The Waila Festival, featuring the social dance music of the Tohono O'odham of the Sonoran Desert, brings the community together for a lively evening of music and dances performed in the waila tradition. The O'odham have developed a smooth and graceful walking polka style that contrasts with the fast-hopping European polka style. The cumbia is danced freestyle. Regardless of the beat, all waila dances are performed rotating around the dance floor in a counter-clockwise direction. Tohono O'odham waila bands include musicians playing button accordion, alto saxophone, electric six-string and bass guitars, as well as a drum kit.
Most waila musicians learn to play by ear rather than from musical scores.
Often bands are made up of members of the same village or family. In recent years waila music has spread far beyond the reservation. Waila tradition includes the enjoyment of contemporary O'odham feast food. Be sure to sample red chile with beef, stew, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, potato salad and tortillas or fresh bread as part of your memorable evening. The Festival takes place at UA Bear Down Field, located at the SW corner of Cherry Ave. and 4th Street in Tucson, north of the Football Stadium.