By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Getty Villa will host the multi-cultural Villa Family Festival on Sunday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Cultures from opposite sides of the world come together at this daylong family festival inspired by the exhibition ‘Picture Worlds: Greek, Maya, Moche Pottery,’” read a statement from Getty. “Move to traditional Greek folk music, enjoy the dances and sounds of diverse Peruvian cultures, create your own melodies with pre-Columbian instruments, explore the Maya calendar, and witness a ballgame that has roots going back 3,500 years.”
Several drop-in activities will take place throughout the duration of the event, including exploring the music and instruments of Mesoamerican with Martin Espino at West Belvedere. In the Outer Peristyle, attendees are invited to create Maya glyphs with Stephanie Lozano, learn about “pottery of the past” and decorate a paper craft with Desi Sanchez, and color the Maya Calendar with Mundo Maya Foundation.
There will be a Talking Stick Workshop with Mundo Maya Foundation from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Education Studio.
“Learn about the importance and power of the sacred talking stick and then make your own at this special one-hour workshop,” read a preview of the event. “Each workshop will end with a talking circle.”
Performances are set to include a Ceremonial Maya Procession and Invocation by Casa de la Cultura Maya—led by spiritual guide and healer Nana Batz and timekeeper and spiritual guide Tata Marco Pacheco—at 10:45 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. The Dimitris Mahlis Ensemble will perform traditional Greek music in the Inner Peristyle Garden from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1 to 2 p.m., and 3 to 4 p.m.
In the Education Courtyard, Casa de la Cultura Maya will host Maya ballgames, known as pok-ta-pok, from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. and 3:15 to 3:45 p.m.
INCA, the Peruvian Ensemble, will perform in the Auditorium from 12 to 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. The Ancient Maya Dance Traditions of the Deer (Past and Present) with Casa de la Cultura Maya will also take place in the Auditorium from 1:15 to 2 p.m. and 4 to 4:30 p.m.
“The Deer Dance is an ancient Maya tradition that has been preserved by the Maya people to this day,” read a description. “It is a ritual performed to bring rain and good harvests. Similar rituals have been a common practice among various ethnic groups since pre-Hispanic times.”
Getty Villa is located at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. All events are free to attend, but advanced tickets to Getty Villa are required to visit.