By Tatiana Moore

The further north you go along the coast, the quieter California gets. The pace of life is slow beneath the redwoods, and yet Humboldt has a habit of producing people who refuse to sit still. Enter Arcane Artists, home to a whole spectrum of performers. Pole, go-go and fire dancing, aerial silks, DJing and live painting are just some of the acts that bring Humboldt nightlife to life. 

Founded in 2021, in the aftermath of pandemic lockdowns, Arcane Artists Director Joey Constini set out to create a home for creatives across Humboldt County.

“What I saw in the community, more than anything, was depression and isolation,” Costini said. “I was watching so many young creatives having to leave this area.”

Unlike larger cities in California such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, Arcata is not an entertainment hub. There are no streets lined with clubs, no huge concert venues and no major touring circuits. 

Lana Gallinat, stage name Lacy Mar, graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) with a degree in psychology and a minor in dance last May. Gallinat discovered Arcane through people she met on campus.

“They were like, ‘We’re dancing with this group and you’d be perfect. Let’s go audition.’” Gallinat said.

Gallinat is a dance lead with Arcane Artists as a go-go dancer, but Humboldt wasn’t the first place she tried to build a life as a dancer. Before coming north, Gallinat lived in Los Angeles. where she studied dance and pursued performing professionally.

Gallinat said her time in Los Angeles eventually changed her relationship with dance.

“It became something that was really stressful and it was no longer a passion or outlet for me,” Gallinat said. “In Humboldt and with Arcane, I’m just surrounded by a bunch of people who just love what they do, who want to pursue their passions, who are also working and doing other things to get their bag. But then, like, this is what they choose to fill their free time with.” 

Performers in Humboldt can be students, environmentalists, welders, therapists or teachers. In a place where entertainment opportunities are hard to come by, CPH students Luke Schulke and Wysdem Singleton are making a scene. 

Schulke, also known as Dewdrop, is a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in environmental and community programming, and an aerialist specializing in aerial silks. For her, performing is less about entertainment and more about pushing back against the limitations placed on her body.

“Performing to me means kind of everything,” Schulke said. “I have a few different disabilities and that can prevent me from using my body in the way that I want to, but when I can perform in this way, in this death-defying act, I kind of just defy what somebody might perceive my abilities to be, or what I might perceive my own abilities to be. And it just brings me out of that and puts me into a different mindset —a different world.”

Singleton, an accounting major at CPH, has had a lifelong entanglement with dance. With Arcane Artists giving her a space to experiment without having to fit neatly into one category she’s been able to branch out.

“I did praise dancing, I did ballet, I’ve done hip-hop, and then I took a couple dancing classes at Cal Poly, but I’ve always loved the art of dance,” Singleton said. “And so here I just do a lot of improv, a lot of go-go dancing, and I just get to love on dance.” 

In a larger entertainment market, that kind of variety can mean constantly trying to prove where you belong. In Humboldt, that seems to be a part of the appeal. There is ample room to try something new, get on stage and figure it out as you go. 

Humboldt may never have the neon lights of Vegas, and that’s exactly what makes the scene so different. The performers of Arcane Artists aren’t waiting for Humboldt to become the next entertainment capital; they’re not bound by the common industry expectations; they’re building something of their own. 

Tatiana is a reporter. Contact her at thm18@humboldt.edu

By Sadie Shields

  Vibrant colors, natural fibers and the chatter of people catching up like old friends brought the Arcata Community Center to life at the 36th Natural Fiber Fair from Sept. 12-13.

After walking through the packed parking lot toward the venue, visitors were greeted at the door by three of Blackberry Fields Alpaca Farms alpacas. The space was filled with booths featuring crafts of all kinds and fiber artists putting their hands to the spindle. If you choose to venture close enough to watch the process, you can smell lavender from custom pouches and alpaca wool.

For some of the crafty crafters, beginning a new fiber art piece comes with mixed emotions of excitement and frustration, ending in sweet satisfaction of seeing their finished project come together. 

“Starting a project is usually equal parts exciting and intimidating,” Clair Voigtlander, the Redwood Empire Quilters Guild Opportunity Quilt Chairperson said. “Then towards the end I’m like, well , that did not turn out the way I wanted, but next time it will be better and I learned a lot along the way.” 

Walking through the corridors to such a creative space, learning about new crafts and speaking to vendors and artists gives a sense of creativity and yearn to learn yourself.While fiber arts does take some time to master, the basics can be learned quickly. Knitting and crocheting were recommended by Voigtlander as beginner friendly options, especially for college students who may have limited space or equipment. 

Jo Kuzelka ran the used equipment booth during the fair and does fiber art herself in her free time.  According to Kuzelka, repetitive movements can help some people with focus, like a sort of fidget, while also fabricating a handmade project they can wear with pride. The biggest challenge for beginners is often time and coordination. 

“Knitting or crocheting [is] kind of your starter … it’s a gateway craft, ” Kuzelka said.

Sustainability is one of the main reasons why attendees and artists choose natural fibers. Cotton, hemp, linen and wool were among some of the materials that people used for their spinning, felting, needling and knitting crafts at the fair. With so much natural fiber that can be found around you, crafting with natural fibers allows you to avoid some of the environmental concerns associated with synthetic fibers. 

