By Cathy Gruman
 
LOS ANGELES—The Traveling Bonfires’ movable feast of music, poetry, and other artistic festivity kicks off this Sunday, June 28, in Cerritos, and July 4, in Long Beach. Stella’s Notch, a world music-oriented band anchored on Melody del Mundo’s innovative songwriting and genre-bending singing, topbills the Cerritos show, which happens at Josephine’s Bistro & Bar, located at 11305 183rd St.  Also performing on that show that starts at 7 in the evening are Alyssandra Nighswonger and Matt Rivera.

A cover charge of $10 equals a plate of food or 2 drinks.  Proceeds go to the Traveling Bonfires’ typhoon relief program in the Philippines and the families of Desaparecidos or victims of enforced disappearances (in coordination with Manila-based nonprofits).

On July 4, The Bonfires presents Long Beach-based poets and singer-songwriters Justin Flake, Johnny Gold, Rags Moody, Pasckie Pascua, Chelsey Sanchez, and special guest Ray Lampano in another benefit show at Viento y Agua Café & Gallery on 4007 E 4th Street in Long Beach.  Lampano used to front Manila’s Dean’s December new wave act, and the blues ensemble The Lampano Group.

Both shows are part of The Bonfires’ “Vagrant Wind” program, a series of small-venue shows and gigs that advocate “global peace and harmony in diversity.”

A brainchild of Philippine News contributing editor Pasckie Pascua, the Traveling Bonfires is a non-profit organization based in Long Beach, California, who aims to usher arts and music events to bring people together in celebration of global peace and multicultural awareness.

The Bonfires took root in a mining town in the ragged Cordillera mountains, far north of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon—where Pascua spent a considerable amount of his childhood.  The initiative became an organized community convergence in the early 80s and carried on towards the end of the decade, especially during the time of ceasefire (or peace) negotiations between the government and Communist insurgents.

“At a time when bombs and gunfire from all fronts—government troops, Communist rebels, paramilitary combatants—coexisted with thunderstorms and cold, cold nights of fearsome dark, bonfires were comfort zones.  Bonfires got people together.  We shared songs, poetry, funny stories and gags, and food.  It was random, very spontaneous.  Come one, come all,” Pascua recalled.

This summer, The Bonfires resumes its long-running “Bonfires for Peace” events.  On July 9, the organization, in cooperation with the Tag-Ani Performing Arts Society, present a similar event at the Conspiracy Garden Café in Visayas Avenue, Quezon City.  Among the performers are Joey Ayala, Cooky Chua, Maryjane Alejo, Rannie Raymundo, Rockshox, Jess Santiago and Mae Paner (aka Juana Change), to name a few.  Beneficiaries are the Desaparecidos and the Free Jonas Burgos Movement. “Bonfires for Peace” concerts are also scheduled in Asheville, North Carolina on July 12 and South San Francisco on Aug 13.  In 2004, The Bonfires organized and produced an unprecedented 16-weekends spring to end of fall public concerts in downtown Asheville—converging close to a hundred bands, performers, poets from all over NC and from as far as New York City, Boston, and Texas.  The program also attracted performers from Haiti, Congo, Japan, and France.   In Oct 2 2004, a 7-band “Bonfires for Peace” was also held in Baltimore’s sprawling Leakin Park.  This spring/summer/fall program carried on until 2007, when Pascua left North Carolina for Southern California.  In the fall of 2008, the first “Bonfires for Peace” in the West Coast was held at the state park of Huntington Beach.  It was co-sponsored by the Long Beach Peace Network.

The organization seeks volunteers, as well as donations to help with the logistics expenses.  For more info: Marta Osborne (562 726 0873, bonfires_marta@yahoo.com), Cathy Gruman (562 434 3951, igru2002@yahoo.com), or email pasckie.pascua@gmail.com.