Romayne Wheeler, an acclaimed, international pianist, performed at the
Bryan Recital Hall at Bowling Green State University July 9th, 2006 in a concert to promote awareness of the plight of the Tarahumara Indians.
Romayne was born in California and then studied music in Salzburg and Vienna. Drawn to nature and developing an intimate relationship with the world, Romayne came
across the Tarahumara,or Raramuri, Indians. Adopting their way of life, Romayne lives alongside the tribe and witnesses their difficulties and desperation. Separating themselves from the rest of the modernized world, the Tarahumara Indians live on the land deep in the canyons of the Sierra Madre Mountains and farm for their survival. Due to past droughts and soil erosion, they often find themselves in desperate conditions with little to eat.
Romayne explains the situation, "they're very, very dependant upon whether
there is any rain, or no rain - and sometimes the rains come but they leave very soon. So they're usually happy if they can at least have corn and beans, but if they don't have that then it is really a dire situation where they're in great need
of assistance from the outsiders for survival." The Sierra Madre Mountains are located in the Mexican province of Chihuahua.
 Mr. Wheeler's concert is one of many designed
to promote awareness of the Tarahumara
situation and to raise money for Tarahumara Indian children's scholarships. Romayne
proclaims that he wants to "let my friends know here how ... what the reality is in the Sierra Tarahumara what projects we are trying to bring
to life so that they Indian children go beyond primary school and also achieve a higher level of knowledge so that they can also cope with the world around them. So that
they can go on to high school and to college and some to even the university."
All music pieces within the program are his own compositions, inspired by what
he has observed at his home atop the mountains. Some of the featured songs during the concert are: "Rio de Luz" (River of Light), and "Nakarokari" (Butterfly Dances); overall six pieces of music are performed during this production. Concert for the Tarahumara Indians was directed by Tony Howard, and photography was provided by Alexa Schriempf. The program was sponsored by the Rotary Mexico Mission Project, a joint international endeavor of the Celina,
St. Marys and Wapakoneta, Ohio Rotary Clubs.
For more additional information visit the following:
Romayne Wheeler (contains information on how to help)
Tarahumara Indians
BGSU Bryan Recital Hall |
2008 WBGU Television