a yaqui easter: exploring the world of native Christianity

Tucson, Arizona

GINTD 6041, 3-6 credits

A field experience for multi-cultural educators, performing artists, and students of cultural and religious studies.

This field studies course allows students to engage in first-hand ethnographic study through experiencing the final days of the Yaqui Easter ceremony in the village of New Pasqua, in Tucson, Arizona. Many groups of Natives were taught a Catholic Passion Play in the early 1600s by Jesuit missionaries. After the Jesuits were removed from Mexico by Spain the Natives continued performing this play, developing it into their primary religious ritual. Throughout the American southwest and Mexico, this ceremony is held at Easter during Holy Week.

Beyond the anthropological and ethnographic skills, this interdisciplinary course will provide experiences in cross-cultural religion, dance ethnography, religious music and symbolism, the history and culture Native peoples, and indigenous ritual, ceremony and spirituality.

If you are interested in participating, contact:
Frank Trocco, Associate Professor
Lesley University
(617) 349-8588, ftrocco@lesley.edu