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October 20, 2006
'Miccailhuitl - The Journey to Mictlan . . . an interview with Michael Heralda'
by Tokoztli - Aztlan Media Kollective
In the following interview musician and poet Michael Heralda talks about his latest work, "Miccailhuitl - The Journey to Mictlan". He shares with us the creative process behind this latest musical composition. He also explains his own personal artistic evolution and the reasons why he chose to present the concept of Mictlan to the public.
Michael Heralda has been a songwriter and musician for much of his life. He is also the editor of the cultural magazine 'Ketzalkoatl'. Heralda has independently produced two other previous works that present the indigenous worldview of the Mexika, 'Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone' and 'Aztec Stories'
THE INTERVIEW
1 - Michael, this is your third musical composition. Describe your previous work and how it has led to the creation of "Miccailhuitl - The Journey to Mictlan".
All three CDs are what I consider "markers" as to where I was at a particular time during what I refer to as my re-education process. They are stakes planted firmly in the ground - I was here, now I am here. So, in that perspective, each one shows a growth and learning process. You can also hear the change in musical style and instrumentation between the CDs.
The first CD, "Aztec Stories," contains songs that I rarely play anymore. The reason for this is that since its completion I have changed my mind about sharing some very specific information contained within it. Most of the information was based on "documented" information that I found in translated Codices and other academic resources during my early research. There are a few songs like "Burning Books", "6 Legged Warrior", and "Beast" that I still love to play for a select audience; but there are some songs I will never play again. I also realized that I needed to experience that part of my education process in order to get me where I am today. The only regret I have is that I believed what I read in books. I am much more critical now. I think it's a hard slap in the face when you realize you have been deceived all your life. But, like I said, it was a learning process for me.
During the next few years following the completion of the first CD I went to Mexico and began researching the indigenous information I was interested in - philosophy, art, language, history, poetry, music, and foods. Those trips along with conversations with knowledgeable people here in the US like Carlos Aceves (El Paso), Martha Ramirez (Mexico and Los Angeles), Xavier Quijas Yxayotl (California) to name just a few led to the completion of a number of new songs and stories that ultimately became the second CD, "Tonalmachyotl - The Memory Stone."
In 2004 I started thinking about my next project. I decided that my focus would be on the most important food source on this continent - Corn, Tlaolli (in the Nahuatl language). But something happened in early October of that year. I started receiving announcements from groups and organizations promoting their annual Dia de Los Muertos events. Sad to say that in a couple of those announcements it stated that cash awards would be offered to the person(s) who built the "best" altar (I call them "offerings" or "ofrendas"). I thought how is it possible to judge someone's personal offering for their loved ones. How can one offering can be deemed better than another and judged by someone who may see it only from a perspective based on color, arrangement, design and decorative/artistic embellishments? I was disappointed at what this celebration was evolving into. I figured that it would only be a matter of time before these events would soon be sponsored by alcoholic beverage companies commercially trying to promote their "we understand the Hispanic/Latino/Mexican market and are supporting them in their own communities" campaigns.
Thinking about this more I realized that what brought this personal ceremony to this point was a lack of knowledge about what this ceremony truly means. I too was ignorant of its true meaning. It was then that I knew what my next research project would become - I would research the origins of "Dia de Los Muertos".
2 - Why did you include an accompanying booklet?
Because I needed more space to explain, compliment, and enhance the recordings. This is the same reason I included a booklet in my first and second CD's. I consider my projects "educational" so the more information I can share the better.
3 - There were many people who contributed to the creation of the project. Can you share with us how creatively the work came together?
Throughout this project my wife Sandy, my son Chi, and my daughter Lila, along with musicians like; Roberta Martinez, Delfina Esquibel, Cuicani Rangel, Arturo "Ture" Oliva, and Erik Wildcat Sevilla (who recently passed away) all generously contributed their gifts and talents. Others who offered advice, knowledge, awareness, and their personal perspectives were; Martha Ramirez Oropeza, Luis Reyes Flores, Paz Zamora (ABQ, New Mexico), Margaret Sosa, Ofelia Esparza, Carlos Barron, and Carlos Aceves. I have to also mention the wonderful artistic talents of Catalina Delgado-Trunk and Zarco Guererro. I absorbed all their contributions and assembled them into what I considered a cohesive path - an informative and educational storyline.
