to embrace change, we had our editor and staff writer, a self-proclaimed kitchen idiot, try to conquer the task of making meals from mostly scratch from delivery services that were a little more out of the, uh...box than Hello Fresh. Horrible pun intended. This week, we tried boxes from PeachDish and Sun Basket, which were delivered to the office with all the fancy, chef-approved ingredients in tow. Here’s how things turned out. PeachDish Online: Peachdish.com Price: $50 for two meals and four servings Membership: Not required, but non-members pay $12 for shipping What’s offered: The menu changes from week to week (pro!), so you can pick and choose what you’d like to get from a rotating menu, with dishes like chorizo seitan pupusas or the superfood fiesta bowl. What we ordered »»French-style vegetable ragout with turnips »»Jerk chicken with citrus, rice, and black beans How was the packaging? These meals arrived in the very best packaging, with ice packs and fancy little bags of veggies everywhere. The chicken for the jerk chicken recipe was individually packed in a foil bag with ice, which kept the chances of any cross contamination of our veggies at bay. That’s a huge plus for those of us who are paranoid about such things. Everything was so neatly organized that there was virtually no way one could confuse either bag with the other meal, and each ingredient, should it not be an obvious vegetable like a turnip or potato, was labeled for the cooking newbies among us. As an added bonus, the spices and sauces were packaged in individual labeled containers, and none of the sauces needed to be mixed or put together. Super easy. The only issue we had was that finding the recipes proved a little tricky – they’re packed between the insulation and the box, and we should have found them, because it was labeled right on the box, but we’re dumb. But, before we solved that puzzle, we went online and printed them out just in case. Our score: 5 out of 5 spatulas How easy were these to cook? PeachDish is one of those boxes that requires a little bit of kitchen knowledge, but all you really need is a baseline knowledge of how to chop veggies and how to manage your kitchen flow. Our staff writer, who’s written before on her kitchen illiteracy, does not have those things, though, and she tried to put together the jerk chicken, but things started to get a little hairy

»» The citrus jerk chicken from PeachDish. We kinda conquered this one, too. after the prep part (right about the time it came for her to cook the chicken). Rather than risk a fire or rubbery chicken, someone else took over. If you have a little bit of background knowledge, like how to use a sauce pan and NOT singe everything you put into it, you should be fine to make these meals. Once someone who knew how to use a stove took over, things went much more smoothly. Both meals only required us to have some knives, pans, and olive oil on hand, and while they did take a little longer than the suggested time on the recipes to cook – the ragout took us about 10 or 15 minutes longer than suggested, and the jerk chicken was about the same – in the grand scheme of things, that ain’t much. Continued on Page 6

»» The veggie ragout from PeachDish, which is proof that we are officially chefs.

�� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 5

[eat] From Page 5

Our rating: 4 out of 5 microwaves So, how’d they turn out? In our humble opinions, we kinda crushed these PeachDish meals. Just take our photos as proof. Do they look like the examples? Heck yes they do, right down to our finest Ikea dishware. They tasted mighty fine, too. The chicken in the jerk chicken was tender and flavorful, and while we had to scrape the pan with all the muscle power, thanks to the sticky sauce, it was definitely worth the effort. The oranges gave it a nice pop of both color and flavor, and while we hate zesting – this recipe required zesting both oranges and limes – it was worth the extra effort. Same goes for the veggie ragout. If you’re a vegetarian, this meal was hearty and flavorful, and we actually quite liked the turnips. Go figure. Chopping carrots is still the pits, though, even if someone else does most of the work and FedEx’s the ingredients to you. Our rating: 4 out of 5 at-home Michelin stars Would we order from PeachDish again? Yep! Fresh veggies, meat, and really simple instructions made this one a standout for us.

»» The Ecuadorian chicken stew, which we CRUSHED, from Sun Basket.

Who should order PeachDish?

ting the sticky sauce out of the pan, which required a metric ton of elbow grease and some fervent praying to the gods for help. Worth it, though.

This box is for people who like a little more variety than one can get with the regular boxes, and for people who like more exotic flavors and spices. We’d also suggest that you be comfortable wielding a knife and using a stove, unlike our staff writer.

Other than that, things were pro. Most of the veggies were prepped and ready to go, and the ones that weren’t were easy to get chopped and diced. All expected kitchen crises were averted. Our rating: 4 out of 5 microwaves

Sun Basket

So, how’d they turn out?

Online: sunbasket.com Price: The classic menu is $ 71.94, which includes three meals with two servings per meal. There’s also the option of a family menu, and the price varies by how many meals you order. Membership: You do have to pick a plan, but you can skip a week or change things around to another plan if you’re so inclined. What’s offered: The badass thing about Sun Basket’s menu is that there are meal plans for every type of diet: pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, Mediterranean, paleo, lean and clean...the list goes on and on. What we ordered »»Salt and pepper tofu »»Ecuadorian chicken stew »»Korean BBQ chicken lettuce wraps How was the packaging? The packaging for Sun Basket’s meals was pretty darn great. We were really impressed with how the meat and veggies were packaged with cardboard to divide them, and the frozen cotton ice was such a clever idea. Even cooler still was that the veggies (and the tofu for the salt and pepper tofu) were packaged in brown paper bags, which we used to discard the

»» The Korean BBQ chicken wraps from Sun Basket. How’d we do? vegetable trimmings, and we felt very green and Earth-friendly doing so. Everything was the right temperature when we removed it from the box, too, which seems like a tough feat, considering it was a box containing raw food. Our score: 5 out of 5 compost piles How easy were these to cook? Sun Basket’s meals seemed like they’d be complicated on first glance – Ecuadorian chicken stew sounds really...out of our comfort zone, but they were actually incredibly easy meals to put together. The Ecuadorian chicken stew was a quick, tasty meal that we threw together after working late one night, and at no point did it feel laborious or like we were overwhelmed. And yes, that includes our kitchen-averse staff writer, too, who did just fine putting this one together. Same goes for the Korean BBQ chicken lettuce wraps. The most daunting part of that recipe was get-

We KILLED these meals, and actually managed to keep within the expected time frame to do it. The Ecuadorian chicken stew was cooked to perfection – it looked just like the recipe card, to us, anyway – and the Korean lettuce wraps were so colorful and flavorful. We really liked this box o’ surprises. Nothing was quite what we expected, in a good way. Tofu has been a hard one for us to conquer in the past, but with this delivery service, we somehow managed to tick that box off our list. Tofu nailed, you guys. Tofu nailed. Our rating: 4.5 out of 5 at-home Michelin stars Would we order from Sun Basket again? Heck yeah, we would. Especially if we wanted to impress people with our expert (and fake) kitchen skills. Who should order Sun Basket? This box contains recipes that are so easy to put together that we think it’s a box that just about anyone would like. If you’re a gourmet chef, this thing makes it super easy to take a night off but still enjoy your food – which isn’t just spaghetti and meatballs – and if you’re timid in the kitchen, this box will give you a boost of confidence to take cooking matters into your own hands.

