Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
Photo by Larry Levanti
A week of activities centered around the residency of 2022-24 Princeton Arts Fellow Kamara Thomas and her collaborators, Band of Toughs, culminated in a performance and activation of Tularosa: An American Dreamtime on October 9, 2023.
Thomas received a 2022 MAP Fund grant for the development of Tularosa, an exploration of American cultural identity through the mythology of the American West. In this Princeton iteration of Tularosa, Thomas and Band of Toughs, a Colorado based theater company, weave the underlooked stories of the multiple generations of New Mexican families who call themselves “Downwinders” into an ongoing excavation and exploration into the threads of the American Story.
“Downwinders” bear, in their bodies, the consequences of Tularosa Basin nuclear activity. Since 1945 they have had to deal with genetic mutations, various cancers, and other physical, emotional and mental wounding as a result of the nuclear testing near their homes, while tirelessly petitioning the government for compensation and care. According to Thomas, our culture and mainstream storytelling still seeks to deify and mythologize those who, in the name of progress and “keeping America safe,” have deeply harmed our planet, and in fact, risk the survival of humanity itself.