In thinking now about how all this creatively came together I would say that there were four stages of the project and I will list them below.
Research:
At the beginning of the research I started calling (on the phone) and e-mailing friends that are very knowledgeable in the Mexica and Nahuatl culture. I asked them to share what they knew about specific aspects of Mictlan (place of rest and transformation), the concepts of "duality", the cycles of life and death, and what happens to us after we (physically) die - all from an indigenous and historical perspective. Friends in the U.S. and in Mexico responded with valuable information. I read everything they sent and eventually pieced together a story that touched on a number of levels of knowledge relative to the Dia de Los Muertos ceremony. I also searched the web for anything relative to Dia de Los Muertos. Some of what I found on the internet was remarkably beyond belief and absurd at times. There seems to be so much misinformation readily available to the unquestioning reader. It truly was an educational experience and validated for me the necessity to develop this project and bring it to fruition. I felt I already knew on an intuitive level many of the indigenous concepts that were shared with me - reading that type of information only confirmed what I knew intuitively.
Writing and selecting of the songs and narratives to be used:
Next came the writing of songs, along with the selection of narratives and stories to be used. I wrote more than I could possibly use in this project and the more I wrote the more I began connecting other philosophical concepts that in the past were isolated ideas. All of the submitted information I had at my disposal was then scrutinized for European/Religious influences which were removed or returned to a more indigenous terminology. It was a difficult process to filter out 500 years of non-indigenous influences and references. Once an outline was created it formed the foundation of ideas I would share and this then defined how the storyline would move musically throughout the program. Now I was ready to call the musicians I regularly perform with and start scheduling rehearsals so that as a group we could fine-tune the arrangements.
The recording sessions:
I shared the rough (home studio) recording with my good friend and producer Vick Silva. We discussed each song and narrative along with the instrumentation and type of sounds we needed to capture in the studio. Once the recording studio was selected the sessions were scheduled. I contacted the musicians again along with other "guest" musicians and scheduled them for specific sessions. The recording process took approximately 4 months. The recording process is one of deconstruction and reconstruction - you work in layers building the song gradually. It's like creating a painting, layer by layer you color it with sound.
Creating the booklet and final artwork:
During the research period I had collected a number of indigenous symbols and ideas for artwork I wanted to incorporate into the booklet. I also wanted to get two very good friends of mine involved artistically so I contacted Catalina Delgado-Trunk (Papel Picado artist in ABQ, New Mexico) and Zarco Guerrero (master carver and mask maker in Arizona) to help me. Both readily agreed to be part of the project and both created some wonderful art pieces for it. Catalina created a beautiful Papel Picado piece that depicts the entire Journey to Mictlan. It is an incredible piece of (storytelling) artwork! In the booklet she also describes in her own words its meaning and significance. Zarco created four incredible and colorful masks that I use in the storytelling version of this program. Photos of Catalina's and Zarco's artwork can be seen in the booklet.
4 - Michael, you continue to work as an independent artist. This work as the prior two is released under an independent label. What successes and limitations have you encountered working independently?
I recently changed the name of my production company to "Huitzkoatl" (Hummingbird/Snake). This new name will be used as I expand the breath of my work - producing a variety of educational materials and products in the near future.
As an independent artist I had to learn a lot about marketing, promotion, and distribution - selling something is a business. In addition to those things there is also the business of running and maintaining a business which requires astute record keeping for taxes, documentation, updating schedules, working and contracting with vendors (printers, CD replication houses), etc.
The benefits are that I had ultimate control over the finished product - there were no compromises at any stage of the process. Another benefit is that when the project was completed it was all paid for - my family and I didn't have any outstanding loans once the work was finally completed. Producing and distributing a CD can be costly.
The limitations are that I don't have the distribution network, or promotional support that labels provide for their artists. I also had to pay all the recording and production costs up-front (this turned out to be a benefit as I mentioned above). Another limitation is that as an independent artist it is much harder to get your CDs in the hands of radio stations, reviewers, and into record stores.
MICCAILHUITL - THE JOURNEY TO MICTLAN
5 - Tell us why the first song is entitled "Something Happened"?
