James S. βBig Jimβ Griffith, a folklorist who for generations shared his passion for the region's people, cultures and history, has died.
"It is with humility and sadness that we share our beloved teacher, elder, and Tucson Meet Yourself Folklife Festival co-founder, Dr. James S. βBig Jimβ Griffith has transitioned from this earth," read a posting on the group's Facebook page Saturday evening.
"Big Jim passed quietly and peacefully at his home. His love for these lands and their cultures is a light that will continue to illuminate new ways to come together in community."
"He will be remembered with a banjo in hand and field notebook in his pocket, and for his deep respect for the cultures and communities who call the Southwest and U.S.-Mexico Borderlands home," the post continues.
No details about Griffith's death were immediately available Saturday night.
Griffith, a towering figure who had struggled with health issues for years, explored the people, cultures and history of the region in several published books, including "Saints, Statues, and Stories: A Folklorist Looks at the Religious Art of Sonora," in 2019.
Music also was an important part of Griffith's life. In 2018, he was inducted into the Tucson Musicians Museum.
Several years ago, Tucson folklorist James "Big Jim" Griffith sat down with the Arizona Daily Star for the "Our Storied Desert Land" video series. In this episode, Big Jim shares a tale of buried treasure in southern Arizona.
But along with with his expansive knowledge of the region's history that he often shared in stories, many Tucsonans will remember Griffith for his involvement with Tucson Meet Yourself. He cofounded the annual celebration in 1974, and it has grown to fill downtown Tucson with food, music and dance from around the world.
At the time Griffith help establish the festival, he was the director of the University of Arizonaβs Southwest Folklore Center. It's a post he held for about two decades.
In writing about the festival for the Star in 2013, Griffith wrote ". . . as one friend put it, itβs the only occasion in the year at which one can watch a Ukrainian Easter egg decorator, eat a Vietnamese egg roll, and listen to a Tohono Oβodham polka band, all at the same time!"
Tucson folklorist "Big Jim" Griffith shares his hand-carved tortilla press as part of the Star's "Our Storied Desert Land" series from 2015.
A celebration of his life is expected early in 2022.
