Among the gods the ancient Mexica worshipped was Tonantzin, who embodied fertility and the earth.
When asked to participate in an exhibit around the Virgin Mary, I found it impossible not to look at her predecessor, Tonantzin, who was eventually subsumed by the spanish deity, La Virgen de Guadalupe.
In the face of brutal colonization, Tonantzin can be seen as a symbol of resistance and the continuity of Indigenous beliefs.
I imagine her, Tonantzin, as a young woman today, looking back, looking forward, exploring streets and visiting dreams, and watching over her people, offering wisdom, hope, and the spirit of strength and resistance.