It sets the stage for what follows. I also felt it was a great opening line for a story so it became the title. I decided to sing it as a soloist to represent the fact that we come into this world alone and we leave this world alone. I think many people fear death and are somewhat uncomfortable talking about it so I wanted the first few lines of the project to offer an alternative to some of the common fears about death, to create a sense of calmness, freedom, and an openness regarding what was to come.
6 - The song "Mikiztli" celebrates the awakening after death. Please tell us more about the concept of life being a dream. And share with us the musical process that led to the construction of the song.
One universal concept of life and death is that when we die we awake from a dream - our life has been a dream. This is a metaphor for how we live our life. We can create in a physical sense anything we conceive of in our mind. We can manifest those ideas into a physical reality by applying ourselves. In dreams we create things and manifest them - they seem very real to us at the time and we cannot perceive them as not being real while the dream is taking place.
Musically I wanted this song to be a "big" song - lots of instruments and explosions of sound. The transition from life to death, or birth, has to be the most extreme experience we can have as humans so I felt that the musical arrangements for this song needed to instill an emotional response of excitement and happiness, fullness of life, and imbedded ancient memories - multi-layered experiences. From the start of the song you hear the beautiful Atecocolli (conch shell) trumpets calling you - first from a distance then closer as you near death. The drumming follows with numerous flutes and percussion. The song ends with the sound of stars filling the heavens and finally the sound of an eagle representing the sun. It has been historically told that we utilize the navel of the sun as the method to return to the heart of the cosmos to join with the universal pool of energy where the creator resides.
7 - In "Hell Does not Exist", the narrative voice is interpreted as that of Huehueteotl the most ancient of primal voices. It explains the cycle of life and the process of awakening. Can you tell us more about Huehueteotl?
First, let me ask you, what do think of when you hear the line "Hell does not exist?" Does it make you want to step back a little to think and contemplate the meaning of a statement like that? I hope so.
The name Huehueteotl is made up of two words; Hue, which means old/respected, and Teotl, which means sacred. Huehueteotl is considered one of the oldest of primal energies and forces of nature - fire. Because of its association to ancient age and wisdom he was the best candidate to be the storyteller sharing his wisdom and knowledge. He turned out to be one of my favorite characters in this project. I didn't want the listener to think of any one (human) person sharing this valuable knowledge so I chose to utilize the concept of Huehueteotl as the speaking voice.
If the listener starts to question why Huehueteotl is the voice, then maybe they will also be interested enough to learn more about this ancient concept and do some investigation on their own. It might be appropriate to mention here that for nearly 500 years concepts like Huehueteotl have been referred to as gods and/or deities. This description is not accurate. Concepts like Huehuetoetl, Tlazoteotl, Ketzalkoatl, Tezkatlipoka, Huitzilopochtli, and Xipe Totek, to name just a few, are not gods or deities - they are concepts and aspects of nature that through careful and accurate observations, over thousands of years, have been associated with very specific characteristics of nature and the cycles they follow. In addition, our ancient ancestors did not worship these concepts, they understood and worked with those energies, acknowledging them and at various times of the year thanked them for the life giving results of their actions - the actions of nature. Our ancestors observed "everything" and contemplated the actions and effects - of everything. And, everything had a name, sometimes multiple names because of the different manifestations they presented during their course or cycle.
8 - The poem "Words to Those who have passed" is read in Nahuatl. Tell us what is invoked by the poem and its musical rhythms. Can you also share with us why it was translated to both English and Spanish in the accompanying booklet?
For this piece I also want to do a short video that depicts and explains it. Visualize in your mind seeing a woman carefully open a "special" box filled with small and varied items. These small treasures remind her of loved ones who have passed. She is building her Ofrenda, her offering. As she lifts each one of the precious items out of her box she attentively examines it and recalls its significance and why it reminds her of one of her loved ones. Carefully and purposely she places each one on, and in, her ofrenda. During this (personal) ceremony she recites the "Words to those who have passed" calling all those she is inviting to a special party in their honor.
Musically, I wanted just a solitary deep and rich flute to represent the memories of the past and the personal connection one has during this ceremony - the building of the ofrenda.
The words shared in this piece are so important as a fundamental understanding of the building of the ofrenda that I wanted as many people to understand its meaning as possible - hence the English and Spanish translations in the booklet.
9 - In the narration "Fear not Death" we are introduced to the four precious serpents. The accompanying music enhances the story. Is the interlacing of the orator and the musical instrumentation based on ancient ancestral traditions?
