Waila Style 87 Brings High-Energy Performance To Kalka Park

Octobere 10, 2025

Jeston Morris

Community Newsperson

District 6 celebration blends tradition and modern music for Native American Day.

KOMATKE, Ariz. — The District 6 Recreation Department hosted Waila Style 87 for a lively evening of music and dancing at Kalka Park on Sept. 17. The event was part of the Native American Day celebration and drew a large crowd, with parking lots full by 6 p.m. Recreation Coordinator Whitney Sharpe welcomed attendees, and Recreation Assistant Eliana Rhodes opened the event with an invocation. Finger foods and drinks were served early in the evening, with beverages available throughout. Northern Arizona University was also on-site conducting a cancer questionnaire survey.

“Every year in September, we host the Native American Day celebration,” Sharpe said. “Last year, we offered classes and activities. The goal is for the community to come out and learn about O’otham and Pee Posh cultures. 

Yesterday we had traditional cooking with food from Ramona Farms. Today’s focus is modernity, with Waila Style 87 entertaining the crowd. A lot of people love dancing,”  said Sharpe.

Band Spotlight:

Waila Style 87

Kirkland Chico, the band’s lead singer and manager, arrived early with his group to set up instruments, sound equipment and lighting. The band includes eight members, six of whom performed that evening: two on drums, two on guitars, one on accordion and one on percussion. Chico plays the accordion. Band members hail from Gila River, Salt River and the Tohono O’odham.

“We started Waila Style 87 in 2023, but our members have played in various bands for years,” Chico said. “We play country, Tohono and Waila. Waila is chicken scratch. Tohono is Mexican-style, like cumbia.” Chico named several bandmates: Jacob Lopez from Hashan Kehk, Valerian and Cherish from Salt River, Quentin Martinez from Tohono O’odham, James Perez from District 4 and Allen Lewis from Casa Blanca.

“I played trombone in high school marching band,” Chico said. “I learned from Ronnie Juan, Chris Lopez, Archie Miguel, Neil Norris and Arnold Paul. Growing up, we used to follow Virgil Jose from District 4. Everybody loves to dance to the cumbia.”

Waila Style 87 recently performed at Mustering-In Day in District 7 and continues to play across the region, including Casa Grande, Salt River, Coolidge and southern Tohono O’odham country.

“We’re one of the busiest bands,” Chico said. “We’re booked through this year and into next year. We were invited to play in Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, but had to decline due to short notice.”

Chico said the band is influenced by relatives and earlier generations of musicians. He cited legacy bands from the 1960s through the 1980s, including Big John, Cisco Band, Pima Express, Santa Rosa, The Molinas, The Original Southern Scratch, The Tohono O’odham Braves, Two Rivers and Chad and Company. The name “Waila Style” refers to chicken scratch music, and “87” references the highway the band travels to reach gigs.

Community Celebration.

As the band warmed up, the crowd joined in with two-step, solo and cumbia dancing with fiends and relatives.

The event was a strong turnout for the District 6 community and a successful evening for the Recreation Department.