Danza Mexi'cayotl

Danza Mexi'cayotl is traditional Chicano dance circle of families in San Diego California. This traditional group is based on the teachings of "La Danza Conchera" (also known by the names of "Danza Azteca," "Danza Chichimeca," "Danza de Conquista,"). La Danza Conchera is a complex social/spiritual organization based on the pre-Columbian traditions of the Otomi/Chichimeca nations of Queretaro, and of the Nahuatl-speaking Tlaxcaltecan, Mexi'ca, and other Indigenous nations of central Mexico.,^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Danza Mexi'cayotl was found on Dec. 12, 1980 at the hill of Tepeyacac, in Mexico City. Capitán Mario E. Aguilar Cuauhtlehcoc Quetzalcoatl, a 26-year-old Chicano was the first Chicano recognized by some of the major elders of La Danza Azteca/Conchera. Among the elders given Aguilar recognition were General Flroencio Yescas, Generala Juanita Hernandez de la Palabra del General Francisco Diaz, Capitana Rosita Maya Hernandez, Manuel and Mario Andres Pineda, Los Hermanos Placencia of Guadalajara, Miguel Avalos, Felipe Aranda,Eladio Aguillon of Queretaro, and Moises Gonzales Barrios. Tepeyacac was the pre-columbian center for the worship of "Toci Teteoinan Tonanzin" (Nahuatl for "our grandmother, the gods, their mother, our revered mother^[6]). Tonantzin was a Mexi'ca (Aztec) goddess who originally was a Culhua princess given by her father to be the wife of the Mexi'ca tribal god Huitziloppochtli^[7][8]

Danza Mexi'cayotl was founded by Capitán Mario E. Aguilar Cuauhtlehcoc Quetzalcoatl when he was ordered to Mexico City to be given the title of CAPITAN, or leader/elder of a traditional dance circle, by his Maestro, General Florencio Yescas. Aguilar had also learned from Andres Segura and the White Roots of peace.^[9]

In 1987, in order to continue and expand its role in teaching and preserving the Indigenous heritage of la Danza, Danza Mexi'cayotl incorporated as a California non-profit corporation, "The Mexi'cayotl Indio Cultural Center" (MICC). MICC is dedicated to teaching and preserving the Indigenous cultures of México and the southwestern United States. In 1992 MICC received recognition for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a community based, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated to bringing knowledge of the Indigenous/Mestizo living traditions of Mexico back to the Chicano/Latino communities of the U.S.

Danza Mexi'cayotl, through MICC has collected this knowledge from Indigenous and mestizo people that still live the traditional ways of life, as well as from academic, scientific, and artistic sources that have carried out rigorous research using western and non-western hermeneutics and ontologies to document, and teach living mesoamerican cultural, linguistic, and spiritual traditions.

Danza Mexi'cayotl is a collective of Chican, Mexicano, and Latinoamericano persons who are interested in creating a "third space" of an Indigenous community that gives a safe, nurturing place for people who are accepted neither within the dominant U.S. culture, nor the communities of Mexico. Chicanos, because of their skin color, language, and cultural heritage will never be seen as truly "American" by some members of white U.S. society. And because many Chicanos do not speak Spanish, and are closely identified with the Anglo-Saxon culture of the U.S.,they will always remain as outsiders or "gringos" to many Mexicans.^[10]

Danza Mexi'cayotl makes this knowledge, available to students, teachers, and others who want to begin their journey into a more traditional way of life. Danza Mexi'cayotl focuses on serving multicultural youth, especially those low- income families that may not have other opportunities to gain access to traditional and living knowledge. Using traditional media such as oral, musical, and choreographic semiotics, and modern means of communication (websites, Facebook, Adobe Acrobat .PDF files and blogs), Danza Mexi'cayotl, through MICC, has extended is educational outreach to the entire globe. Capitáan Mario Aguilar, Danza Mexi'cayotl, and The Mexi'cayotl Indio Cultural Center are routinely cited in Master's thesis, doctoral dissertations and news articles.

Danza Mexi'cayotl is a circle of community residents, parents, artists, teachers, and counselors who dedicate their lives to diversity and social justice. Danza Mexi'cayotl works and prays for the cultural, spiritual, ecological, economic and political florescence of future generations on the Mother Earth.

Danza Mexi'cayotl has performed throughout the Southwestern U.S. including the world famous Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial.

