MVP Haircuts

MVP Haircuts has been in operation in Ventura, CA since August 2007. For my Person at Work assignment I chose to photograph Lorraine Villasenor on May 25, 2008. Lorraine has worked at MVP since December and since received a dedicated clientèle. Matthew Durkin (top picture) found MVP in August soon after the opening and continues to come back every month to get a trim.

Al Rodriguez is very picky with how his hair gets cut - he does not like it when hair dressers listen to how he wants his hair cut and does not listen to him. Al's previous hair dresser cut his hair for seven years, and bounced around before he found MVP in April. Lorraine is the only person he allows to cut his hair now, and goes back to MVP ever two to three weeks for a trim (bottom two pictures).

First Annual Chumash Pow-wow

Mike, Mia, and I went to shoot some assignments at the First Annual Chumash Interpretive Center and Museum was hosted in Thousand Oaks, CA on May 19 and 20, 2008. This was my first pow-wow that I have been too that wasn't through 120 Drums of Thunder - and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It has been so long since I have danced of any kind that the drum called my blood, but I could not respond. The coordinator had told us from the beginning that no one that was not dancing could not enter the circle. Maybe another time I will tell them that I have felt the calling to dance the Grass Dance.

The first picture is five Veterans dancing the Warrior Gourd Dance. The dance is left only to Veterans that have served in a war. Formerly it was known as the Ghost Dance and was outlawed for a period of time. It was slowly danced in hidden groups and became more popular. Now I believe it is universally danced across the nation by those that chose too.

Susan Jackson presents a very strong Fancy Shawl Dancer. I have a couple time lapses of her dancing, and this is one of the stills that I chose because of the power of her stance and the movement of the fringe. She has been dancing since she was four years old.

Kathy Peltier and Randy Guzman-Folkes have been chosen to be the Headman and Headwoman. They were honored with a dance solely for them. After a round the rest of the group was given a chance to dance with them for their honor.

Sadly, I do not know this woman's name. Her poise and presence exudes very strongly a rightful regalness. That is the only way I could describe it. Our eyes made contact and there was a lot of strength in her gaze.

This is Tyla Va'ai-LeTourmeau, another Fancy Shawl Dancer. I liked this picture because of the way she stood during a song break. It felt somehow iconic. Here she looks posed and slightly mournful. Behind that facade hides an iron strength.

Finally, here is Mike presetting the camera before they shoot some footage the first day of the pow-wow. Overall it was a very fun experience. At this time I am planning to find a way to attend another pow-wow up in Bakersfield at the college the weekend of June the 6th. Mike and Mia used some of my stills in the documentary on the museum's curators that they filmed when I was shooting.

Joshua J. Anahonak ©2008