2020 was full of balance: life-death, black-white, captive-free, give-take, togetherness-loneliness, for-against, boundless-limited, create-destroy, bitter-sweet, agree-disagree, cruel-kind, diseased-healthy. This year we shed the unnecessary, fixing our relationships with government, co-workers, friendships, and family. Our ability to adapt was tested. Our reaction?
Buying “end of the world sized” toilet paper, but overtime we adjusted. The education system got a software update. Frontline workers rose to the challenge. The word "essential" was changed forever. Once we started to become accustomed to masks and Zoom, some of us cultivated new or existing things we are passionate about (baking and gardening became popular, along with sustainable and ethical living goals). However, some people's passions are a little more impactful than others. This year, many important movements gained momentum. Black Lives Matter protested in honor of Gorge Floyd. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) promoted a Day of Silence highlighting the erasure of LGBTQIA+ people in schools. Indigenous people continue to fight against pipeline projects and for land rights from Black Hills to the Amazon in Para to Wet'suwet'en. Statues were toppled. Queen Isabella is out of the Capitol building, Columbus is down from his garden pedestal, but kids are still in cages. We are recognizing that self care is necessary to maintain a healthy relationship with ourselves. All in all, what I have learned is that sometimes it takes a worldwide pandemic and organized chaos to show us what the real issues are and that even when six feet apart, we can still be united.
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Xilonen is a coming of age ceremony for young girls in Mexica culture, and its a big deal for our dancers (and non dancers alike) at Naturalmente Indigena! Usually a large ceremony with hundreds of people, Xilonen looked different for our girls this year. We got to partner with Landpaths to have a small ceremony for our girls in a safe and beautiful socially distanced space. We're so proud of our girls for staying on track even through difficult times. We'll be partnering with Landpaths again to host a medicinal herb workshop so stay tuned!! Noxtin Nomecayotzin <3 I want to thank the warriors.
A warrior is: brave, smart, kind, loving, strong, determined, courageous, a leader, and a follower, someone who sees something wrong and does something about it. Warriors are everyday people. People who march in streets, people who put a stop to the violence, people who believe in change. We are armed with words asking for change, and are shielding each other with signs, with speeches with chants, with masks, with soap, with gloves, with love, with understanding, with compassion. So keep doing what you're doing warriors. The world will always need more of you. Our co-president, Adela has been making friendship bracelets during quarantine and she is selling a variety of bracelets in order to raise funds for the NAACP. 100% of donations will go to the NAACP in solidarity to all efforts towards Black Liberation. All bracelets are handmade by Adela with cotton embroidery floss and come in many patterns, including pride flag colors in honor of Pride month. We encourage you pay friend-to-friend to maximize donations. We see and hear our black relatives, and we hope to work side by side to liberation. Naturalmente Indigena stands in solidarity with all efforts towards Black liberation. We support the voices of all our relatives who are working for change and towards the dismantling of an oppressive, unjust system. We live in a country built on the genocide and the systematic oppression of Black and Indigenous bodies. As an organization, we seek to reconnect youth with healing traditions and offer tools for empowerment and liberation.
We offer a poem written by our co-president: I want to thank the warriors. A warrior is: brave, smart, kind, loving, strong, determined, courageous, a leader, and a follower, someone who sees something wrong and does something about it. Warriors are everyday people. People who march in streets, people who put a stop to the violence, people who believe in change. We are armed with words asking for change, and are shielding each other with signs, with speeches with chants, with masks, with soap, with gloves, with love, with understanding, with compassion. So keep doing what you're doing warriors. The world will always need more of you. Cualli tlanecic everyone! Hope everyone had a lovely holiday season. While delayed, I wanted to give a quick update on our drumming workshop. We had a good outcome, and our facilitator did an amazing job. We hope everyone has a great 2019!! Pialli y'all! Hope everyone is staying safe during these fires, we definitely need to take care of each other and of mother Earth during this time. I would be pleased for everyone to join us for snacks, singing and teachings from visiting facilitator, Irvin Watkins (Shawnee). Irvin has extensive experience working with youth and families and sharing traditional teachings. Hand drums welcome!
Tuesday Nov 27th from 6:30PM-8:30PM at Arthur Butler Elementary gym in Elk Grove Pialli everyone! This past weekend we had a great time with our native youth, camping at Lake Sonoma. We had delicious vegan meals and an amazing time swimming and paddle boarding at the lake. It was a lot of fun, from singing native songs, to playing charades and making vegan s'mores. A lot of thanks to the Pollination Project for making engaging events like these possible for our youth! The girls that came with us on our trip are preparing for their coming of age ceremony, Xilonen this upcoming weekend, as well as girls preparing for 2019 Xilonen! Blessings to you all! Pialli y'all! In preparation for upcoming ceremonies, our youth have been working on their regalia. All our youth are working on their regalia, which they are currently in the process of painting. Some of our girls have been preparing for the Xilonen coming of age ceremony in August, and have been making ofrendas, like the popcorn packets they made (pictured below.) All the girls are very exited for the Xilonen ceremony, and we hope to keep you updated! We have received additional funding from TPP and we have a lot of great ideas in the works. We are planning an indigenous youth poetry contest, and a camping trip for NI families. We are also hoping to collaborate with other organizations to plan a hiking trip. Hope to see you all soon!
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AuthorsMaya Diaz-Villalta and Adela Diaz-Villalta Archives
December 2020
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