Former Hermiston resident Tara Edna Miller will return to Hermiston on Oct. 16 to share stories of her nearly 30-year relationship with the Taquile Island in Peru.
Tara Edna Miller is the daughter of Hermiston resident Irene Miller.
Former Hermiston resident Tara Edna Miller and her husband, Sam Brown, dressed up for a carnival in Peru. The two will share stories from their many years there on Oct. 16 at the Hermiston Senior Center. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOWhen they first visited as tourists in 1986, artisan potters Miller and her husband, Sam Brown, found their social peers among the textile artisans of Taquile Island. This stony island is located at nearly 13,000 feet above sea level in Lake Titicaca. In 1988 they introduced the first solar electric panel and now, not only does just about every one of the approximately 300 households have electricity for lights and music, most of them have gravity-fed running water from community solar water pumping systems. Miller and Brown continue to bring solar technology products, which they trade for the finely made textiles and sell in the U.S. to pay for the project.
Over the last three decades, they have hosted Peruvians in their home in Colorado two times, visited Taquile 14 times, became godparents to five children as well as became ceremonial parents and thence grandparents. It has been a long time since they’ve been tourists.
On Friday, Oct. 16, Miller and her husband will present an evening of pictures and stories from their experiences at Taquile Island. Accompanying the presentation will be a bazaar of Peruvian textiles and a sampling of Miller and Brown’s pottery. The event takes place at the Hermiston Senior Center, 435 W Orchard Ave., in Hermiston at 7 p.m.
