Zarinah: Mascot for Bellingham Transplants
Zarinah Tyndall enjoys the sunset at Boulevard Park on Feb. 12, 2017, in Bellingham,Washington. Her outdoor experiences with her friends, and fellow migrants to the PacificNorthwest from Southern California, are inspiration for her original music.
A crowd tacitly enjoys Zarinah Tyndall perform original music at the Valentine’s Day edition of
The Underground Coffeehouse’s open mic night, on Feb. 14, 2017, at Western Washington
University in Bellingham, Washington.
Valentine's’ Day 2016 happened to fall on Underground Coffeehouse’s open mic
night at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. Zarinah Tyndall,
her friends and I arrived just after it started, and the packed room was silently humoring
a speech from a faculty member.
We heard a variety of sets, from a gripping piece of prose appropriately on the
subject of a break-up, an edgy set of comedy from a guy who immediately hit the stairs
to the parking lot after his slot, and a crowd favorite -- and apparent regular --
performing a song about bug love.
After several other varying displays of talent and style, it was Zarinah’s turn. She
had just gotten off work and thrown herself together in time. She may not have won the
popularity contest these events tend to be, but she was well-received enough, and was
in-tune and tuned in. She misstepped in her lyrics near the end, and admitted to it, “I
forgot my own lyrics.” But it was that type of atmosphere. This dreary February,
Washington day was another stepping stone in her pursuit of music.
Zarinah Tyndall didn’t move here from Los Angeles to dominate the ski scene or
solve climate change. Like many others she was here as an escape to rediscover
herself. A refuge from the big city. In a way, she’s a mascot of the many fellow
transplants to Bellingham. Not quite sure exactly what she’s here for, but Bellingham
was calling and so were her friends.
Depending who you talk to, Bellingham locals aren’t completely crazy about
newcomers, and understandably so, as its 80,000 population size, and stopover
location between the bigger cities of Vancouver, Canada and Seattle, USA, are what
provide its appeal. But in my experience as a migrant from Virginia, if you’re
enthusiastic about Bellingham, and try to be a valuable contribution to the community,
locals warm up to you swiftly. Zarinah has friends in people she knows from California,
but also in locals. Wherever I’ve been with her there’s a friend around.
She works retail to drive her passions. She studies audio production, jams blues
and jazz on electric guitar, and writes music on her acoustic, as well as attends karaoke
and open mics every week. Music is at her core, and she likes to be out and about
soaking up her new home for inspiration. She does so through hikes, mountain
climbing, and most often slacklining, “here amongst the trees,” as she says.
I met her at Boulevard Park, along Bellingham Bay, where she and her friends
were slacklining, and first found out about her music. I got to capture an essence of her
inspiration for her songs: friends, the outdoors, and “a sense of peace and community.”
While balancing on her slackline, she talked about the accessibility of outdoor
opportunities making her fall for the Pacific Northwest more every day. An accolade I’d
say most anyone who has been here can attest to.
In watching her perform, experiencing her writing and practicing atmosphere, and
being around her and her friends, I was reassured in my relocation, but also reveled in
hers.
“Getting to know the different kinds of stories out there helps me write and create
new music. It’s getting a different perspective on things, so I appreciate the diversity I’ve
found here,“ Tyndall told me. “What makes me want to continue on with music and art,
is to hopefully bring people together to find a common ground.”
Peace, community, music. Zarinah.
Zarinah Tyndall, Alina Seredian and Joey Ezqueda take a break from slacklining at Boulevard
Park on Feb. 12, 2017, in Bellingham, Washington. Zarinah has a close relationship with friends
with the same ties to Southern California. Her friends, and her experiences in the Pacific
Northwest are inspiration for her original music.
(Upper Left)
Zarinah Tyndall practices in her bedroom studio on March 2, 2017, in Downtown Bellingham,
Washington. Zarinah relocated from Los Angeles, Califorinia in October, moving in with her
friends who had done the same thing last year. She was looking for a change of environment as
inspiration to write an album.
(Upper Right)
Zarinah Tyndall works on a new song in her bedroom studio on March 2, 2017, in Downtown
Bellingham, Washington. Zarinah relocated from Los Angeles in October, moving in with her
friends who had done the same thing last year. She was looking for a change of environment as
inspiration to write an album.
(At Left)
Zarinah Tyndall writes original music in her bedroom studio on March 2, 2017, in Downtown
Bellingham, Washington. Zarinah relocated from Los Angeles in October, moving in with her
friends who had done the same thing last year. Tyndall says, “I always use my Bellingham
Herald pen.” She says it writes the best music.
(Left)
Zarinah Tyndall slacklines at Boulevard Park on Feb. 12, 2017, in Bellingham, Washington. Her
outdoor experiences with her friends, and fellow migrants to the Pacific Northwest, are
inspiration for her original music.
(Right)
Zarinah Tyndall performs original music at the Valentine’s Day edition of The Underground
Coffeehouse’s open mic night, on Feb. 14, 2017, at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.