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[sound] What’s new A few years back, I received a nonchalant press release in passing from the funk, soul, and R&B independent powerhouse Daptone Records. It was announcing the formation of a subsidiary label, which was created to release rock ‘n’ roll records. This approach to label creation wasn’t wholly uncommon back when record labels were of arguably greater importance and stood on relatively solid fiscal ground, meaning such a move was of little consequence. Normally the formation of a sister label of this sort is a casual footnote. There are quite a few examples of this, but we’ll save the look into those, for another time. Daptone is a strong, trustworthy label with an artist roster that is impressively staggering, and includes the likes of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The Budos Band, Charles Bradley, Lee Fields, and The Frightnrs, to name just a few. To see, or more accurately hear, what kind of rock records they intended to release was intriguing, to put it lightly.

and the Lizard Wizard, John Spencer Blues Explosion) and Mikey Post (Reigning Sound), this record is a must have for fans of traditional rock ‘n’ roll. Especially for those who dare to suggest that no good music is being made these days.

The Ar-Kaics, from Richmond, Virginia, are technically the third artist on the label (behind The Mystery Lights and Michael Rault), and are releasing their fantastic full length “In This Time.” The band is inspired by the garage rock stalwarts of the ’60s, and pulls off the homage while impassioned and flawless. Recorded over three days and produced by Wayne Gordon (Black Lips, King Gizzard

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�� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 7

[sound]

Downtown Lowdown | Bryant Liggett

Bad Goat holds it down in Durango

tephen Sellers may be the only musician in the Southwest who plays bass in an old-time bluegrass band, while also spinning his own brand of house music at events around Durango. While the two genres may seem like polar opposites – one a band ripping through a set of originals that sound like they’re 100 years old alongside songs from the public domain that ARE a hundred years old, the other a steady beat that every so often drops in familiar hooks or full songs from the last 35 years – but they are both styles of music that influence and inspire people to

dance. And, that’s what Stephen Sellers is getting after musically. He’s pursued that old-time music since moving to Durango, where he fell into the town’s acoustic music scene and became the bass player for The Six-Dollar String Band. The DJ sets, on the other hand, come from the love of electronic music he’s had since his teenager years, when he’d listen to a Dallas dance music radio station late at night. Billed as Bad Goat, Sellers has spun music around town for the last three years, and holds it down twice a month with sets at 11th Street Station. His interest in playing bass and

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being a DJ goes back to grade school. “It all happened simultaneously,” said Sellers. “I was in seventh grade the first time I heard Daft Punk. I remember that experience, listening to the album “Homework,” and being blown away by the energy of it. It had this punk feel to it. That was the same year I got my first bass. And, like a lot of kids, I was learning tabs of Nirvana. The love affair of bass and dance music, it’s all kind of intertwined.” It was the late ’80s and early ’90s era of electronic music – the sounds of The Prodigy, Crystal Method, or The Chemical Brothers – that inspired him enough to experiment with making electronic music, but laptops weren’t a commonly owned item, especially among teenagers. Sellers bought one secondhand and got some audio-recording software to teach himself, a “painstaking” effort, he said. It’s a story that reads the same across genres and music scenes. A kid figures out a way to get some instruments or gear and starts experimenting. Kid turns some close friends onto what they’re doing, and making music becomes a routine. The mission is about the music, and the kid naturally becomes part of “the underground.” “I’ve always thought that the underground is as simple as a couple of people getting together in a garage with a sound system and just playing music,” said Sellers. His role as DJ Bad Goat is simple. Those house music rager events can

call for a DJ to be front and center, but Sellers, on the other hand, is satisfied with setting up his rig in the corner, where he builds a set, one not bound by name or genre. “I want to be about helping people expand the notion that good dance music is good dance music,” said Sellers. “It could be Fleetwood Mac, it could be Stevie Wonder, it could be Chic or Daft Punk. The genres aren’t so much important to me.” The next set from Bad Goat will be held on Friday, November 2, at 11th Street Station. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

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[pages]

MileHiCon: 50 years of sci-fi and fantasy in Denver Here’s a not-so-secret: I’m a big ol’ nerd. To me, a perfect day is writing for four hours, eating lunch, writing for four hours, eating dinner, then reading for four hours. Yeah, yeah, I know, Colorado. You like to go ice-climbing and bike-rafting and be all sportsy outdoorsy. But me? NAH! Give me a couch and a book or time to write my own uncanny worlds and I’m a sack’a’smiles.

panel, authors like Barbara Hambly and Molly Tanzer (yes, I’m a super-fan) discussed the secret histories we tell and the language we put on the page to do so. To paraphrase Tanzer, why should she write a racial slur on the page (even if it is historically accurate) when she can write a person punched in the face before they can say it? On another thought train, Tanzer questioned the idea of whether we are what we read. If we only ever consume bad news, if we only ever read of wrecked worlds, do we end up projecting that dark future as our only possible future? What’s the answer? ::shrugs:: Only thing I know for sure is I’m thankful there are writers out there taking the time to create escape and possibility.

The books I love most are speculative fiction, which is an umbrella term for work with futuristic or supernatural elements. Why spec fic? Because it’s inclusive. You want women as main characters? CHECK! How about queer characters a’plenty? YUP! People of color in power roles who don’t die first? PRAISE BE it exists in spec fic. A rad place to find these books and community? A SCI-FI CON!!! MileHiCon is a Denver-based sci-fi and fantasy literature convention that’s been around for 50 years. What goes on at a sci-fi and fantasy con? A whole lotta authors, editors, readers, and genre-lovers fill a hotel for an entire weekend with an art show, 24hour gaming, cosplay contests, movie screenings, readings, and panels that dissect the who, how, and why of writing. Plus, boozy room parties. This was my first MileHiCon. Within an hour of being there, I had to settle the hell down because I walked by guest of honor Connie Willis. I mean, COME ON. How do you not excito-squeak? Willis has 11 Hugo Awards, 7 Nebula Awards, and she wrote the frikkin’ “Doomsday Book,” for cryin’ out loud. Other guests of honor wandering the halls included Carrie Vaughn, Michael Swanwick, and Stephen Graham Jones. Plus a f-ton of other participants like Alex Acks, Melissa F. Olson, and Molly Tanzer – and if you don’t know Molly Tanzer, she’s the author of “Vermilion: The Adventures of Lou Merriwether, Psychopomp” – a weird Western about a Taoist gunslinger who guides the souls of the dead. SO GOOD. Basically, a Hyatt was filled to capacity with brilliant writers I went agog over. Repeatedly. If you were bopping around MileHiCon, you might’ve seen me moderate the “Flavors of Horror: From Gore to Gaslighting” panel, reading a dark tale at “Ghoulies, Ghosties, and Long-Legged Beasties,” or chatting with other panelists at the “Wanted:

