Eagle Feathers #365 – Washington Irving

Washington Irving was born in 1783 in Manhattan near the Hudson River during the last week of the Revolutionary War and died 76 patriotic years later. During his lifetime, he was known as a man of stories and letters.

With the passage of time, more and more cities and states in America are officially recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day in lieu of the traditional observance of Columbus Day.

Somerville has been on board for a few years now, and more of our neighboring communities across the Commonwealth, including the City of Boston, are joining in each year.

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Recently, I caught up with Somerville artist Nirmal Raja to talk about a project she is working on that will be presented by the Somerville Museum in January.

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Lee Varon is a social worker and writer. Her forthcoming co-authored chapbook MS Meets Parkinson’s will be published in 2027.

Zero Point Arts and Zoe Dance presents TALVEZ, a contemporary dance company based in Quito, Ecuador, for a fall residency centered on choreographer Marcela Correa’s interactive work “Manipulo”

Special international dance showcase from Ecuador

“Manipulo” transforms the stage into a living Japanese garden. Instead of raked sand and still stones, audiences find tables, dancers, and loose stones waiting to be placed. As audience members move the stones — arranging them, testing their weight, deciding where they belong — the dancers respond in kind, and the sound of stone meeting table is captured by contact microphones and turned into live music. The pace, the shape of the space, and the relationships between performers all shift depending on what the audience chooses to do, so no two performances unfold the same way twice.

Rendering of plans for the new Neighborway on Mossland Street at the intersection of Elm Street. ~ Courtesy of City of Somerville

Street will be transformed into walk- and bike-friendly “neighborway” as part of Elm-Beacon Connector safety project

Beginning Thursday, October 15, Mossland St. will be closed to motor vehicles at its intersection with Elm Street. Going forward, motor vehicles accessing Mossland St. will need to enter and exit via Somerville Ave.

Update from the Somerville Fire Department:

— Photo by Keith Foster

Join your ward’s ‘Neighborhood Connect’ meeting for an overview of the latest City and community updates.

The series continues this week on Tuesday, October 13, in Ward 1 in the East Somerville Community School cafeteria (50 Cross St.) and Thursday, October 15, in Ward 6 at Somerville Community Baptist Church (31 College Ave.). Meetings run from 6 to 8 p.m. Free pizza and refreshments will be available starting at 6 p.m. The final meeting in the series, will be Ward 2, on Wednesday, October 21.