While almost all danzantes have some Indigenous Mexican ancestry, very few of them are considered Indigenous people by the standards of the United Nations or by any national government.^[11]

See also

• Indigenismo

References

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1. Torres, Y. G. (1996). The Revival of Mexican Religions: The Impact of Nativism. Numen, 43(1), 1-31.
2. Danza Tu Palabra/ Dance Your Words: La Danza De Los Concheros, 2005, INAH ISBN 978-970-722-379-0
3. Carrying the Word: The Concheros Dance in Mexico City, University Press of Colorado (September 30, 2009), ISBN 978-0-87081-960-5
4. Concheros
5. es:Danza azteca
6. Molina, A. d. (2004). Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana (2. ed.). México: Editorial Porrúa.
7. Davies, N. (1987). The Aztec empire : the toltec resurgence (1st ed.). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press., Davies, N. (1974). The Aztecs : a history (1st American ed.). New York: Putnam.
8. http://www.worldcat.org/title/rituals-of-kindness-the-influence-of-the-danza-azteca-tradition-of-central-mexico-on-chicano-mexcoehuani-identity-and-sacred-space/oclc/503566344 ^{[bare URL]}
9. "Mexi'cayot l- A History of Danza Azteca". Archived from the original on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2014-12-15.
10. Aguilar, M. (2009). The rituals of kindness: The influence of the Danza Azteca tradition of central Mexico on Chicano-Mexcoehuani identity and sacred space Education. Claremont, CA, Claremont Graduate University. PhD.: 681.)
11. "Music and Identity in Danza Azteca". World Music Textbook. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
12. de la Peña, F. (2008). El movimiento mexicanista. Imaginario prehispánico, nativismo y neo- tradicionalismo en el México contemporáneo. Journal. Retrieved from http://www.naya.org.ar/religion/XJornadas/pdf/8/8-pena.pdf Archived 2014-12-16 at the Wayback Machine
13. González Torres, Yólotl Danza tu palabra : la danza de los concheros
14. Aguilar, M. (2009). The rituals of kindness: The influence of the Danza Azteca tradition of central Mexico on Chicano-Mexcoehuani identity and sacred space Education. Claremont, CA, Claremont Graduate University. PhD.: 681.
15. Aguilar, M. E. (1980). A History of La Danza Azteca. Chula Vista, CA., The Mexi'cayotl Indio Cultural Center.
16. Aguilar, M. E. (1992). "Chicano Currents." El Paso de Camino 2(1): 12.
17. Aguilar, M. E. (2010). Seventh International Danza Azteca Symposium. Chula Vista, CA, The Mexi'cayotl Indio Cultural Center.
18. Castorena, S. S. (2012). Remembering and performing history, tradition, and identity: A multi-sensory analysis of Danza Azteca. United States -- Pennsylvania, Temple University. 3539254: 307.
19. Ceseña, M. T. (2004). Creating Agency and Identity in Danza Azteca. Ethnic Studies. La Jolla, CA, UCSD.
20. González Torres, Y. (2005). Danza tu palabra : la danza de los concheros. México, D.F., CONACULTA-INAH : Plaza y Valdés Editores.
21. Hernandez Guerrero, R. (2010). Dancing in the Street: Danza Azteca as Cultural Revitalization and Spiritual Liberation for Chicanos. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Denver, Colorado, University of Colorado. PhD: 238.
22. Hernandez Ramos, G. (2007). Cantos ceremoniales: alabados de tradición popular y de las danzas de concheros en Amecameca, Tepetlixpa, Huexoculco, San Rafael y Xalixintla; pueblos de arena y piedra. Mexico SEP, 2007.
23. Maldonado Aguilar, C. (2005). La Danza de Queretaro y su llegada a la ciudad de Mexico. A. E. Aguilar. Queretaro, Mexico, MICC.
24. Mares, C. A. O. (2003). The beginning of la danza Chichimeca/Azteca. cassette tape. A. E. Aguilar. Guanajuato, Mexico, The Mexi'cayotl Indio Cultural Center. one hour ten minutes.
25. Nájera-Ramírez, O., et al. (2009). Dancing across borders : danzas y bailes Mexicanos. Urbana, University of Illinois Press.
26. Poveda, P. (1981). "Danza de concheros en Austin, Texas: Entrevista con Andres Segura Granados." Latin American Music Review / Revista de Musica Latinoamericana 2(2): 280-299.
27. Rodriguez, P. (1988). Discussion on the structure of a Danza circle and group. M. E. Aguilar. Chula Vista, Mexi'cayotl Indio Cultural Center.
28. Rostas, S. (2009). Carrying the word : the Concheros dance in Mexico City. Boulder, Colo., University Press of Colorado.

External links

• http://www.mexicayotl.net
• Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, official website