Professional Henchpeople” panel. (Side note: I discovered that my favorite hench is Dan from “Deadwood” and more and more I wonder about how in “Star Wars” the Death Star is filled with background characters, and are these folks Empire henchpeople? Even the dude getting minimum wage for running the convenience store? Is that like running a 7-11 for Nazis? Who is a henchperson versus an indirect supporter of evil? Are both just as bad? That panel only left me with more QUESTIONS.) If I’m going to leave my couch, I want there to be a good reason, and a con? At a con, I find people like Veronica R. Calisto, who writes the SparkleTits Chronicles. I shit you not. This is a series, and both the books and the author are fantastic. At a con, I get to attend a panel called “Writing Credible Characters with Visible and Invisible Disabilities” that is PACKED to standing-room. A con is a place where I can go to a panel called “Houston, We Have a Problem,” not really knowing what to expect, but then leave it asking myself, “Hot damn, wouldn’t it be more cost effective to have robots as astronauts? Will human astronauts become a relic of the past?” Maybe some folks have Big Thoughts in their heads already, but usually when I’m standing in front of my microwave waiting for coffee to re-heat, I’m looking at sloth gifs, not thinking intergalactic travel. Cons stir my brain into a potent stew of fresh considerations.

Convention spaces, like MileHiCon, are where authors and fans come together to decide how to better create fictional worlds . For instance, at the “Alt-History with Fantastical Flair”

Verdict: Hit up next year’s MileHiCon. A three-day pass is only $50. (Cheaper if you buy it early.) You’re bound to discover a new author you love, drool over the art show, and see cosplay that ranges from furries to spot-on comic book characters. —— Patty Templeton

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[eat/drink]

RIFF RAFF ON THE RIO

Clinking glasses of beer and chugging hot-as-hell margaritas By Amanda Push DGO STAFF WRITER

The Chokecherry Habañero Margarita at Riff Raff on the Rio is one hell of a margarita, even if its spices came from the very flames of Hades’ underworld. With each gulp of the pink-power cocktail, our companions have a good laugh at our expense, watching as we try to douse the inferno sizzling down our very thirsty throat. Luckily, our attentive waitress at the Pagosa Springs restaurant and soon-to-be operating brewhouse, which opened in May, is kind enough to notice how red our face gets with each sip. She kindly brings out a Silverado Margarita to end the suffering instead. It was an equally delicious tequila-fueled cocktail, but this time, without the flames.

Angelica Leicht/DGO

»» The Chokeberry Habañero Margarita is Amanda Push/DGO

not for the faint of heart.

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order if you can handle the spice), we all agree that a late lunch on the outdoor patio of Riff Raff on the Rio is about as relaxing as it can get, especially if you happen to go on a day with beautiful weather, as we did. Against a fairytale backdrop of a gently trickling San Juan River, we theorize that if we are to ever live near Riff Raff, with its delicious pours and mouth-watering food, we’ll never have another productive day again. We came to Pagosa Springs on this lazy Sunday afternoon with plans to run errands, but decide mid-productivity that we can’t wait another second to eat our (now very late) lunch. Since we have yet to try Riff Raff Brewing Co.’s new restaurant, just down the road from its original location, we decide it is time to change that. It’s a near perfect day weather-wise for late fall, and we opt for seats on the outdoor patio, with a scenic view of the river, where we breeze through the drink menu. Plenty of margarita recipes, bulldogs, sangrias, and, course, beer – Riff Raff on the Rio has about anything you could want for your day drinking needs. Aside from the margaritas, we order a couple flights of beer, all of which are quickly drained – the Stepchild American Red and Man’s Best Friend American Kölsch being notable favorites. Since you really can’t day drink without eating your weight in fried

food, we order some of the most perfect-tasting cheese curds we have ever had the pleasure of eating. Crunchy on the outside and heavenly soft on the inside, like an angel’s cloud pillow, we chow down the cheese with a healthy side of chipotle aioli dipping sauce. It doesn’t get any better than this. Our spread includes the Beer-BQ Bacon Cheeseburger, the Homesick Texan Steak Sandwich, the Jalapeño Cream Cheeseburger, and fries. OH, THE FRIES. We can’t stop shoveling those mini-fried potato sticks into our mouths, and soon enough, we are so full that we wonder if we’ll have to be rolled out of the restaurant. What a way to make an exit. After taste testing one another’s plates, it’s clear that the Beer-BQ Bacon Cheeseburger is the real winner of this table party. With a perfect amount of grease, gooey cheese, onion ring, and crunchy bacon – the crown jewel of any burger – this cheeseburger is made to melt-in-yourmouth perfection. We all agree that we haven’t had a burger this delicious in a long time. Eventually, in our booze and carb-loaded bliss, we realize if we take one more taste of spirits or cram one more fry into our mouths, we are either going to explode or fall asleep at our table. It’s time to leave this riverside paradise, with hope to return again soon.

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[Native arts]

Native artists on why they’re proud to be American Indian creatives There are plenty of reasons to be proud of being a Native American – a history of resilience, rich family histories, a strong sense of who you are and where you come from. DGO Mag interviewed seven American Indian artists who live in Durango and the surrounding area, each with their own version of why they’re proud to be Native, and why it’s important to create artwork that reflects their experiences, culture, and issues within their communities. Here are a few of their answers. Kayla Shaggy: I’m proud to be Navajo and Anishinabe because it shows that despite all the history, all the violence, we’re still here. I’m just really happy I’m Navajo because I can celebrate my culture and help other people. It’s just something I’ve always known as a young kid, so I always try to be happy about it. Navajo is a name people call us and what we call ourselves too, but it isn’t the name we have for ourselves. The name we have for ourselves is Diné, which can roughly translate to The People. So I’m just happy I’m a person with a community, a family, a culture, and stories I can share with other people. A.J. Nequatewa: Mostly because I know who I am, and that means not only that I know what my clans are, but I know the stories behind those clans and where they came from and what the roles of those clans were. So my mother’s clan is Salt Clan and it originated from the first puberty ceremony done by the Holy People for Changing Woman. So during that ceremony, there needs to be someone who can be thought of as a godmom – so basically the model for that girl going through the process. Because Changing Woman was the first human going through this process, she didn’t have a baby. No babies, no nothing yet. It was just this singular being, this singular human. They needed someone to model her after, so the Holy People made a being and I don’t know if she was human or anything, but they called her Salt Woman and that’s where that clan originated from. Because we are matrilineal, she was the first Salt Clan, and then she had a baby and they were the next clan, and so forth, and now I’m Salt Clan. I’m a Salt Clan woman and that’s a real small clan, too. It’s almost one in million to meet someone else who is (Salt Clan), especially a woman because of that matrilineal line. To know where your blood is coming from – that’s what makes me proud. Antonio Herrera: It’s not that I’m

