Gertie Lopez
Tohono O'odham Waila Musician
Tohono O'odham Nation, Chuichu Village
Tucson, AZ
“A Taproot artist embodies a sacred obligation to nurture cultural and traditional arts that will enrich our communities with enduring health and well-being benefits for generations to come.”
Eva Ybarra
Gertie at radio station with community members she taught. Photo by KXCI
Gertie teaching. Photo by Faith Liston.
Gertie and youth band. Photo by Faith Liston.
"Queen of Waila" Tucson Musicians Hall of Fame
of 6
The award-winning Queen of Waila
Gertie Lopez Is from the Chuichu Village, on the Tohono O’odham Nation and has become a prominent public figure and a leading force in the performance and preservation of Tohono O’odham culture and Waila music. She Is affectionately known as the “Queen of Waila” and was recently inducted into the Tucson Musicians Museum’s Hall of Fame. Gertie is the only female band leader on the Tohono O’odham Reservation. She has traveled to New York, Washington D.C, Caborca Mexico, and many places in the United States to share her Waila Music.
Gertie has been recognized for many awards. In 2012, she was nominated for the Governors Award as a musician Artist. In 2014, she played at the FinnFest USA in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2016 Gertie received “A Life-Time Achievement Award” from the Cultural Sounds of Tucson. In 2017, Gertie received a “Master of Apprentice Award” from the Southwest Folklife Alliance in Tucson, AZ. In 2020, she played a Waila Concert at the Aura Jamboree in Aura, Michigan. Gertie has taken 1st place in 7 battle-of-the-band events and has also received best accordion trophy. Gertie has also taken her Waila music Career into theater with playing her accordion in many shows with Borderland Theaters. She has 10 CDs recordings, including a Christmas CD.
Gertie’s lifelong mission has been to preserve and share the traditional Waila music of the Tohono O’odham with the youth and to educate all people of the beauty and joy of Tohono O’odham Waila music, language, and culture. She proudly represents the Tohono O’odham Nation and the State of Arizona.
What does being a Taproot Fellow mean to you in your practice and community?
A Taproot artist embodies a sacred obligation to nurture cultural and traditional arts that will enrich our communities with enduring health and well-being benefits for generations to come. I am overwhelmed with appreciation and honor to be considered a Taproot artist because it amplifies my passion as a cultural knowledge holder to preserve and advance Tohono O’odham way of life, culture, language, and Waila music through meaningful engagement with my community.
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