Yaqui Guitarist Gabriel Ayala Going to Rome for Canonization of Native Woman
Yaqui Guitarist Ayala Going to Rome for Canonization of Native Woman
Gabriel Ayala, a Tucson resident and Native American Artist of the Year, will be in Rome this weekend when the Vatican elevates a 17th-century indigenous American woman to sainthood.
Ayala, a guitarist and member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona, will be part of a contingent from the Kateri Center of Chicago making the pilgrimage to Rome for the canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. The Kateri Center is a ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago and serves American Indian Catholics.
The group will have a general audience with Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday, confirmed Michael Renszler, the center’s administrative assistant and catechist.
“What an honor. It is like meeting the Dalai Lama,” said Ayala.
Since the group has a general audience with the pope and not a private one, Renszler said he’s not certain whether Ayala will be allowed to play for the pontiff. If he is allowed to play, Ayala says he will play something from his “Shades of Blue” album, likely “Inhaipsi,” [sic] which means “My heart.”
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Here’s “Inhiapsi”:
Lots more at YouTube. Reportedly, he also smells good.
He’ll be playing at January’s Inaugural Ball, no matter who wins.