proud of it, it’s just what I am. I’m Mexican American, too. I’m two cultures that are completely different but I have the same morals. But being Native American, especially the tribe that I am (Ute) – we were the last to be put on reservation. … You ever hear of the Meeker Massacre? That was us. We were warriors, man, and I was raised with a warrior mentality. Lyshawna Benally: Throughout all the history, I ended up being born of the two or three percent of the American population of Native Americans. Just learning how much people don’t know about them (Natives) or push them aside and how the government mistreated the people before. But to me, I always try to look for the positive, and the whole reason for the history is just not to repeat those mistakes again. … The cultural traditions are definitely very important to us and we should try to preserve them. Lacey Tewanema: I’m proud to be Native because of the resilience of us as Indigenous people, whether it be from Alaska to Hawaii to northeast, southeast, northwest. We’re still here and that’s where I think of it. I’m proud because my ancestors, the ones before me, they didn’t just give up. They fought for us to be here today, and so that’s why I’m proud, along with I get to represent who I am to those who don’t know much about (Natives). So I get to be able to educate them on things and subjects like we’re still here, but you guys have to break away from the stereotypes. I don’t live in a tepee and I don’t wear my traditional clothes when you’re seeing me walking down the street. I’m still in jeans and a t-shirt. Ruthie Edd: I’m proud because I know who I am. For me, that’s the biggest thing. I know where I’m supposed to be in the world. I know where I’m supposed to be, who I am, through my culture. And for me, when I look at other people through the lens, I’m like, ‘You don’t know who you are. You have no roots. You have no story.

help people heal, to understand who they are and where they come from, regardless of whether they’re Indigenous or non-indigenous, I think that will help heal the world. That’s my personal perspective, and I think that me having a good footing in my existence is something to be proud of, and that comes from being Native.

Courtesy of Kayla Shaggy

»» “Hozho and Yanabah,” two of Kayla Shaggy’s female Navajo characters that fall in love.

You don’t understand where you came from.’ That’s just how I choose to view the world and why I think people can do terrible things, or if they have ideas that are so conflicting with mine it’s because they don’t understand. They’re not connected to anything. They’re just trying to exist but they don’t know where they fit. If we could

Santana Edd: I think that just being Native shows resilience and strength, and I feel like that’s important because in our history, there has been so many things that have wanted to wipe us out, to turn us into something that we aren’t. Just being here, being alive here in this moment, it shows the strength of our ancestors and what we went through. It shows that we are still here. We’re alive and we can fight for our land and for our people and for all the sacrifices that they’ve done for us to be here. Being a person of color is a statement and I feel like that’s something amazing. —— Amanda Push

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»» American

Indian artists on pushing boundaries, being activists in their work, and ‘not being Native enough’

THROUGH THE NATIVE LENS By Amanda Push DGO STAFF WRITER

ative comic book artist Kayla Shaggy is tired of how Indigenous people are portrayed in the media. Often two-dimensional background characters, stereotyped, and placed against a backdrop of poverty porn, there’s a lot of room for growth in terms of how American Indians are depicted across a variety of art forms. We spoke with Shaggy specifically about the 2017 film “Wind River,” the story of an FBI agent and hunter, both white, who are investigating the death of a young Indigenous woman on a Native American reservation. Though she enjoyed the film, the subject matter left her emotionally drained, and she found the worn-out white savior trope and negative portrayal of Native Americans problematic. “There’s that sobering statistic they put at the end of the movie and I’m like, ‘OK, what does this movie do besides add on to all the, so to speak, doom and gloom and poverty porn?’” said Shaggy. “So in my (comic book) series, I want there to be hope, I want there to be happiness, I want there to be some beauty and there to be some humor as well. I think I’ve had enough of movies that show that type of stuff. … My work is two dimensional but my characters aren’t.”

Kayla Shaggy Durango comic book artist Kayla Shaggy doesn’t just like monsters. She’s inspired by them. However, according to her Navajo, or Diné, culture, she’s not supposed to be. “In Navajo culture, you shouldn’t have a fixation on, so to speak, ‘dark things’ – I’m doing air

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Shaggy isn’t the only Native artist in the Four Corners looking to change how Native Americans are represented with their art. DGO Mag spoke to seven local Native artists working in a variety of mediums, all of whom are looking to break out of the boxes they’re so often closed into. They want to see people that look like them on TV, in comic books, music, movies, and so on – Indigenous characters that aren’t afterthoughts, victims, or caricatures. Wanting to honor tradition steeped heritage, yet still coexist in a modern age, some artists we interviewed struggle with the criticism of “not being Native enough,” or being too negative in their portrayals of their experiences and culture. Many of the women we interviewed spoke on how they used their art to spread awareness on the alarming rate at which Native women go missing or are murdered. Native Americans are more than twice as likely than any other group in the U.S. to be victimized by violence, rape, and sexual assault, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. More than one in three Native women are raped during their life, according to a study published by PubMed Central. Despite the dark nature of these statistics, these artists are choosing to embrace optimism and the resilience of their culture and – they hope – inspire others to listen to them. Either way, they aren’t staying quiet.

quotations right now. We’re not supposed to be fixated with skulls. In Navajo culture, you’re not supposed to touch dead things,” Shaggy said. “But I’ve always found them to be inspiring. We have a lot of stories about monsters, but we always conquer them. And to me, a physical thing would be easier to tackle than racism and

poverty.” That doesn’t stop Shaggy from sharing her creepy creatures with the world, though. Versed in a variety of artistic mediums, she – part Navajo and Anishinabe – is the author of what will Continued on Page 14

�� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 13

[Native arts]

»» Kayla Shaggy From Page 13

soon to be three comic books. In 2016, she received a $500 grant from Durango Arts Center to create her first book, “Monstrous.” She compiled 20 drawings, printed 50 copies of the book, and started selling them to fund future projects. Since then, she has also published the first issue of “The Sixth World” series, and plans to release the second issue by the end of the year. “(‘The Sixth World’ is a) comic book about – if I were to sum it up basically – it’s Navajo mythology and science fiction, because I feel like in Navajo media, or Indigenous media in general, we haven’t really explored the science fiction genre enough. And science fiction was started as a way for social metaphors, for people to write speculative fiction about what’s going on. I think it would be a really good match up.” Part of the draw toward creating comic books is the lack of representation she remembers growing up, and is still evident in much of today’s media. And many times, if there is a Native character included, the portrayal is not flattering. “Growing up, I really liked to read comic books, but seeing a Native American in a comic book is usually like, it was an awful caricature, or it was a side character – just a background character with no name. I was like, ‘I want to make stuff that shows people from my culture,’ because I think that’s a really good way to show other people your culture is through art. So I draw a lot of inspiration from my life, from my friends and my family, from the stories we have in my culture, from nature. Just a lot of things, honestly. Issues that are important to

»» A portrait of a woman with galaxy hair by Sier

Courtesy of Kayla Shaggy

»» The cover for the first issue of Kayla Shaggy’s comic book series, “The Sixth World.” The series is a mix of Navajo mythology and science fiction.

me, because I know a lot of my work has that social commentary in the background.” Many of the topics she addresses in her work are inspired by her culture and issues within her culture – specifically the sovereignty of Indigenous people and the alarmingly high percentage of missing and murdered Native women. “Within my personal circle, I know a lot of women who were assaulted, and I know within their circles, they know women who were assaulted who have gone missing. It’s not uncommon to hear about people that have gone missing, and you want them to be found – you really hope they’re found. Growing up, I got used to going to a lot of funerals, which is very sobering. I’ve kind of gotten used to it. I don’t want to be used to it.”

