JUYA NOKAKAME

Juya Nokakame (“Talking Tree”) transforms a structural column into a living narrative inspired by the Yaqui (Yoeme) emergence story along the Río Yaqui. In the emergence story, Juya Nokakame is a prophecy tree that spoke to the ancestors, the Surem, and revealed what was to come in the future. Following this prophecy, the Surem returned to nature, transforming into ants, sea creatures, birds of the sky, and other inhabitants of the wilderness, while others chose to become Yoeme. The flora and fauna represented in the artwork reflect those described in the emergence story, transforming the column into a visual expression of the enduring connection between the Yoeme people and the natural world.