Why am I creating Arrayanos ?

Arrayanos is a project which I have been developing over 19 years and of which I am very passionate about.  Arrayanos is about a ritual that combines Native Americans and African cultural practices called Rara and that has travelled via Haitian slaves and sugarcane workers from Haiti to the Dominican Republic where it is known as Gaga and to New Orleans where it has influenced the Carnival Indians and now to Miami where it is known as Rara.  This amazing ritual where the community gets together and marches around the neighborhood or from one  sugar cane mill to another is visually beautiful, full of spirituality and of music and dance. It reflects an interest taken in various notions of the struggle to transform and define a new homeland that combines the multiple histories and perspectives.  Arrayanos a word used to identify  Dominican born Haitians  is the story of the community that sustains this practice.

Is this all the project will cost?

No. Edge Zones is a non-profit 501-c3 corporation and has raised funding from the MAP Funds and I a recent recipient of South Florida Cultural Consortium Interdisciplinary Artists Fellowship Award  plus we are getting many in-Kind donations.  However all of these grants have to be matched and since this is an  international project which will cover four countries there is great cost involved. Some of the funds will not cover certain items.  This is why we need you to help us raise the matching funds and to help us cover the items the grants do not cover.

Will my donation be tax deductible?

Edge Zones is a non-profit 501 c3 registered in the State of Florida in 2004.  You can receive tax deductions  the portion of your donation after you have deducted the cost of the gift we give you.  We can provide you with our tax-id.  More information about our tax except status can be verify through DUNS. We are registered with the State of Florida as an organization that can solicit charitable contributions.

What will this funding be used for?

This funding will be used to cover travel cost, transportation, editing, guest musicians and costumes.  They will also be used to match the other funding.

What is Gaga ?

Performance art is an ephemeral art, but actually analyzing it from the nowadays boom in Latin America, this is a more effective medium to send a message and an even more powerful kind of art. The actions in performance call for attention such as a painting or an installation but the human factor involved in the creation-absorbed people into it press sensitive keys in their minds. Many complain of performance to be a pretentious effort to be contemporary.  But the invisible force that drags you into the action of a performer can only be noticed when being present at the moment it is happening, in that way it is still a Ephemeral Art, but never pretentious.

How can I get involved in this festival?

Beginning August 2015 we will hold a series of free workshops for students, artists and the general public to learn about Gaga or Rara, performance art documentation and a forum about what is performance art  which will include conversations and suggested readings.  This forum will also be internet based and we hope to include participants and fans from all over the world and with countries where our organization Edge Zones already has a history of collaborations and exchanges. Please visit www.arrayanos.org for updates and more information on the event.

I will also be producing a documentary on Rara and its different ramifications  in the Americas and will include commentaries and critical analysis of the rituals and its people.  You can purchase this video which will help you further understand performance art.

January 2016 will be the opening presentation of the documentary in a reputable  institution in Miami.  It will take place several other cities in the USA and in the Dominican Republic including performances, workshops, lectures and forums.

How can we continue what we share with this festival?

The forums and exchanges will continue with activities.  Printed matter, blogs, Facebook pages will inform of upcoming events .  You can also visit some of these places and see live some of these rituals.  In the future we will offer a Gaga tour to the Dominican Republic, a Super Sunday tour to New Orleans, to the Miami Rara and to Cuba to see the Conga. 

Are there any perks for donating?

I  am making many hand made limited edition items which I will give as thank you perks for supporting us and donating. (Soon you will see the items on the right side bar  when we run our campaign  on the right for more details of the goodies we have created specially for you) .

What else can I do to help?

You can help by sharing this link and asking your friends or other potential contributors to also donate to this wonderful cause.

You can also mail us a check to the following address:

Make check payable to:

Edge Zones

P.O. Box 398356

Miami Beach, FL 33239

Thank you for supporting us.

OUR GOAL $6000

             Verifiable Non-Profit Campaign

             All campaign contribution will go to Edge

                  Zones minus credit card charges.