Alicia Mary Retes, C.I.G., C.I.T.

Storytelling Artisan and Educator

     Alicia promotes and supports other storytellers through Artist Standing Strong Together (ASST, "assist), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting a growing collective of Independent Artist whose mission is to connect t artists with resources. Founders Donna Washington and Sheila Arnold created ASST as a direct result of COVID. Monthly Special Programs (MSP) is an ASST Zoom program with varied topics. As a creative producer and Emcee, Alicia continues to design MSP programs.

     "COVID Shape Shifter - Tragedies Turned Triumphant" a show giving voice to personal stories of transforming pandemic tragedies into triumph. From Canada and across the United States including Indigenous Citizens of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Wyandotte Nation in Central Sierra Mewuk Territory, 8 performers emerged to share how they adapting their lives and communities for the better.  Feature Tellers: Tim Tingle, BZ Smith, Genevieve N. Franklin, Kristin Pedemonti, Mindy Donner,Laura Simms Mike Tomson and Gail Mello Weaver.

      "You and I - Oh My!” Seven Tandem Teller​s perform stories of an event that led them both to share an "Oh My!" moment. 14 performers across the US and Candada, team up to share enticing experiences ranging from truck stop mishaps and camping adventures to love affairs and deepen spiritual connections. Featured Tandem Tellers: Steve Daut & Robin Nott, Howard Liberman & Loren Niemi, Patti Chistensen & James Nielsen The Story Patchwork Story Theater, Linda & Gary Kuntz , Johanne Pelletier & Ronna Levy, Judith Onesty & Les Schafer Two Tellers Telling and Shayne Larango & Hayley Turner.

     Born and raised in San Diego California, Alicia spent her summers in Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico, a Yoreme (Mayo) ceremonial town. She traveled in the family yellow Dodge Dart Station Wagon camping along the West Coast and across the US to national, state and parks. Growing up in a bi-lingual, Mexican-American household sparked her fascination with cultural diversity, languages and natural history. For over a year, Alicia lived in a deserted Hawaiian fishing villages spearing fish and lobsters to eat. She traded her catch for tropical fruits and fresh water with a Hawaiian fisherman who came once a month. He would pull his outrigger canoe onto the black sand beach to offload the precious cargo. Quite often they shared his homemade poi together.  As an adult, she has lived, traveled and explored the ecosystems and Native cultural arts in California, Mexico, Hawaii, Panama and Australia.

Land Acknowledgement

Alicia resides in the unceded sovereign lands of the Coast Miwok known today as Marin County. Despite the cultural genocide through missionization by the Spanish and the piracy tactics of the English, they are still here and have been here since time immemorial. This is true for the unceded lands of Coast Miwok in Marin County where I reside and the unceded lands of the Yoeme (Yaqui) of Sonora, Mexico and of whom I am descended. They both remain dedicated to upholding and renewing the traditional customs and practices of their ancestors.

She encourages learning more about the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin and supporting their current and future projects. Please visit www.coastmiwokofmarin.org "Since time immemorial; as long as the sun has filled the days with the gift of light, and as long as the moon has guided our path at night, the Coast Miwok people, who hold the uncontested aboriginal title, have occupied, tended, stewarded, and held sacred ceremonies, defended and governed according to the traditions of their ancestors the unceded lands of present-day Marin County, California".

Check out their Youtube video sponsored by the San Geronimo Valley Planning Group Members  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGSTnJmAhqQ

You can also learn about the Coast Miwok and other Indigenous Americans at the Museum of the American Indian, Novato CA  https://www.marinindian.com/

Coast Miwok Teritory also includes Southern Sonoma County. Learn more about the The Federated Indians of Granton Rancheriaat. Please visit https://gratonrancheria.com/

Throughout the Americas, the Indigenous Tribal Nations have maintained a deep understanding and traditional knowledge of North Americas ecosystems and landscapes that allowed them to thrive for thousands of years long before western contact.

