TONATIERRA
The Tides of Time
A Teaching from the Aztec Calendar

Everyday in the news we hear of the global economy, of events that take place around the world that affect our economic reality as nations, communities and families. It is a great challenge to educate and prepare our youth to encounter success in the future of an increasingly global economic society. To participate in the construction of the future, and not just be dragged along by the effects is one of the principal and practical goals of education. In reality, it has always been a global economy. Traditional indigenous cultures from around the world have always maintained that it is only one earth, one air, one water, and one sun that nourishes us all, and all economic systems reflect this reality as the bottom line - which is not a really a line but an equation.

What are the factors of this equation? Technology is one, but should not be the prime determinant. The term economy gives us a clue by the root "ECO" which also serves in defining the term ECOLOGY. ( From the Greek "oikos" which means house.) Traditional cultures from around the world maintain that the entirety of the ecosystem of the planet is our "house" which we strive to make a "home"- a chante - with our culture for the future generations of humanity. From this perspective, the Sun and Earth maintain a primary role in tandem as authors of the equation of life. From this perspective, the tides of time which we observe and measure with our calendars, serve to remind us of how far we have come on the journey to success, the journey to achieve our global humanity, and how far we have yet to go.

Huitzilopochtli - Winter Solstice

TONATIERRA
Las Mareas del Tiempo
Una Enseñanza del Calendario Azteca

Todos los dias escuchamos en las noticias de la economía global, de eventos que pasan en el mundo que afectan nuestra vida económica como naciones, comunidades y familias. Es un reto enorme educar a nuestra juventud, preparandolos para que encuentren éxito en su futuro dentro de una sociedad cada vez mas global en el sentido económico. Participar, y no nomás ser objeto de los efectos de la globalización es una de las metas principales y prácticas de la educación actual. En realidad, siempre ha sido una economía integral y global. Las culturas indígenas de todas partes del mundo siempre han mantenido que la Tierrra es una, el Aire es uno, El Agua es uno, y es el mismo Sol que nos nutre a todos cada día. Todos los sistemas economicos del mundo reflejan esta realidad como la raya final, que en verdad no es una raya sino una formula : una ecuación.

Cuales son los factores de esta formula? La tecnología es una, pero no debe ser la principal. El termino economía nos da la clave con la raíz "ECO" que también sirve en definir la palabra ECOLOGÍA. (Del Griego "oikos" que quiere decir casa.) La culturas tradicionales de todo el mundo enseñan que la totalidad del ecosistema mundial es nuestra "casa" donde nosotros luchemos para construir un "hogar"- un chante - de cultura para las generaciones del futuro. Desde esta perspectiva, el Sol y La Tierra se presentan como autores duales y principales en la ecuación de la vida. Desde esta perpectiva, las mareas del tiempo que observamos y medimos con nuestros calendarios, deberían de acordarnos que tan lejos hemos viajado en la jornada para encontrar el éxito, la jornada para alcanzar nuestra humanidad, y que tanto que nos hace falta todavía.

Huitzilopochtli - Solsticio de Invierno

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The Xicano Paradigm

Some twenty years after having participated in the birthing stages of the Chicano student movement of the 60's and 70's, some of the original MEChA activists gathered at the occasion of the California State Wide MEChA conference in 1994 held in Bakersfield. MEChA - Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan. The veteranos and veteranas had come together in a sort of elders council to share and evaluate the history of the movement which they had helped to build in their younger days. Looking back, sitting in a circle with sacred eagle feathers, tobacco and copal, the perspectives of each were expressed. In the background, the younger generation of college Mechistas were involved in the conference workshops.

Nearly all of them were professionals. Lawyers, administrators, community leaders, teachers, etc. All representing an unspoken but understood testimony to the sacrifices and efforts of the Movement to open up the educational opportunities for our peoples, fruit of a generation of struggle.

Some of the words were hard. Betrayal. Betrayal of the movement. Was not one of the objectives of the movement to develop the intellectual defense of La Raza? How had it come to pass that the professional class had found it so easy to return to the assimilationist Hispanic syndrome being promoted by Washington?

It was not a new discussion. When El Veterano spoke now what he said came after many previous platicas con la gente had brought clarity to the question.

What it was, was the paradigm. We as a people had been struggling to achieve access to education: higher education at the college and university levels. The paradigm that was put before us, which many of us bought into, was that:

EDUCATION would open up ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES which would lead to SUCCESS which would then translate to POWER.

What is education? Community based economics or individual payoffs? Who defines success? Can one own the power of the sun, the land, the wind, or the waters of the earth?

Perhaps, he said, it would be better if we determined our own paradigm instead of blindly following one which has been imposed upon us. One which is really only working for a very few of us. Perhaps we might even consider adopting the principles which our ancestors used to guide the development of our culture and civilization for thousands of years. Education is not just book learning, especially not from books which do not reflect our Peoples' perspective and contribution to humanity. Let us, he said, consider pursuing:

 

KNOWLEDGE which can lead to
WISDOM, which will develop
STRENGTH, that we may achieve
HARMONY, within - and without.

Viva la Raza