Decolonization through music and dance: reflections from Huehca Omeyocan
This article is part of an initiative of the Earth Institute Communications Team Advanced Alliance of Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity Highlight the commitment of practitioners, community members and academia to sustainable development and Environmental justice.
Decolonization and decolonization are terms with different meanings in different disciplines and cultural backgrounds, so they often become ambiguous. For some scholars, decolonization is understood as the indigenous reclamation of land and space, while decolonization is the psychological and spiritual liberation from the continued traumatic and systemic legacy of colonialism. Academic research on decolonization and decolonization is prolific, but it is still necessary to understand how indigenous voices define these terms and understand the ongoing work of decolonization by indigenous people.
In March 2021, the Columbia University Teachers College (TC) Decolonization Research Group held a Ways to decolonize TC, This is the first seminar. Through this seminar, students, faculty and alumni have explored the basic concepts of decolonization and tried to understand the application of decolonization in the college.The 10-minute interlude during the seminar featured music and photography from Oregon’s indigenous cultural groups Vekaomeyocan (Hoo-eh-kah O-mayo-kan), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the cultural practices of Anahuac (Central America) people, focusing on Meshica Chichimeca Aztec dance, music and art cultural education based on ancestral values.
Huehca Omeyocan dancers perform at the celebration of the Day of the Dead at the Chehalem Cultural Center in November 2020. Image Credit: Cole McLester
In the following interview, Eduardo Cruz, artistic director and co-founder of Huehca Omeyocan, shared his views on decolonization, decolonization, sustainability, and how Huehca Omeyocan contributes to decolonization efforts. The response has been edited for clarity and length.
Can you tell me the history of Huehca Omeyocan? How was the organization formed and what is its mission?
First of all, I want to say that I was lucky to meet my wife Maria because we all have the same passion for art, music and history. Five years ago, Maria and I founded Huehca Omeyocan in 2016. At that time we had an idea about teaching, about sharing the knowledge of our ancestors with the community. I have always been an artist, and even long before I immigrated to the United States from Mexico, my wife has been dancing since she was a child. Therefore, we naturally decided to use music, dance and art as the medium to share the cultural wisdom of the Anahuaks. In our performances, we use ancient music and the sounds of drums and other instruments. By combining these elements, we created a group focused on raising cultural awareness through educating our community.
Eduardo Cruz holds a burning hummingbird wood, symbolizing the “spirit of warriors” in the Anahuac culture. Filmed at the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg, Oregon this spring.Credit: Eduardo Cruz
Our target audience is everyoneThis is an important principle for us because we believe that all the knowledge of our ancestors must be shared with humans. Our ancestors told us that we are all brothers and sisters, we are all relatives, and we are all connected. Our ancestors were also very enthusiastic. This passionate spirit is reflected in their spiritual connection with dance. Dance is seen as a human right, a privilege that everyone should participate in. This is the continued tradition of Huehca Omeyocan.
In addition to Maria and me, we currently have an average of 8-10 musicians and cultural dancers working with us throughout the year. Outside of Huehca Omeyocan, we all have full-time jobs, family or other responsibilities, but we are still very committed to this work and do not expect compensation. Overall, the team’s success has greatly exceeded my expectations!
How do you define decolonization or decolonization? How does Huehca Omeyocan fit into decolonization?
Decolonization is about learning your own history, because if you don’t know it, then you won’t have a solid foundation to start decolonization. Of course, you can start decolonization by using your best judgment, but without the knowledge of ancestors, this process will be very difficult, because most of the knowledge we learn in life, especially knowledge about history, is The product of changed truth or lies.Most of my own philosophy on decolonization is inspired by the works of Mexican historians and philosophers Guillermo Marin RuizHe believes that people must forget everything they know in order to learn the way of their ancestors. Only when we discover who we are, what is the purpose of our own story, and what is the purpose of our own existence, can we begin to move forward. Huehca Omeyocan tries to create a space for music and dance as a resource for all who want to decolonize. Professor Ruiz once told me that he wakes up every day and feels that he is colonized. I have the same feeling, and I believe many other people have the same feeling, because colonialism pretends to be materialism, and most parts of the world depend on material happiness. Sometimes this is indeed a struggle, but the more people learn about their own history, the easier it is to get rid of the colonial mentality.
In terms of how we integrate into decolonization, the difference between Huehca Omeyocan and some other indigenous cultural groups is that we are willing to share all our traditions with the public. Some other groups are very traditional and limit outsiders’ access to cultural knowledge or resources.
What is your connection with Nahuatl?
Well, I should first explain that in Nahuatl, “huehca omeyocan” refers to a mentality of how we understand our connection with everything in the universe. Translated into English, “huehca” means distant, and “omeyocan” can be understood as a sacred place of center and duality. Its deeper meaning shows that we cannot allow the duality of nature—that is, light and darkness, positive and negative—to obscure the way to where the universe wants us to go. If we focus on observing things as they are and experiencing them as they are, we can achieve our goals. I also interpret it as, although the knowledge of our ancestors seems remote, sometimes it is there, even within us. We just need to be willing to accept it.
In June 2021, Maria Elena Cortes Duran, co-founder and executive director of Huehca Omeyocan, paid tribute to nature in Proxy Falls, Oregon. Image credit: Eduardo Cruz
None of our members speak fluent Nahuatl language. I have a friend who lives in Mexico. He speaks a fluent language. Whenever I need an interpreter, I ask them for help. Although there are many more Nahuatl speakers there than in the United States, there is still a huge sense of stigma in speaking the language. It is not uncommon for people who speak indigenous languages to suffer from racism and discrimination. Therefore, some families will not pass this language to their children. However, if there is no language, we will lose it because the knowledge of our ancestors is passed on through language.
Somehow, Nahuatl still exists in our daily lives because we end up speaking Nahuatl all the time. English words such as avocado, chocolate, tomato and chili all originated from Nahuatl.
When you hear the word sustainability, what do you think of? How does Huehca Omeyocan create a sustainable future for your community?
Sustainability is about maintaining ancestral knowledge. Our ancestors taught us to use ecological resources in a harmonious and balanced manner. For thousands of years, the Anawaks have been in complete balance with nature. We need to restore this way of life by letting the earth rest and recover. The word “Anahuac” refers to the land surrounded by water where people live and communicate together, or someone translates it as a land of fertility. Huehca Omeyocan recognizes that in order for us to live on a rich land, we must use our ancestors’ knowledge to find sustainable ways to restore balance.
Obi Eneh is the AC4 communications coordinator and 2021 AC4 graduate researcher, studying for a master’s degree in international education development at Columbia University Teachers College. He is an active member of the TC Decolonization Research Group and is interested in the intersection of decolonization and language.