Indigenous People and their ancient traditional knowledge are a vital part of our present and future lives on the Earth. We must heed their call to protect all water resources and ecosystems now and for future generations. After all, we are all humans living on the same Mother Earth.

     In her expressive telling, tricksters become lively interesting, deceptive, happless and funny characters, who embody a range of human emotions and reactions while providing opportunities to transform preconceived ideas and unite audiences in laughter.  Alicia is especially fond of retelling Indigenous stories from her travels to honor the original inhabitants and their land.  She fully embraces the unique personality, body, movement, voice and spirit of a variety of characters.

Hearts Desire Beach 2014 Tule Boat building with Charlie Kennard of San Anselmo, a long-time basket weaver and student of California Indian and other traditional basketry techniques of the world.

2024 - 2025  Museum of the American Indian, Novato, CA. Alicia celebrated the grand reopening of the museum where her multiple medias are on display along with Henri Frank,(Yourok, Pomo) mixed media artist and Jackie Fawn, Yurok, Washoe, Filipino graphic illustrator. www.marinindian.com

     Alicia shares her work at various Indigenous California gatherings including the Coast Miwok Big Time Celebrations at Kule Loklo, Point Reyes National Seashore, and the Siakumne Tribe and 4 Element Earth Education at the Salmon and Bear Celebrations at Burton Educational Preserve, Nevada County.   For 12 years, Alicia engaged thousands of students learning about the Miwoks and other Native American Indian cultural ways.  She is the former teacher and education director at the Museum of the American Indian, Novato, California. Learn more about their programs and events at  https://www.marinindian.com/.  Alicia is an active member of the Marin American Indian Alliance and Board Member with the Miwok Archeology Preserve of Marin. She participates with numerous Miwok cultural workshops and performances with Sky Road, Coast Miwok throughout Marin County.     https://youtu.be/ViKYQ-QnN6A

     Alicia incorporates music, including songs of her own composition in English, Spanish, and various Indigenous languages, along with ethnic instruments like the didjeridu taught her by the Aboriginal Australian Tjapukai people. Her adaptation of Gulpilil's tale of Gurukman the Frog is hillariously entertaing especially for the little ones. Includes colored photos (and a few "stufies") of exotic animal characters like Wombat, Emu, Kookaburra, Nabunum the Ell and Kangaroo.  Alicia also demonstrates an assortment of didgerdoos. Children will experiencing the sound of the didgeridoo and be invited to play and assortment of percussion insturment.  45 minute program. Requires 45 minute set up, 20 minute take down. $300 plus travel expenses over 30 minute round trip.

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Companion Plants Programs Elementary Students crafted corn husk plant characters, wrote and performed short stories and designed menus and feasted on their plant-based meals.  Sonoma County Commuinty Center.  

Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito CA

Performing songs with Sky Road Webb, Coast Miwok of Marin.

Willow Bay Nut Basket by Alicia.

Capitvating Storyteller

All Ages.

Family Friendly Programs.

Featured Teller available for Libraries,

Schools, Community Centers, Museums,

Storytelling Festivals and Special Events.

Bookings:

Alicia.M.Retes@gmail.com

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ART EXIBITS

     Alicia camped in the foothills of the Sierra Madre in the 1990's to connect with and record the art and culture of the Mayo artisans in Sonora, Mexico. She learned more her grandfathers heritage as a Yoreme and Yoeme descendant, a governmental aristocrat and a rancher born in Huatabampo,a Mayo ceremonial town.   Thanks the help of her mother, Mexican cousins, the Mayo village leaders, the Matachin Dance Society and Custom Video Multimedia Productions,  Alicia produced "Cultural Arts of the Mayo People of Sonora, Mexico”in the 1990's. This short video provides glimpse into the enchanting world of the ancient/modern customs of the Yaqui and Mayo Easter Ceremonal traditions dating back to the early seventeenth century. Translated in Spanish, it was donated to Mayo Cultural Center, Mx.

Alicia thrives on Trickster and Shape-Shifter stories like Coyote Raven, Rabbit, Frog and Humans!

