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ABOUT MANOA JOJOLAWho are you? I wish there were a more original answer but the simple truth is that I am Manoa Alcántara Jojola. Where did you come from? That depends on whom you ask. According to my dad I came from a speckled egg that my mom found on the side of the road and sat upon diligently for nine months, though my mom would probably tell you a more feasible tale. Where are you going? Where are you going—sure we point ourselves in a direction but the future is unpredictable. I would hope to someday pursue a career in the arts, theater and music, perhaps. But if destiny has something else in store for me, who am I to say no. I have no quick answers to give, except one—New Mexico is not part of Mexico! I plan to stress the importance of the development of historical identity in hopes of providing a greater understanding of the circumstances that mold our nationalities. So far, I have done this through the creative arts. I write, I perform music, and I act in theatre. I’m not quite sure how all these will fit into my future profession, but perhaps it is enough that they are all ways of expressing identity. [So] when someone calls me Manda, Manu, Mohammed, Manoke, Maira, M’ang, Manny, Mario or Madonna (it has happened), I do not become angry or annoyed. Instead, I consider it the boggle of a rather funny and endearing reminder. If people from various continents, countries and cities have trouble pronouncing a single man’s name, then on some fundamental level one person is not that different from another. Perhaps (though I know it’s just a little bit of a stretch) one day the world will discover that my name is the common ground that brings about universal understanding. Now that I think about it, my first name alone is not enough to spark such an impact… however, I wonder if my full name, Manoa Alcántara Jojola, would be enough to do it. Then again, that’s another problem entirely! |
Manoa Project is co-sponsored by the National Hispanic Cultural Center |