Shaggy closely identifies with these stats. She faces a triple jeopardy of violence for being two-spirit, or gay, Native American, and a woman. Gay Native women have disproportionately higher risks of suffering violence, as they are both sexual and racial minorities. “Triple jeopardy is when you fulfill all the demographics of being Indigenous, being a woman, being LGBTQ. To fill all those demographics means you’re in triple jeopardy, which means you’re at a higher risk of dying or sexual assault. Reading that was a big eye opener because I take a lot of things for granted. I tend to think I was raised very safely. But the world’s not very safe.” Since she’s uncovered these stats, however, Shaggy has owned the numbers to spread awareness, calling her

art company Triple Jeopardy Productions. “Rather then despair over it, I thought, ‘Why don’t I reclaim that and call myself that.’ Yes, this is me, and this is what my artwork concentrates on. Also, it kind of sounds cool.” Shaggy’s comic books can be found at her website, at Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, and at Tales of Tomorrow in Farmington.

Edd sisters The four Edd sisters – Ruthie, Sierra, Chamisa, and Santana – aren’t shy about applying activism to their canvases or creating messages of empowerment for Native people. “We get inspired from each other and our culture and everything around us,” said Santana, an Ignacio High School student. With parents who are both artists – Esther Belin, a poet, printmaker, and jewelry maker, and Don Edd, a painter, jewelry maker, and sculptor – each of the Navajo sisters were encouraged to try and experiment with a variety of mediums and develop far-ranging styles. “Because our parents are both artists they encouraged us, like when we

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Courtesy of Sierra Edd

rra Edd.

Courtesy of Santana Edd

»» A painting of Native dolls by Santana Edd.

Courtesy of Ruthie Edd

»» From left, the Edd sisters: Chamisa, Sierra, Santana, and Ruthie. were very young, to do art. We were always with them when they were selling their art, so it just was really natural,” said Ruthie, a Fort Lewis College graduate. “They told us to do printmaking, painting, drawing, watercolor – every type of medium that we could try and experiment with, they told us about it and we would

try it. … I remember our dad, he said, ‘You guys never have an excuse to go hungry because you can always make something. You can always sell it.’” Starting off at young ages with inspirations like Lisa Frank and Pokemon, they began to branch and explore their Native side as they got older.

“I remember a really big point … there was the Desert Rock happening, so a lot of our art was pretty politically charged, and it talked about the environment and really being Native. Our art was a way for us to tell our experience and our stories as Native people without having to articulate it in an academic or verbal sense. You could just get a feeling for what we were feeling,” Ruthie said. When they were young, art gave them the means to express themselves when they didn’t have the scholarly language to describe their experiences, even when they didn’t realize it. “When we were young, we really didn’t have the words to say it. I went to school for Native American and Indigenous studies, so now I can talk about these things in an intellectual and academic sense of what we were doing back then,” Ruthie said. “I didn’t even realize it back then, but I think my mom and my dad did, and they gave that to us to help us process

our lives, because a lot of the negatives and positives we had of being Native, we were able to give voice to that.” “For me, I really like music, and one of my favorite bands is a Korean pop group called BTS, and they finished a mini-series called “Love Yourself.” Right now, a lot of my sketches are about basically loving yourself and accepting who you are, especially as a Native woman. It’s hard, I feel, to live in this world right now, because there’s so many obstacles you have to go through,” Santana said. “A lot of people my age think that it’s easier to give up and to not push through, especially people of color and women – that combination is very hard to live with in this society right now. So I just wanted my artwork to show that there is hope and you can do this.” As the sisters have gotten older, however, they’re leaving the Durango Continued on Page 16

�� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 15

[Native arts] From Page 15

area for school. Chamisa is attending the University of New Mexico, while Sierra is at the University of California Berkeley. They’re having to figure out where that leaves them as both a collective of artists and individual creatives, Ruthie said. “I think all my sisters are going different directions which is really nice because I think we’re at a point where we’ve had time to develop and figure out who we are as artists.”

A.J. Nequatewa A.J. Nequatewa isn’t interested in being put in a box, so much so that when asked what her artistic style is, she’s hesitant to slap a label on her work. “I don’t like boundaries on things,” the Durango artist said. “The first time that I brought my jewelry to one of the jury exhibitions, especially my silver work, they were like, ‘It’s nice, but it’s not Indian jewelry. It’s not what we’re looking for. It’s not old looking.’ Or, you know, ‘It’s not in that box,’ basically is what they were tell-

Courtesy of A.J. Nequatewa

»» ABOVE: Painted corn earrings are a tribute to a large part of Hopi and other southern Nations’ diets and spirituality. They are painted on rawhide with acrylic paints. »» RIGHT: Sunset earrings are a reminder of the sunsets at home on the Hopi Reservation, the colors light up the sky and to see the silhouette of the mesas is breathtaking. They are painted on raw hide with acrylic paints.

ing me. So I was like, ‘OK, if you don’t want it, there’s someone else out there who will.’” Nequatewa – whose mother is Navajo and father is Hopi – is a first-generation college student at Fort Lewis College and comes from a long line of artists, from kachina doll carvers to sash belt makers. She’s versed in and

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loves to experiment with multiple mediums, including sash belt weaving, jewelry making, and painting – skills that were passed down to her by family members from when she was a young child. “Traditionally, the men were the ones who made sash belts. I’m one of, I think, (a few) women who make sash belts. ... A lot of people are real traditional and adhere to those protocols. I wanted to try to learn, because there wasn’t a whole lot of people who knew how to make it when I took that class. It was the first class that they ever offered on the belts. So I took it and I had to ask the teacher if he was OK with teaching a girl, and he was like, ‘Yes.’ And I got that chance.” During high school, however, she took a break from art – focusing on sports instead. A little over a year ago, though, she found herself feeling emotionally overwhelmed and started searching for an artistic outlet to express herself. “I got to a point where I was like, ‘I need to paint. I need to put something on paper.’ It was this need to go back to it and express myself again.” While she loved the medium, painting took up a lot of time – something she did not have the luxury of. During a Native arts class one day, they were doing porcupine quillwork. During that class, she decided to create earrings for her sister-in-law and her daughter. “It felt really good to do a little piece and put that much effort into something, and I was like, ‘I’ll make another pair of earrings.’” From there, she began to post the earrings she made on social media

