MEXIKAYOTL, OUR RED ROAD
Not Hispanic, not Latino
We are in the midst of a large movement of young people and adults awakening and connecting to Mexika Consciousness. This very consciousness is what our ancestors (Cuauhtemok) spoke of when they predicted that we, the Mexika (and all Native Nations), would rise again in a new era during the dawn of a new Sun. But along the way there will be suffering, there will be pain and there will be violence based on our own anger and bitterness. This anger and hatred consumes many of us and will be our downfall if we don't begin to heed the words of our Maestros and elders.
Summer is when our young people spend more time on the street, which can result in more violence and drug/alcohol use. We will see a rise in gang activity, gun violence, police, and arrests. We are basically doing the work for them-they build the prisons, and we fill the cells. Our own anger and bitterness, rooted in 507 years of genocide, oppression, corrupt governments (U.S. and Mexico) and ASSIMILATION, has been the driving force and reason that we have not been able to unite and work together as Mexika/Chicanos/Native American/Raza/Mexicanos.
And 9 times out of 10 we will take this anger and bitterness out on our own people, sometimes in our own families, and many times against the women in our lives. Our mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and abuelitas are the ones that continue to support and love us. They have held our families together. They have suffered alongside us during these last 507 years. And they continue to suffer while we are sent away for any number of years. Mission accomplished for the American Culture.
Anyone for a piece of the American Dream?
Then why not bring in another culture and watch them fight each other over the little crumbs that fall from the tables of Americana? So bring in the Africans and see them battle and argue with the Natives over who has suffered the most. Watch them wallow in self-pity and anger and watch them kill each other off. Mexikas killing Mexikas. Mexikas killing Africans. Africans killing Mexikas. Only thing America has to do is sit back, build the prisons, and line us up. It's Standing Room Only. Mission accomplished, again.
More apple pie? Maybe another slice of the American Dream?
But what would happen when Mexika and others (all Native Nations/Africans) connect with their roots of existence? What happens if they wake up to the screams and pleas of their ancestors? What happens if they figure out that they have been battling the wrong enemy? And what happens if the youths stop the fighting and shootings? And then what happens if an increased indigenous awareness lights up the streets, barrios, ghettos and prisons? What! No more apple pie?
No, but I will have some tortillas, some maize, some atolli, some chilli and my nopalitos. No more apple pie for me, but thank you anyway. Oh and by the way, American Culture, we are now requesting our land back. What! You can't give it back to us? Well, we now outnumber you, Mr. Uncle Sam. We have united to work together, so how about if we just start our own political Indigenous Party and we'll take it back!
Apologies for my brief vision and dream, now back to current reality.
We are preparing for another summer of ceremonies. We will be heading off (July) to the Navajo res in Arizona for the Sun Dance. Summer is the time for Sun Dances. It is the time to offer our blood and pain to our Creator for our people. That is the Mexika way, that is the Indian way. We offer our own bodies, for that is all we have that is ours. Our Elders have stated that we should fast on the 7th and 13th of every month. You will all be in our prayers. All of you in California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Georgia and South Dakota, will be in our hearts, in our thoughts, and in our spirits! Ometeotl.
We are very aware of the racist and oppressive methods that are currently being carried out by many prisons across the country to segregate and isolate Mexika inmates. This is especially true at Pelican Bay (SHU). Do not allow your spirit to be broken. Your spirit can never be imprisoned.
We offer our prayers, blessings and the spirit of our Ancestors to our Mexika readers. We invoke the spirits of the four winds from each of the four directions, Tezkatlipoka (north), the energy that represents our memory; Quetzalkoatl (west), the energy that represents our cosmic wisdom and intelligence; Huitzilopochtli (south), the energy that represents our force of will and perseverance, and Tlalok (east), the energy that represents the purification and renewal after the rains- Tlohque in Nahuaque, Ometeotl!
We are waking up to the truth that we are Indigenous, we are Indian, and we are native to this land. But we are not all Mexika. Some of us may be from the Purepechas, the Raramuris, Zapoteca, Mixteca, Maya, Apache, Pueblo, Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Chumash, Comanches, Huasteca, Huicholes, and so on. But we can all certainly claim a Mexika Consciousness, which is basically the light, spirit, truth and memories of our ancestors, that resides within us. This consciousness arrives with each of us when we are born. It cannot be imprisoned, we cannot assimilate it, we cannot wear colors over it, and we cannot kill it.
We have changed the name of our newsletter to Mexika Consciousness. Subscribers will receive a copy of our Mexika calendario (tlazohkamati, Arturo Meza). The Mexika New Year started on March 12, and we will continue to recognize March 12 as such. There are many different translations of our Mexika calendario, so please honor and respect each version. When we are united, maybe we can agree on just one. That also holds true for Nahuatl. There are many different dialects of Nahuatl spoken today, depending on the region. There is no one dialect of Nahuatl accepted by all. So there is no need to disagree with each other over this. Instead, learn from each other. UNITE.
We have been granted permission to enter a prison facility in Illinois to begin Mexika/Native teachings and hopefully someday ceremonies. We hope to someday visit more facilities for talks and ceremonies.
Meanwhile, our support continues for Rudy Rosales (Nebraska), Tezkatlipoka Munoz (Leap;venworth), Luis V. Rodriguez, Mumia, Leonard Peltier, and all of you living behind the iron and mental bars of injustice, racism, oppression and anger.
IN TONAN IN TOTA
OMETEOTL
If you would like to be added to our mailing list and receive our complete publication Mexica Consciousness, please send name and address to Tekpatltzin, 204 Gregory St., Unit E, Aurora, IL 60504. (mexicapride@earthlink.net)
Kalpulli Yetlanezi-Tolteka 13
Chicago-Aurora-Teotihuakan