Explore the rich spirituality of Aztec dance and its relationship to the tradition La Ofrenda de Día de Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead celebration, in Mexican culture. After the Spanish unsuccessfully attempted to eradicate the native cultures of Mexico, they decided to mix aspects of Mexican indigenous traditions with their Catholic traditions. Some native Mexican people used this as a way to preserve mystical and spiritual aspects of Mexican indigenous wisdom. Brujo will also discuss the rich cultural history and meaning of the altar from an indigenous perspective.

We will also screen a short documentary about Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac, the contemporary Aztec dance troupe which Carbajal co-founded.

Brujo de la Mancha
Born in Mexico City, Francisco Javier Hernandez Carbajal (aka Brujo de la Mancha) is a self-taught, multi-disciplinary artist whose mission is to use the arts to emphasize a connection between nature and modern society. His ancestry allowed him to travel and see the surviving Mayan, Olmec and Catholic cultures, as well as traditional farming and popular crafts that represent the lives of the indigenous Mexican people. In 2003, Carbajal co-founded the Aztec cultural organization and dance troupe Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac.