Tonantzin-Dia de La Virgen Morena

Today we honor the patron saint of Mexico, La Virgen de Guadalupe. In fact as I sit here it is after a night where millions of people have visited her church in Mexico city completing their mandas, I can't help to reminisce when I visited her. The stream continues today and hundreds of indigenous dance circles all dance in her honor outside her church.



On December 12 2001 I was honored to participate in the traditional Azteca dance ceremonies of Our Lady of Guadalupe-Tonantzin, and see the other Native American Dance traditions being offered at Tepeyac Mountain in Mexico city. On the morning of the 12th, while we waited for Capitana Rosita Amaya to arrive, we danced by ourselves as a group in front of the actual image of the Virgen de Guadalupe. We did not have a drum, so we danced to the sounds of a single mandolin and our sonajas (rattles). Then we danced with circle comprised of several danzas that included Danza Xinachtli, the dance group formed by Capitán Andres Segura Granados.


I have to say it was an experience filled with so much emotion. I had never witnesed so many people so devoted to a single faith. I will never forget turning as we danced and seeing the image of our virgen inside the church. I saw her and my eyes filled with tears. I looked at one of of our senior dancers and her eyes where filled with tears and quickly I can remember how grateful she was that she got to see her. My grandmother would have been so proud of me to know that I was there. I dance under the palabra of our group but I also danced hard for my grandmother who I knew was there with us guiding my steps and protecting us.

I have to admit that religion is a tough thing for me to talk about. I have issues with the church itself but I have this faith in la virgen that I can't even explain. I don't have many religious images in my home but she hangs prominently where I can see her every night and she can see us. I often argued that in our cultura faith and culture are so intertwined (similar to that of the Jewish community) that it is hard to ever separate. Case in point the revolution in Mexico was announced by a priest.

Que Viva La Virgen De Guadalupe!!!