and her friends began to ask if they could buy them. For Nequatewa, the process of making the small pieces was both therapeutic and didn’t take up a large amount of time. “I kept exploring more and more and more, and I didn’t want to limit myself.” Despite not having a specific style she prescribes to, Nequatewa places a lot of emphasis on the colors and symbolism she incorporates into her work. “I like color and symbolism a lot. So I think maybe my work leans more toward symbolism as opposed to like realism because I use a lot of a lot of Hopi imagery and Hopi symbols that I feel connected to. And then the colors that I use are either associated with the cultural aspect, or that color means something to me.” One such example is of a pair of earrings and necklace set she made in honor of missing and murdered Indigenous women – an issue she feels strongly about and tries to spread awareness of through her art. It’s one of the most personally meaningful pieces she’s created. In this set are three Native women – one woman on each piece – wearing red dresses. When placed next to each other, their hands are joined so that wherever they are, they are united again and not alone. Also on each piece is half the symbol of a prayer feather, so that when the pieces are lined up, the prayer feathers are complete. Above them are gold prayers rising from the prayer feathers. On their dresses are stars because, just as we don’t know how many stars are in the night sky, we don’t know how many missing and murdered Indigenous women are out there. “That’s something that’s really near and dear to my heart, because I’ve seen girls go missing and I’ve had friends who have been sexually assaulted. I’ve been close to it all my life and it’s a big part of me.” Nequatewa – who prays while working – didn’t sit down missing and murdered Native women piece. She started with the red dress, and once she stopped thinking about the composition and started focusing on her prayer, the piece began to form as she worked through her tears. “My initial thought was, if I draw the red dress, people will ask, ‘Why did you draw the red dress?’ (and) then I can tell them. But it ended up turning into something totally different. It took on a life of its own, really.”

16 | Thursday, November 1, 2018 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[weed]

Blue Dream is the embodiment of chill If “chill” were a weed strain, it would be Blue Dream. Some of you may already know that, because chances are, you’re familiar with this strain. It is, after all, one of the most beloved strains out there. But, just in case you aren’t in the know, let’s have an impromptu science lesson to get you up to speed. Here’s the gist of it: Blue dream is a sativa-dominant hybrid strain from California, and it was created by crossing the indica strain known as Blueberry with the sativa strain Haze. This Blueberry/Haze offspring has over the years made a real name for itself, thanks to its unique, uplifting effects, and these days, it sits on the GOAT throne among the West Coast marijuana legends for a number of reasons, not the least of which is related to the hypnotic happiness it brings to those who tango with it. But, as legendary as this strain is, we hadn’t had the opportunity to review this little blue beaut until earlier this week. when our friends at Prohibition asked us to take a stab at it. Needless to say, we were stoked to oblige. I picked up a gram of Blue Dream on a weekend afternoon, and before I’d even gotten back to the car, I’d popped the lid off to take a gander. The first thing that I noticed was how dreamy, ethereal, and BLUE this bud looked. There is no mistaking this bud’s lineage. The weed I had was also layered with thick trichomes, making the blue tones of the bud look frosty and eerily cold. It was so freaking cool, you guys. And, when I stuck my nose into the canister, all I could smell was berry through and through. This strain is nothing if not full of blueberry goodness. I can’t tell you what else this strain smells like, because to me, it smells like something that should be on Wonka’s wall. The Blue Dream tastes like snozberries! Considering how anxious I was just to get a peek, you will not be surprised to learn that I lit up a bowl with a friend shortly after I got home to test things out. (Yes, I have no chill – especially when I get my hands on a strain like this.) As expected, that berry smell was evident in the flavor of the strain, too. It tasted a bit like a burning berry candy. I can dig it. As with its cousin, Sueno, which we reviewed last week, the effects of Blue

Details Where to find Blue Dream: Prohibition Herb, 1185 Camino del Rio, 970-385-8622, prohibitionherb. com Price: $9 a gram or $30 an eighth Caveats: Prohibition didn’t bribe us for a good review of this dreamy strain. Our opinions were all our own. Dream were felt almost instantaneously. I was high before I’d even walked inside, and my friend, who’s a major lightweight, was zoned out, smiling, and intermittently chatty shortly after. She was also pretty high. Here’s the thing about the effects of Blue Dream, though. While we were stoned, it wasn’t a sativa high like one would expect from, well, a sativa. While Blue Dream is considered a sativa hybrid, most of its phenotypes hand off effects that mirror an indica, but without the freaking slammed-against-the-wall exhaustion or couch lock. It’s the perfect mix of sativa and indica for someone who, like me, greatly dislikes being high to the point of non-functional. I like to feel high, but I want it to be moderate. And that’s precisely what Blue Dream is. This strain will help you feel the chill-out-but-still-function vibe. After smoking, my brain felt high, I had a slight tingle from a body high, and the low-key headache I was rocking from a weak attempt to day drink earlier that afternoon was wiped out, but I was renewed, not knocked into next year. I guess the best way to put it is that the effects of Blue Dream, like its look and smell, were chill and pleasant. I was happy, I was functional, and I was riding that wave of good feels for the rest of the afternoon. This strain definitely lives up to its name. —— DGO Pufnstuf

�� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 17

Durango Diaries Season 2

Raising Extraordinary Children

Wednesday, Nov. 7 • 6 p.m. Durango Public Library

Jabba OG: The THC is strong with this one I am still stoned this morning. I am sitting at my desk while laughing at nothing and shoving gummy bears into my mouth. In other words, I am a damn disaster and it’s of the most epic, and fun, proportions. I have Jabba OG to thank for this, by the way. Jabba OG is the strain we’re reviewing this week from Pagosa Therapeutics, and as with literally every. single. one. of their strains, I was knocked on my ass by it. And now I’m stoned at work.

1900 East Third Ave.

Local voices. Local stories. Welcome to Durango Diaries.

Parents discuss raising amazing children and the joys and challenges that accompany parenthood.

Not that it’s such a bad thing. It is Monday, after all, and gummy bears for breakfast is never NOT a win. (Don’t worry. I also have an apple to counteract all the processed corn syrup. I’ll eat it when my hands are properly functioning again.) I’m just surprised that I’m still a little giggly this morning, considering that I smoked this beast at like 9 p.m. last night. The force, and the THC, are strong with this one.

Sponsored By:

Storytellers include: Janet Kuss and her husband, Michael, are the parents to two boys, Jeff and Eric. In 2016, Jeff, a captain with the Blue Angles, was killed in a crash.

If you’re unfamiliar with Jabba OG, lemme break shit down for you. This strain is an indica created by crossing Skywalker X Wing with OG Kush, and that combo is no freaking joke. It harnessed the power of the Dark Side. And the other side. And whatever power runs the Death Star. In other words, this stuff would knock Jabba himself on his ass. <Insert nonsense Jabba-talk here.>

Priscilla Blevins and her husband, Field’s children, Kaylee and Christopher, work together at Specialized, where Christopher is a sponsored cyclist. Jennifer McConnell’s son Everett is what is often called twice-exceptional: a certified genius, he also faces a number of challenges including OCD and autism spectrum disorder. Andy Corra and his wife, Janet’s son Wiley, 15, fell nearly 40 feet off a bridge earlier this year, suffering brain damage. His healing process has been an ongoing journey.

