Unbroken: Indigenous Peoples Today

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Aztec Traditional Dance Performed by América December

Aztec spiritual elder and dancer, América December, shares one of the many traditional dances that are performed when honoring the elements. In Aztec culture, the elements were formed by the four Creator Gods who reign in the four directions and brought the world to life and continue to provide it with nourishment.

"When we dance we are thanking the elements for everything they give us in this life. We know we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the them and our ancestors and we try to honor that."

"We do 'Tonantzin', which is Mother Earth in the west; We do 'Fuego', which is fire in the east; The south is for rain and water, and we do 'Tlāloc' for that one; And the north, Ehecatl, is for our elders and that is the wind.

"All of our dances have a reason behind them and the steps all show some part of what we're dancing for. Our feet can resemble rain drops or our spins can resemble the air. Everything has a purpose."

You might also notice the numerous butterflies on América's regalia as well as the butterfly on the mural behind her. When I asked her what they meant, she joyously laughed and said, "When I was younger I was dancing, we were doing this presentation with my first maestro in the early 90's, and a reporter, I guess, he saw us dancing and didn't know my name, but he heard my maestro call me 'itz papalotl', which means 'obsidian butterfly'. So when he wrote his story, he didn't even try to get my name, he just called me 'dancing butterfly' so it kinda stuck over the years."

América December Aztec Elemental dance Photographed Jason Sinn Ehecatl Fuego Jason Sinn Jason Sinn Photography Mexica Mexica art Tlaloc Tlāloc Tonantzin activism activism photographer activism photography activism portrait activist activist photographer activist photography american indian american indian photography american indian portrait art art mural art photography artist artwork aztec art aztec art mural aztec ceremony aztec clothing aztec culture aztec dance aztec dancer aztec feathers aztec four elements aztec gods aztec headdress aztec regalia aztec woman butterfly butterfly dance butterfly mural colorful clothes colorful feathers creative creative photography creative portrait creative portrait photography creative portraiture cultural cultural photographer cultural photography cultural portrait cultural portrait photography culture culture photographer culture photography culture portrait dancer dancing earth dance education fire dance human rights indigenous indigenous culture indigenous people indigenous people today indigenous peoples today indigenous person indigenous photography indigenous portrait photography long feathers love native native american native american ceremony native american dance native american dancer native american photography native american portrait native american portrait photography native american woman native culture native dance native dancer native lives matter native pride native rights native woman painting peace photographer photography photography art photoshoot portrait portrait photographer portrait photography portraits portraiture professional activism professional photographer professional photography protest photographer protest photography protest portrait resist resistance spiritual spirituality unbroken indigenous peoples today water dance wind dance wisdom