20 minute rendition of "Yaqui Two Bears" - a traditional legend of love, betrayal and redemption.

$200 plus travel expenses over 30 minutes round trip.

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2022  San Geronimo Valley Community Center (SGVCC) Artist In-Residence. Companion Plant Stories and Corn Leaf Sculptures" in The West Room Gallery. 8- foot earth mound replicating The Three Sisters - an ancient Indigenous story about Corn, Bean and Squash.  She performed this story of peaceful relatios a the  SGVCC's Annual International Peace Festival. Her project included demonstrating the sculpting techinque and the Lagunitas School District Students K-8 had fun crafting the characters.

2012 San Geronimo Valley Community Center hosted a retrospect of her work that included colorful batik hand paintings, black and white silk screen prints, feather art, pinatas and a papier mache' whale vertebra. Guests were entertained with  Hawaiian music including the song Ka O' pai with Alicia playing the didjeridoo with ukulele musician Allen Bernes and Tom Barr on harmonica.

    One-of-a-kind Plant Puppet Characters reach into the audience to express their trials and tribulations and reveal their roots within the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and beyond. This multidimensional program is designed to support a sense of community and shared responsibilities between among diverse individuals while reflecting the spirit of cooperation and interconnectedness inherent in Indigenous cultures.

     The Three Sisters, coined by the Haudenasone (Iroquois) is an traditional ecological farming technique that fosters a symbiotic relationship between the plants, maximizes yields and promotes sustainable agriculture while holding cultural significances. There are many Native American legends about these special plant sisters. Their stories underscore the power and viability of working together for mutual benefit. An exemplar for us to follow in our communities resulting in respecting differences, common wellness needs, cooperation, abundance and a healthy environment. The intelligence of plants in that way help lead the way.

    Alicia grew up with her mother's Victory Vegetable Garden among apricot and lemon trees in the backyard. Outside her bedroom window, Alicia was enchanted with colorful tropical plants and the scent of night blooming jasmine that enhanced her dreams. Her father, a Mexican citizen and Mayo Yaqui descendant managed fields of tomatoes and sunflowers.  As an adult, Alicia planted a flourishing 50 x 50 square foot companion plant garden. Subsequently she learned that this permaculture concept originates from the centuries long Native American Three Sisters planting of corn, bean and squash that continues today among several tribal nations like the Cherokee, Wampanoag, Hopi, Haudenasone and many others.

     Alicia's Permaculture Plant Puppet Characters - 1 inch to 6' tall' planted" in 3' round x 7' high portable garden on wheels.     Did you know that 60 % of the foods, we eat worldwide originate with the Indigenous People of the Americas?  

Alicia has a lot of plant stories to discover!  Her latest additions are Tantalizing Tomatina, Cilantro El  Magnifico, Basil the Brave, Odorous Onion and the Mighty Horn Worm, a story of overcoming fear and devastation through love, respect and cooperation.

Companion Plants Stories is a family friendly, interactive program that endeavors to learn from the Three Sisters, explore other companion plants and discover their wild plant ancestors  throughout the Americas.

     Companion Plants Stories offers original and  Pan American influenced sing-along songs with hand movements and the opportunity to play a variety of indigenous percussion instruments.  It supports school and community gardening and meets CA Core Standards for Social Studies, Creative Arts, Native American and Environmental Studies K through Grade 5.

Trickster Tales

Enter Text

Companion Plants Stories and Songs

"Yaqui Two Bears"

Corn Husk Doll Workshops

Lagunitas School District TK to 7th

More About Alicia

     This one-hour program (depending on size and audience age) requires 75 minutes to set up, about 30 to 40 minutes to repack and reload. This highly popular program is available all year round and books quickly throughout the Greater Bay Area especially for the fall.  

$400 plus roundtrip travel expenses over 30 minutes.  For bookings and more info, please contact  Alicia at Alicia.M.Retes@gmail.com

Mixed Media Artwork