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I'm doing a lot of thinking this week as we get closer to the anniversary of the death of Cuauhtemoc. On Saturday, February 24th Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc and other groups of danzantes around the world will honor our Gran Tata with cermonies of danza, musica, flores y prayers. My grandchildren and I will be dancing and bringing flowers to the altar. I always get reflective at this time of year. I think about what our people endured during the conquista, how we have survived genocide and walked through the fires of hate over 500 years. We've overcome so much and have so many hurdles yet to climb. We're a strong people, strong like the nopales that grow on the hillsides.

I started this blog two years ago in the spirit of Cuauhtemoc, to answer his call that we educate our children, that we teach and learn and grow. I don't have much to give, but I love books and literature and hope to share that, to inspire our people, all people to learn to love learning, to read, to search, to ask questions, to remember history, to educate and so much more. This blog is a labor of love for me and I'm grateful to do it. Like danza, where each danza is a prayer, an offering to God, our ancestors and our future, each post I add is a small prayer of hope for the future. Each post is an answer to Cuauhtemoc's call. I encourage those of you in the Los Angeles area to attend the Cuauhtemoc ceremony. You'll find the address and directions listed on the Baldwin Park circle's website. For those not in the L.A. area, we have danza circles in Arizona and Minnesota to name a couple. I'm sure you can find something in your area. It's a beautiful and moving ceremony that you will never forget. I leave you with some wise words from both Cuauhtemoc and my La Bloga compadre, Michael Sedano.

Mexica Tiahui,

Sol

From the FINAL DECLARATION OF CUAUHTEMOC
Last TLATOANI of the MEXICA /AZTEC People
AUGUST 13, 1521

" Our Sun has gone down Our Sun has been lost from view and has left us in complete darkness But we know it will return again that it will rise again to light us anew But while it is there in the Mansion of Silence Let's join together, let's embrace each other and in the very center of our being hide all that our hearts love and we know is the Great Treasure. Let us hide our Temples our schools, our sacred soccer game our youth centers our houses of flowery song so that only our streets remain. Our homes will enclose us until our New Sun rises. Most honorable fathers and most honorable mothers, may you never forget to guide your young ones teach your children, while you live how good it has been and will be. Until now our beloved Anahuac sheltered and protected our destinies that our ancestors and our parents enthusiastically received and seeded in our being. Now we will instruct our children how to be good. They will raise themselves up and gain strength and as goodness make real their great destiny in this, our beloved mother Anahuac."

To learn more about Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc, please go to this link. There you will find lists of practices or ensaysos, articles about what we are about and photos of past ceremonies.

In the grand spirit of Cuauhtemoc, today on La Bloga, Michael Sedano has an amazingly powerful post entitled Because I do hope to turn Aged Eagles honor. It's an important piece of writing and one I hope will bring a slew of letters to PBS's door. Latinos have made so many unrecognized and unappreciated contributions to this country and it's past time that those contributions are recognized.