Fernando Ausin writes on January 16 Symposium at the Miktlan Ehekateotl Kuauhtlinxan’s workshop and “The Eagle’s Nest”, a Tetzkatlipoka cultural center and school in the heart of Mexico City:
Julio Garduño, one of Mexico’s newest facilitators, organized a Symposium in the studio and cultural center of Miktan Ehekateotl Kuauhtlinxan, a 52nd generation carrier of the Tetzkatlipoka tradition (for more information on Ehekateotl, this amazing documentary describes his philosophy and tradition.) An upper-class high school environmental group found the Symposium posting online and invited 52 members of their club to the symposium. Little did we know that we were in for a surprise at Ehekateotl’s workshop, as Tata, a 94 year old grandfather of the Tetzkatlipoka tradition appeared to help open the sacred circle, accompany us throughout the workshop, and offer his and his peoples viewpoints and advice. We had a respected elder of the indigenous tradition that gave life to the Aztecs, Totltecs and a variety of Mexico’s main indigenous groups—right inside our symposium! The students had no idea what they had gotten int, but being in the nest of the Tetztlatipoka’s was more than we could have ever wanted. The emotional reactions flowed naturally and the engagement in the room was quite high throughout the five hours, with over 50 teenagers sitting in the floor of an overflowed studio space. This Symposium helped us understand that time and space are relative when in the presence of such an impacting place and people. Symposia like these are also a great example of how we can begin to tropicalize the Symposium and adapt it to the Mexican circumstances and collaborate with our indigenous peoples and their historical traditions.
For more information, Fernando can be contacted at: fausin (at) gmail.com.
