Art of the Past and Present

The University of Arizona features many different attractions related to border culture. Recently, I visited the Arizona State Museum to check out some of the new exhibits. There was a lot of interesting things to look at, but I was most interested in the Paths of Life exhibit.



The exhibit focuses on different cultures surrounding Arizona and northwest Mexico, and takes a look at the progress each has made throughout history. There is information about the origins, history and life today for each of the different cultures, shown through photos and artifacts.

I observed mainly the Seris, who lived along the Mexican border. The fascinating part was that much of the art they produced long ago is still in modern production, and a lot of the jewlery they made resembles closely the jewelery that can still be found and purchased on the streets and shops of Mexico today. The baskets they made

continue to be prized by art collectors as well.



They began making sculpted ironwood carvings in the 1960's, and the wooden statues of various land and sea mammals are often still popular on the beaches of Mexico. The sale of these crafts provided an important source of income for the Seri back then, and still provide a source of revenue for Mexican craftspeople today.

The art in the Paths of Life exhibit was fascinating, and there is much to learn about border culture at the Arizona State Museum.

Unique Mexican Cuisine

Tucson is filled with restaurants that boast authentic Mexican cuisine. Although there are a number of good Mexican restaurants around town, it is easy to get stuck somewhere that is over-priced, eating meals that are little better than those found at Taco Bell.

At La Indita on 4th Avenue, they mean it when they say authentic.

The charming restaurant located on North 4th Avenue has been a staple in Tucson since February 1983, when it opened at it's original location on South Scott street. With little room to serve the faithful patrons that continued to return time after time for the delicious dishes, the business moved to it's current location in the summer of 1985.

La Indita is not your run-of-the-mill Mexican restaurant. That is because they serve genuine Tarascan Mexican-Indian dishes. You won't find anything doused in sour cream or covered in layers of cheese. The menu has tons of vegan and vegetarian options, and there are no animal sources used to make the beans or rice. They also serve homemade tortilla chips and salsa. Most of the food is healthy and grease-free.

The environment inside the restaurant is cozy and comfortable, and almost as important of an attraction as the food. Cultural artifacts decorate the interior, and some of the walls are covered by intricate painted murals. The reason that the restaurant is so intimate and family friendly could have something to do with the fact that La Indita has been family owned and operated since it's inception.

"It's always, always been in the family," says Rachel Karger, a family member and server at La Indita. "Through thick and thin, fights, everything."

Karger says that the most popular dishes are the spinach enchiladas and the chicken enchiladas with green sauce. She attributes this to the special sauce that covers many of the items on the menu.

If you're looking for authentic Mexican food that is extremely affordable (About $10 for a large-portion combination plate), La Indita, in my opinion, is the best bet in town.

Spice Up Your Life

The place to read about Hispanic influenced arts and entertainment