“If I can do it myself, I would like to do it myself,” Voigtlander said. 

Molly Quinones, one of the owners of the Blackberry Fields Alpaca Farm based in Eureka said natural materials are part of the artistic experience. Aside from that, Quinones said that using natural fibers is beneficial in other ways. 

“With the alpacas we have no carbon footprint. It’s all usable,” Quinones said. “All of the fiber is for something. It’s better for the earth, it’s better for the skin and the animals get a good life.”

Also present at the fair was the Humboldt Handweavers and Spinners Guild, the main sponsor of the fair. The guild provides prospective fiber artists a space to begin their spooling journey into the craft. Beginners can attend meetings, learn from experienced artists and borrow equipment before purchasing their own.

The fair presented fiber arts as accessible to anyone willing to try something new, and fostered an environment for experienced fiber artists to connect with each other through a shared love for handmade fibers. Quinones believes creativity doesn’t have to come naturally for someone to become involved in crafting.

“Everybody’s crafty,” Quinones said. “All you have to do is like something that you see, and you can do it.”

Sadie is a reporter with an interest in covering and taking photos for sports and science. Reach her at sls331@humboldt.edu.

By Winter Music

While punks, goths, band members and regular people crowded around Moss Oak Commons, everyone knew this show wouldn’t be just like any other punk show. Being one of the first events of the school year, old friends and new students alike agreed that mariachi punk was something we had to see. 

The Rumba Madre is a multicultural mariachi/punk band consisting of members from California, Spain, Puerto Rico and Nashville. Despite popping a tire on their way from San Francisco, they were able to play their set on Aug. 27 at Moss Oak Commons. 

That setback filled the crowd and band with determination, leading to an explosive show with crowdsurfing, moshing and a fantastic community atmosphere. In classic punk fashion, The Rumba Madre can’t truly decide on a genre, so they take influences from flamenco, latinx, urban, celtic and punk.

“That’s probably the best genre of music, when you get two different genres and put them together,” Something Wicked bassist, Peter Ramos said. “The Rumba Madre? They do that really well.”

Among t-shirts, mugs and lighters, there was one item rarely seen sold at punk shows. SPANISH PUNK, SCREAMING FOR DEMOCRACY IN A POSTDICTORIAL STATE, a book written by lead singer and guitarist for The Rumba Madre, David Vila Diéguez, was for sale at the merch table.

“In that book, I studied the influence of Spanish punk on the way people thought politically and how they saw themselves politically in Spain right after the end of the dictatorship in 1975,” Diéguez said. “So basically: How did punk influence the way people act and live politically?”

 A World Languages and Cultures Professor at Cal State Monterey Bay selling books might not fit classic punk aesthetic, but the music, history, radical politics and hard moshing serves as a reminder that academia and punk rock can and should coexist.

“I believe that we have to think about education, not just in terms of being in university, we have to go beyond the classroom,” Diéguez said “It’s very important that what happens in the classroom of the university, we take outside and bring to places like this.” 

Diéguez said that because many people can’t afford college, it’s important to take these conversations out of the classroom and into the community. Everyone deserves to be a part of conversations surrounding racism, sexism, colonisation; Everyone deserves a chance to learn, grow and expand their knowledge. 

“Everyone that goes to university, you take that with pride and you share it,” said Diéguez.

Winter is an English major and copy editor with an interest in covering local community events mostly focusing on music and art

By Tatiana Moore

Bonfires at Moonstone Beach are a cornerstone of freshman year. Blackouts, questionable decisions and, on occasion, police shutdowns. But at this particular fire pit, a different kind of night is unfolding, where the strongest thing being poured here is some ice cold, cold brews.

Fran, Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) student and event coordinator for The Queer Dimension group proudly tote around her “no AI used” poster outlining just what this is all about. The Queer Dimension group serves to provide a space for LGBTQIA+ people and allies alike, to gather, socialize and build community together away from alcohol or other mind-altering substances.

 “Humboldt may not be known as the party school,” Fran said. “But drinking and smoking weed are definitely a big part of the culture here and that can be unhealthy and dangerous for people.” 

For students surrounded by a culture where drinking can feel like an expected part of college life, events like this offer an alternative to that narrative. There’s no pressure to explain why someone isn’t drinking. There are no awkward questions about what’s in their cup and no expectation that having fun requires being under the influence. 

Whether someone is in recovery, struggling with addiction or are just pursuing a sober straight edge lifestyle, community groups like this can be instrumental in making sobriety feel less isolating. For Tony, a sober senior at CPH, that choice is something to be proud of. 

“I don’t feel embarrassed or hide the fact that I’m sober,” Tony said. “It’s a choice I’m happy with and I’ve found a special community in that space.” 

As the sun disappears into the sea, and the fire starts raging, the scene is familiar. Young people gathered around a bonfire, laughing, getting marshmallows ready and passing drinks. The only difference is what’s in those cups. 

Names have been changed to protect anonymity. If you or someone you know struggles with substance use call 988 for support. 

Tatiana H Moore is a reporter/writer thm18@humboldt.edu