{"id":4579,"date":"2012-12-08T16:25:58","date_gmt":"2012-12-08T23:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/?p=4579"},"modified":"2012-12-09T14:16:52","modified_gmt":"2012-12-09T21:16:52","slug":"memorial-to-armando-mafufo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2012\/12\/08\/memorial-to-armando-mafufo\/","title":{"rendered":"Memorial to Armando Mafufo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Drummer, Teacher, Friend<\/h2>\n

\"Placeholder\"<\/p>\n

by Crystal Silmi<\/a>
\nposted December 7, 2012\t<\/span><\/h3>\n

I woke up early this morning and found an update on "Caring Bridge" concerning the health of Armando Mafufo<\/span>. When the notifications first came several months ago that Armando was not in good health I was very concerned, but as time went on, his daughter Nina<\/span> was posting very positive updates about his condition and so my heart has been somewhat at ease knowing he has been cheerful and seeming strong. I have spent time with him on a few occasions on my return home visits to California and all seemed well. Today’s notification literally knocked the wind out of me; it was an update informing us that my beloved friend of more than a decade had passed away.<\/p>\n

Armando Mafufo, known to most of us in the music and dance community as "Uncle Mafufo" was, as someone posted today, "a man everyone loved." He was a person who could light up the room with his smile and radiated love.<\/p>\n

I do not intend to write a biography about Uncle Mafufo, but I know his enchantment with Middle Eastern music happened over 30 years ago and he has been hot on the Middle Eastern music scene ever since. He has recorded several albums with songs commonly used by belly dancers worldwide and has been featured in several DVD’s. In addition he has been a sought out instructor internationally for his knowledge and expertise with the doumbek and frame drums. <\/p>\n

My experience with Uncle Mafufo goes beyond his statistics and success. Armando was more than just a musician. He was an incredibly humble man who loved music and genuinely loved dancers. He would always tell me in detail what he appreciated about my dancing or my students dancing, or any dancing really. He used to come weekly to drum at my classes in Santa Cruz, California just for the pure enjoyment of playing music and being with dancers. He was there as I "took my first steps" onto the stage being the first drummer I ever did a live music show with and through the years that followed we became more than just drummer and dancer, we became friends. Armando taught me how to drum and had the patience of a saint for those students who couldn’t for the life of them differentiate a "dum" from a "tek".<\/p>\n

Uncle Mafufo and his beautiful wife Hanya<\/span> would invite me to their home and there you could see where his art extended beyond music. Between Hanya’s paintings and glorious gardening – Uncle Mafufo’s home seeps creativity. There are his drawings and metal work – they created beautiful jewelry and head pieces from silver and gold. In Armando and Hanya’s home you can see that this is a couple that lived and breathed life from an artistic perspective, absorbing the beauty in life and reproducing it with their own hands.<\/p>\n

The departure of this great soul who inspired so many in his lifetime leaves a gap in the hearts of all who knew him. Armando was a person who illuminated his surroundings. To have known such a person is indeed a blessing. Remembering Uncle Mafufo should enable us some self reflection. What will our legacy as humans be? We should all aspire to such greatness that came natural to Armando – to love, support, encourage and inspire one another to reach our greatest potential as artists and as human beings.<\/p>\n

Uncle Mafufo will rest forever in my heart and those of all who knew him. May he rest forever in love and in peace.<\/p>\n

\"Crystal<\/p>\n

\"Hanya<\/p>\n

\"Armando<\/p>\n

\"Shelley<\/p>\n

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Resources:<\/h5>\n