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The One Voice Martial Arts/Talking Sticks Program

Youth Performing Talking Sticks movements The One Voice Arts and Leadership Program joined with Sifu William Owens of the Cascos Martial Art Academy during the summer of 2002 to create a program that would teach Monterey County youth the art of Kusema Vijiti. Below is a listing of those who were involved and a description from Mr. Owens about the program.

Instructor:
Sifu William Owens

Youth participants:
Adrian Aguilera, Yolanda Barron, Edie Bennett, Christopher Coy, Mayra Flores, Demetrious Huggins, Valerie Kidd, Tamika McNair, Jesus Morelos, Quinyettia Morgan, John Nguyen, Rafael Ochoa, Adolfo Quiroz Jr., Victoria Ross, Elvia Salgado-Monteja, Jose Luis Trejo Jr., and Alejandro Zamora

Kusema Vijiti® The Talking Sticks(tm)

Youth Performing Talking Sticks movements Kusema Vijiti, The Talking Sticks, is a beautiful rhythmic Martial Art Form that produces several rhythmic rhapsodies using martial movements and sticks. When The Talking Sticks are exhibited or performed, one might refer to it as a musical stick dance. Another might refer to it as a Rhythmic Martial Art. Performers move in synchronization with each other, exhibiting martial art movements as they produce rhythms by striking their sticks and the sticks of the other performers.

The Talking Sticks provide an excellent vehicle to blend all cultures because The Talking Sticks use rhythms from all cultures. A student of The Talking Sticks not only learns the culture, but also becomes part of and participates in the culture.

The Talking Sticks have an incredible effect on a student's ability to focus and concentrate, to synchronize and work with others to produce something wonderful. One of the main reasons for the increase in focus is a unique language of symbols called Ditta, that are used to teach the movements, rhythms and dance of the Talking Sticks.

Kusema Vijiti is the name that represents the art form, the performance and the copyrighted Vijiti movements which are dance movements that produce their own music with the use of sticks. All instructors who teach Kusema Vijiti, The Talking Sticks are certified to do so by its founders William and Mary Owens of Cascos Martial Art Academy in Oakland, California.

The students of Kusema Vijiti develop a high level of self-esteem and confidence because of its martial component and self-empowering attribute.