Durang

[weed]

Diaries

Presented By: In Partnership with:

FREE. Kid-friendly. Info at durangoherald.com/durangodiaries

Moving on. I smoked this strain last night at a relatively early hour, and I was immediately stoned. I was impressed with the taste – it had a very light, almost nondescript taste to the bud, although the smell of the actual strain is a bit cheesy and piney – but I didn’t have much of a body high at first. It was mostly in my head, but the effects were still very, very much what one expects of an indica, even if my body wasn’t frozen like I’d been encased in carbonite. But even if my limbs were functional, the rest of me wasn’t. If you want to be one with the couch, this Jabba strain is your mfin’ jam. I could move my body, but I didn’t want to. I just wanted to curl up into a warm ball and stare at the screen, mesmerized by whatever was scrolling across the television. I felt as centered (into the couch cushions) as Yoda, and I swear to Darth, I even started to speak like the little green dude.

Details Where to find Jabba OG: Pagosa Therapeutics, 235 Bastille Drive, Pagosa Springs. Find them at 970731-4420 or pagosatherapeutics.com Price: $20 a gram (and worth every penny) For real, though. I smoked out a friend with this stuff and we were both speaking in half-sentences, the words arranged in an order that words should NEVER be arranged in, and yet we somehow both understood each other. It was great. I love stoned language. And, oddly enough, while we were both pretty couch-locked by sheer relaxation and (probably) a bit of laziness, neither of us passed out right away. We both just sat there chatting and bitching about the new “Sabrina” remake on Netflix – it’s called “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” – instead. (Side note: Have you guys seen it? The acting is SO BAD. So much for this awesome devil-worshiping take on the old comic book. Even Harvey sucks.) It took about two hours for one of us to succumb to the effects of the Jabba chill (spoiler alert: it was me), and then we both woke up way too late for work, still stoned, and starving like we’d spent a week on a cleanse. In other words, this was a good ass strain, and we both loved it. I plan to ride this one out for as long as I can today – ain’t nothin’ wrong with being happy af on a Monday – and jam out to Blind Melon as I ignore my coworkers. Sounds like a good start to the week, doesn’t it? —— DGO Pufnstuf

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[happening] DGO picks in and around A time to remember Yes, it’s the time of year to remember all things dead. But it’s not just Dia de los Muertos. Cultures throughout time have created rituals and holidays around remembering loved ones lost — China’s Ghost Festival, Buddhism’s Bon Festival, and the Christian All Souls’ Day, to name some. With its show “All Souls: A Celebration of Remembrance,” Studio & Gallery has opened its doors to the community for this inclusive, non-juried show, inviting artists from across the region to submit works that pay homage to people, places, or things living in the realm of memory. If that weren’t enough to drag your bones off the couch, Studio & also opens “R.I.P. Relief in Print” in its Recess Gallery by Durango artist Grace Turman Damien, who will exhibit her spooky, witty, and whimsical prints. Courtesy of Studio &

Details: Friday, Nov. 2, “All Souls: A Celebration of Remembrance” and “R.I.P. Relief in Print,” 5-9 p.m., free, Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave., anddurango.com

»» Work by Grace Turman Damien. ballroom, 501 Camino del Rio, habitatlaplata.org

Festival de los Partaaay The party ain’t over after Halloween by any means. In fact, just the day after is Durango’s own Festival de los Muertos, which celebrates the art and culture of Latin America. Artist booths, face painting, lots of dancing – and that doesn’t even include the afterparty at Cantera at 1150 Main Ave. This year, the Day of the Dead is asking you to live a little. Details: Nov. 1-9, Festival de los Muertos, 5 p.m., $5, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. Second Ave., durangoarts.org

Wine glass overflow-eth Who can say no to wine, really? No one at the

Thursday Montezuma County Republican Central Committee Meeting, noon, purchase of lunch

is encouraged., Shiloh Steakhouse, 5 S. Veach Street. One Book One Community Academic Lecture - Social Justice and Faith, 2:30 p.m.,

A snowboard/beer cocktail Courtesy of Studio &

»» Artwork by Tim Kapustka. 20th Anniversary Wine Tasting & Silent Auction for Habitat for Humanity, anyway. Fill up a glass and give over your money to help financially support two new affordable homes in La Plata County. You can’t go wrong chugging wine and helping someone in need of a home, now can you? Details: Nov. 2, 20th Anniversary Wine Tasting & Silent Auction, 5:30 p.m., $50, DoubleTree by Hilton

Co., 1022 Main Ave., 970-259-2545. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? - Documentary Film, 7

p.m., Sunflower Theater, 8 E. Main Street. Capitol Steps - Comedy, 7:30

p.m., $37-$52, Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall, 1000 Rim Drive.

Henderson Fine Arts Center - San Juan College, 4601 College Blvd., 505-566-3464.

Friday

Ostomy Support Group, 5

Public Library, 1900 E. Third Ave., 970-375-3380.

p.m., San Juan Health Partners Conference Room, 407 South Schwartz Ave. 8 Week Mindful Self-Compassion and Inner Resilience, 5:30 p.m., $250-$450,

reduced payment plan available, Smiley Building, 1309 E. Third Ave., 970-382-9593. Vallecito Nordic Fall Fundraiser, 5:30 p.m., Carver Brewing

STEAM Lab, 3:30 p.m., Durango

Friends of the Durango Public Library Book Sale, all

VFW Hall, 1550 Main Ave., 970247-0384. Seattle Singer Jill Cohn Live in Cortez, 6 p.m., Blondie’s Trophy

Room, 45 E. Main Street, 970-5654015. Friends of the Durango Public Library Book Sale,

all day, free, Durango Public Library, 1900 E. Third Ave.

Monday Western Water Workshop: Water Law & Policy 101 for Young and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, 4:15 a.m.,

Winter is coming, so it’s time to celebrate some snowboards and we know just where to do it: the Ska/Venture 14th Annual Season Kickoff Party. With live music by Diabolical Sound Platoon, a custom snowboard giveaway, and (of course) lotsa, lotsa beer, Venture Snowboards and Ska Brewing know how to welcome the snow. And, to boot, funds from the party will go to Friends of the San Juans, an environmental advocacy nonprofit. Details: Nov. 3, Ska/Venture 14th Annual Season Kickoff Party, 6 p.m., free, Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard Street, skabrewing.com

E. Second Ave.

Tuesday Diabetes Education Series,

Ongoing

SJRMC Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony, 7 p.m., Little

Henry Stoy, piano at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday at JeanPierre Bakery and Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave.

Theatre - San Juan College, 4601 College Blvd., 505-566-3430. Wednesday New Business Tax Workshop, 9 a.m., $15, San Juan Col-

lege-Quality Center for Business, 5101 College Blvd. T(w)een Time, 4 p.m., Free, Du-

Animas Valley Grange, 7271 County Road 203.

Saturday

Matter Of Balance, 2:30 p.m., San Juan Regional Medical Center, 800 West Maple.

Adaptive Sports Association Winter Volunteer Orientation, 6 p.m., Durango Community

Manhattan Monday, 5 p.m., password - find it on our social media, The Bookcase & Barber, 601

Recreation Center, 2700 Main Ave., 970-375-7300.

