GRIFFITH, James "Big Jim"
was born in California in 1935 and moved to Tucson in the late 1950s to study anthropology at the UofA. There began his lifelong love affair with the region, its people and their customs. He spent the next 60 years passionately learning, discovering and sharing, enthusiastically helping others respect and appreciate the art and cultures of his adopted home. In 1974 Jim launched the idea of a regional folk arts festival as a showcase for the rich diversity of Tucson's folk and ethnic communities while highlighting the common threads that bind us together. Leaning on friends and family Jim put together Tucson Meet Yourself. As the festival has grown and blossomed it has succeeded in validating so many folk traditions-making it easy for people to be proud of who they are. In addition, Jim continued to teach and to express his own creativity in his music and his many books and articles.
To help continue his work, donations in Jim's memory may be made to Tucson Meet Yourself at the Southwest Folklife Alliance, PO Box 42044, Tucson, AZ 85733 or https://tucsonmeetyourself.org/donate/ or https://southwestfolklife.org.give. Another of Jim's favorite organizations was Tucson's Birthplace/Mission Garden which he admired as a truly homegrown outpouring of love and respect for our place and its cultures. Look for Friends of Tucson's Birthplace at missiongarden.org/donate.
Jim died peacefully at home December 18, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Loma and children, Kelly (Cesar) and David (Anna) and grandchildren, Emile and Arwen. Many thanks to the friends who brightened Jim's last days with visits and music.
was born in California in 1935 and moved to Tucson in the late 1950s to study anthropology at the UofA. There began his lifelong love affair with the region, its people and their customs. He spent the next 60 years passionately learning, discovering and sharing, enthusiastically helping others respect and appreciate the art and cultures of his adopted home. In 1974 Jim launched the idea of a regional folk arts festival as a showcase for the rich diversity of Tucson's folk and ethnic communities while highlighting the common threads that bind us together. Leaning on friends and family Jim put together Tucson Meet Yourself. As the festival has grown and blossomed it has succeeded in validating so many folk traditions-making it easy for people to be proud of who they are. In addition, Jim continued to teach and to express his own creativity in his music and his many books and articles.
To help continue his work, donations in Jim's memory may be made to Tucson Meet Yourself at the Southwest Folklife Alliance, PO Box 42044, Tucson, AZ 85733 or https://tucsonmeetyourself.org/donate/ or https://southwestfolklife.org.give. Another of Jim's favorite organizations was Tucson's Birthplace/Mission Garden which he admired as a truly homegrown outpouring of love and respect for our place and its cultures. Look for Friends of Tucson's Birthplace at missiongarden.org/donate.
Jim died peacefully at home December 18, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Loma and children, Kelly (Cesar) and David (Anna) and grandchildren, Emile and Arwen. Many thanks to the friends who brightened Jim's last days with visits and music.
GRIFFITH, James "Big Jim"
was born in California in 1935 and moved to Tucson in the late 1950s to study anthropology at the UofA. There began his lifelong love affair with the region, its people and their customs. He spent the next 60 years passionately learning, discovering and sharing, enthusiastically helping others respect and appreciate the art and cultures of his adopted home. In 1974 Jim launched the idea of a regional folk arts festival as a showcase for the rich diversity of Tucson's folk and ethnic communities while highlighting the common threads that bind us together. Leaning on friends and family Jim put together Tucson Meet Yourself. As the festival has grown and blossomed it has succeeded in validating so many folk traditions-making it easy for people to be proud of who they are. In addition, Jim continued to teach and to express his own creativity in his music and his many books and articles.
To help continue his work, donations in Jim's memory may be made to Tucson Meet Yourself at the Southwest Folklife Alliance, PO Box 42044, Tucson, AZ 85733 or https://tucsonmeetyourself.org/donate/ or https://southwestfolklife.org.give. Another of Jim's favorite organizations was Tucson's Birthplace/Mission Garden which he admired as a truly homegrown outpouring of love and respect for our place and its cultures. Look for Friends of Tucson's Birthplace at missiongarden.org/donate.
Jim died peacefully at home December 18, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Loma and children, Kelly (Cesar) and David (Anna) and grandchildren, Emile and Arwen. Many thanks to the friends who brightened Jim's last days with visits and music.
was born in California in 1935 and moved to Tucson in the late 1950s to study anthropology at the UofA. There began his lifelong love affair with the region, its people and their customs. He spent the next 60 years passionately learning, discovering and sharing, enthusiastically helping others respect and appreciate the art and cultures of his adopted home. In 1974 Jim launched the idea of a regional folk arts festival as a showcase for the rich diversity of Tucson's folk and ethnic communities while highlighting the common threads that bind us together. Leaning on friends and family Jim put together Tucson Meet Yourself. As the festival has grown and blossomed it has succeeded in validating so many folk traditions-making it easy for people to be proud of who they are. In addition, Jim continued to teach and to express his own creativity in his music and his many books and articles.
To help continue his work, donations in Jim's memory may be made to Tucson Meet Yourself at the Southwest Folklife Alliance, PO Box 42044, Tucson, AZ 85733 or https://tucsonmeetyourself.org/donate/ or https://southwestfolklife.org.give. Another of Jim's favorite organizations was Tucson's Birthplace/Mission Garden which he admired as a truly homegrown outpouring of love and respect for our place and its cultures. Look for Friends of Tucson's Birthplace at missiongarden.org/donate.
Jim died peacefully at home December 18, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Loma and children, Kelly (Cesar) and David (Anna) and grandchildren, Emile and Arwen. Many thanks to the friends who brightened Jim's last days with visits and music.
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