By Ramsey Muniz – Tezcatlipoca
There is a day that pertains to our religious culture
which connects the earth, heaven, and nature. It is
a day when we realize the true essence of cosmic visions
which prove that we are truly a part of Mother Earth,
heaven, and the spiritual realm. On that day, the veil
that separates the living from the dead is removed,
and we are reunited with the loving spirits of our
ancestors, forefathers and deceased family members.
It is a day of rejoicing, communing, sharing, praying,
fasting, and meditating with our ancestors and family
members that now reside in Ilhuicatlitic (the heavens),
because once again we share our ancestral spirituality
on earth. It is a day that truly brings us together
with our past in worship to our gods and rejoicing as
one world, one people one nation in our minds and hearts
for the past, present and future. It is a day so
religious and spiritually powerful, that even five
hundred years ago, priests like Sahagun, Torquemada,
Molina, Duran, and others realized the power of
Teotleco — the arrival of the gods. They repeatedly
witnessed the spiritual ancestral power granted from
the past to the present and future raza on El Día
de los Muertos.
History reveals that the invaders and present
society began to taint the meaning of this day and
month with ominous misconceptions, stripping us
of our cultural foundation — the spiritual sharing
between the heavens and earth. The destruction of
our cultural beliefs on this day deteriorated to the
point that eventually this country, the United States
of Amnesia, displaced the importance and value of
Teotleco and El Dia De Los Muertos, and made it a
day embedded with monsters, goblins and appearances
of evil omens. It replaced the day of remembrance
of our ancestors, family members and friends who have
passed away into our cultural heavens.
Hermanos y hermanas, was it by choice, or
ignorance? Do we continue to permit the devious
subtle destructive strategy of the European invaders
and this present day society to destroy the truthful
and spiritual meaning of this day? The destruction
of our cultural knowledge and remembrance of that
special time was replaced with a prank filled
celebration — a day now commercially referred to
as "Halloween." It is now a night spent in the
wearing of masks immortalizing European pagans, evil
omens, celebrities and presidents of the United States.
They can have their "Halloween," and its European
concepts. The time has come for us as a raza of
impregnable beliefs and Nahuatl faith to remove
the masks of misconceptions and ruses, and once
more behold the glorious days of Teotleco — the
arrival of our gods, and to continue this celebration
of remembrance for our future Mexika generations.
El Día De Los Muertos will destroy the evil
spirits that have strived to separate us. This
day has the power to destroy the evil mindset that
invaded us five hundred years ago, attempting to
oppress, exploit and dehumanize our brothers and
sisters.
Rejoice with honor and courage, and celebrate
El Día de los Muertos with your ancestors, family
members, and friends. Pray, sing and dance the ancient
dance of joy. With the spirits of those beloved in
heaven and on earth, acknowledge that this gift
bestowed upon us will give us the ancient warrior
spirit of the land — the spirit of Mexicayotl!
Rise with the spirits to the battle for the liberation
of our God-given rights. We, the flowers of ancient
indigenous roots, are the true heirs of Aztlan and
of the land of Cem-Anahuac.
"With joy and honor, I walk in communion with the
ancient spirits. For tomorrow rises the Sixth Sun
of the Mexika. We many not all be Mexika, but we
can certainly claim a Mexika consciousness."
Note: circulated via email by Irma L. Muniz (Oct. 25, 2005)
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Editor’s Comment: I hear Muniz speaking as a shaman, rattling spirits
with old eyes. He speaks to everyone of a real difference between
a night of fright and a night of rejoicing, between a night where we
run run run from death and a night when we celebrate the vast dead
kingdom. To the extent therefore that I am able to laugh as
deeply as the fright before me, I think Tezcatlipoca helps me to
connect with the balancing act that the day of the dead calls
out. To do that in the company of my own dead kingdom seems
like good advice to take. To insist that nobody lose touch with
one’s most authentic dead kingdom is not just cranky talk among the
old. We have to find healthy ways of living with our own dead,
but the health will do little good if none of the dead we learn to live
with
are our own. On the other hand, wouldn’t it be worthwhile to
welcome Aztec dead to the pagan party where we learn to fear and laugh
together.
Texas Civil Rights Review 