Campus, TBD. Durango Record Swap, 9 a.m.,

Lewis College Community Concert Hall, 1000 Rim Drive.

3:30 p.m., Bonnie Dallas Senior Center, 109 E. La Plata Street.

day, Durango Public Library, 1900 E. Third Ave.

Homebuyer Education Class, 8:30 a.m., $15, Fort Lewis

Voice of Cuba Orchestra World, 7:30 p.m., $22-$33, Fort

rango Public Library, 1900 E. Third Ave., 970-375-3380.

Adonis Puentes and the

Old west stage shows, held at 5:30 p.m. nightly throughout the summer at Bar D Chuckwagon, 8080 County Road 250. Cost is $12-$38 and reservations are preferred. To reserve, visit www. bardchuckwagon.com.

Submissions Submit events for the next week online by noon Monday at www.swscene.com.

DGO publishes events online and in print every Thursday.

�� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 19

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20 | Thursday, November 1, 2018 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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To advertise in DGO Deals contact us at 970-247-3504 �� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 21

Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19) This week is a mixed bag. In one way, you’re ready for fun! You want to enjoy yourself at social occasions, sports events and playful times with children. However, a friend might annoy you. (Oops.) TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Be patient with family members this week, especially a female relative. Your ambition might cause you to overreach your grasp. In turn, this could bring criticism to you. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Be careful because this is an accident-prone week. (This applies to verbal accidents as well as physical accidents.) Slow down and pay attention to everything you say and do. CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Bizarro

Something unexpected might impact

your finances this week. You might find money; you might lose money. Protect your possessions against loss, theft or damage. LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) This week, the Moon is in your sign opposing fiery Mars, which will create a sudden conflict with someone. Bite your tongue and be diplomatic for your own benefit as well as his or hers. VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) You might be doing a slow boil about something because you feel annoyed with someone, and yet you feel you cannot speak up. This is frustrating for anyone. LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) Be patient with friends and members of groups this week because why get into a quarrel? It only leads to bad feelings, which later become a problem. (You don’t need this.)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) Be patient with parents and bosses this week to avoid a nasty squabble. When people have power over you, why alienate them? Think about it. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Avoid controversial subjects like politics, religion and racial issues this week because people are keen to quarrel! They’re looking for a chance to pick a fight. (Don’t even go there.) CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) Disputes about shared property, inheritances, insurance issues and anything that you own jointly with someone else might occur this week. Think of your long-term objective. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) Relations with partners and close

friends are rocky this week because the Moon opposes fiery Mars. Take the high road and stay in a positive frame of mind. PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) Avoid quarrels with co-workers this week because they will not benefit you. Make a good impression on others. (Don’t be defined by your angry words.) BORN THIS WEEK You are a go-getter with a strong drive for success! You go after what you want. You will love your year ahead because it’s about success, power and money! Oh yes, it’s a year of harvest and major achievements because you are reaping the benefits of the past decade. You will taste power and leadership in all your relationships. Get going. Make it happen! © 2018 King Features Syndicate Inc.

Native news LGBTQ has more spirit Unlike a lot of cultures, Native Americans have historically held LGBTQ people in high regard. Rather focusing on who they were having sex with, Native Americans believed LGBTQ people were gifted spiritually, as they were blessed with having the spirit of a man and woman. Gee, how refreshing. Code war During World War I and II, the military recruited Native people to work as code talkers to relay tactical messages over the radio. During World War II, the Japanese were able to crack all of the codes the U.S. used to transmit messages until Navajo code talkers were used. Today, it is the only oral code used in the military that was never decoded. The woman who mapped America Sacajawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman, was only about 16 years old when she helped the Lewis and Clark Expedition cross America in the early 1800s. She interpreted for them, saved a bunch of supplies when a boat capsized, and even gave birth to a friggin’ baby during their travels. Let’s be honest, they woulda been goners without her.

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[ weed ] Seeing Through the Smoke Christopher Gallagher

Unplug for some cannabis self-care

o, the squirrels are deciding. Another 13 moons gone by, and again, the time has arrived for Rocket J, Secret, that goofy furball from “Ice Age,” and the planet’s entire Sciuridae cadre, to test the fates as they spend the next month dashing blindly in front of our vehicles, throwing up their tiny middle fingers at the grim reaper as they go. The squirrels don’t care if they live or die – how about you? Yes, things are strange here in the Early Late American Empire – try watching the political ads on mute until the midterms and let me know if you can figure out what is going on. Even better, take half an hour with the question: “How did we get here?” and journal the range of emotions that flies through you. That is why taking some time for self-care, as the days shorten toward the solstice, is our best plan. We, the squirrels, and every other mammalian being possess a cannabinoid system in our bodies, and using a multifaceted approach to bolstering that system could be the key to living in a state of calm balance, regardless of what sort of conditions sur-

round us. The beauty of 2018 includes the fact that cannabis is, after nearly a century of prohibition, making its way onto the cultural red carpet. Long gone are the “puff tough 3 percent dirtweed days.” Today, thanks to the tireless work of the folks who have always loved the plant, and the shameless opportunism of those going whatever way the wind is blowing (I am looking at you and your crew, John Boehner – but I ain’t mad at cha), we have dozens of ways to take advantage of the stabilizing effects of cannabinoids to raise our levels of physical and emotional health. We even have the option of whether or not to get high while we do so. One analysis of the effects of prohibition focuses on the removal of hemp from the food chain. It was previously used as fodder for beef cattle and its removal, so goes the theory, is at least partially responsible for the rise of certain autoimmune conditions, which have plagued our society in the past few decades. The cannabinoid compound that has been lacking in our diets is cannabidiol, or CBD,

the non-psychoactive healing powerhouse that is being used to treat dozens of conditions that may stem from cannabinoid deficiency. It may be time to start smoking high-CBD strains like Charlotte’s Web (0.3 percent THC), or more balanced ones like 1:1 THC:CBD strains, for even stronger effects. Eating the extractions or concentrates of these strains, or taking CBD supplements, could be the way to go. There are also bath bombs, salves, balms, oils, and creams that include cannabinoids and other components of nature’s pharmacy, which we can rub into our skin to relieve the aches that life brings without the high. All that being said, let us not forget, at the end of the day, the restorative value of unplugging from the matrix and feeding our heads with a cloud of our favorite strain as a barrier against getting overly squirrelly. Christopher Gallagher lives with his wife and their four dogs and two horses. Life is pretty darn good. Contact him at chrstphrgallagher@gmail.com.

[Odd Rot, by Patty Templeton]

Take Back the Power! Patty Templeton really wants you to VOTE before or on NOV. 6. Not registered? DOESN’T MATTER! In Colorado you can register ON ELECTION DAY. Know who votes? Middle-aged to old white women and men. Want your voice heard? VOTE diversity into office. Want to chat about voting? Say hi to Templeton on Twitter via @PattyTempleton. �� Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 23