Crisencio Molina Maldonado

Crisencio was born September 19, 1958 in Pitahaya, Sonora, Mexico. He now lives in Potam, one of the original Yoeme (Yaqui) pueblos.  He comes from a very traditional Yoeme family and sings and plays the rasps (hirukiam) at dozens of ceremonies (pahkom) in the pueblos along the Río Yaqui in Sonora and in southern Arizona Yoeme communities throughout the year.  

The Yoeme population in Sonora, their homeland, is approximately 35,000+ and there are approximately 15,000-20,000 Yoemem in Arizona, many living on their reservation south of Tucson, AZ.  

Over the last few years many pascola dancers have worn Crisencio’s animal masks during the ceremonies. His masks are extremely well carved, mainly from cottonwood root, and painted with a full palette of colors.  

While the majority of early and antique pascola masks reside in European and North American museum collections, most of Crisencio's work is found primarily in private collections and in more pascolas' homes than anywhere.

-Thomas M. Kolaz, 2015