The focus of my work and recordings in particular, has not been to present an authentic representation of how music and song were shared hundreds of years ago. I am an artist/musician and I use indigenous instruments mostly because I love the sounds they are capable of creating and the fact that these same instruments have been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years by a people who I consider brilliant. This is my way of honoring them. I hope that their use today, as in this project, will interest or intrigue other musicians and artists into using them so that their history, meaning, and symbolism does not disappear.
10 - The "Four Serpents Song" is both mysterious and serene. How did you formulate the song?
I am glad to hear you describe it in those terms. From the beginning of its inception it was designed to trigger an emotional response of freedom and serenity in order to complement the storyline. I used triple chamber clay flutes (made by Xavier Quijas Yxayotl - a long time friend and mentor) along with some very sparse percussion accents. I also arranged the unusual vocal harmonizing sung by Roberta, Delfina, and Cuicui (musicians I regularly perform with). Musically, the styling and "atmosphere" of this piece grew from another song I recorded (on my second CD) titled "Ocelotl." In that piece I experimented with the vocals to create a very ethereal sound environment. I knew one day I would continue that exploration again and "The Four Serpents" seemed like the appropriate song to pick-up where I left off. In both cases, during the recording sessions, I recall when I explained to the singers what I wanted them to create vocally - all I got were some blank expressions on their faces. Now I wish I had a snap shot of that exact moment. It would be priceless to see it again! Ultimately, they performed their parts wonderfully. Experimentation is very important for any creative endeavor - it pushes you beyond the safe zones and into the unexpected.
11 - "Xolotl" is the guide into the realm of Mictlan. This song celebrates this animal spirit. Can you tell us how the song was orchestrated? And describe to us how you envision Xolotl?
I knew from the beginning that a Tlapitzalli (clay flute) would be the featured voice. One of my favorite (Aztec) clay flutes, one that I acquired from friends in Mexico who belong to a musical group known as Tribu, was the perfect candidate because it features the carving of a small Xolotlitzkuintli (dog) on one end of it. The song needed to be happy, playful, and familiar like a loved and friendly dog and this flute fit the character perfectly. Musically there are separate rhythms playing simultaneously. There is a 7-count (accented) beat of the Huehuetl and Teponaztli drums, and a 3-count (accented) beat of the Ayotl (turtle shell) drums along with complimentary and changing Ayakaxtli (shakers) rhythms in addition to hand clapping. I had the most fun recording this piece while playing many of the instruments recording them one-at-a-time. These rhythms are common to hear in Aztec dance and were taught to me by two Danzantes (Aztec dancers), Tonantzin Carmelo and her brother Joaquin Arvizu.
Xolotl is associated with Tezkatlipoka (the Smoking mirror concept) and the twin planet, Venus. He is a mirror, a reflection of whoever looks into him. In this regard when we face him we are looking into ourselves - seeing ourselves for what, and who, we really are - our true self.
12 - Intro to "The Journey to Mictlan" narrates to the listener how the Mexika utilized story telling to pass on traditions across generations. Do you believe this is a viable means nowadays to pass knowledge in our communities?
If you define "community" as a city, or town, I would have to say no.
In the past, communities were families - everyone knew everyone on a personal level. Parents saw the children of the community grow up and become parents themselves. Grandparents knew and spent time with their grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Everyone in the community contributed towards the life of the community - they were all connected. This is not the case in today's communities. Today having a designated storyteller(s) to keep the memories, life, and history of a community alive by sharing stories at gatherings as it was done hundreds of years ago is not something I see happening. Today we utilize other means to acquire knowledge.
If you define "community" as a group coming together with a shared and common interest I would say yes.
People that come together to hear storytellers have an experience I consider personal and intimate. They also create a unity amongst themselves and in this sense they become an extended family - a community with a shared interest. I see this during my presentations.
I also see Storytelling (today) as a means to transmit cultural ownership. Through this medium the knowledge and achievements socially, philosophically, ceremonially, and traditionally are kept alive. This is very important because our ancestors meant for us to acquire this knowledge, use it in our daily lives, and pass it along to our children. They understood the importance of preserving their knowledge and wisdom for future generations.
13 - "The Journey to Mictlan" narrates the transformation after one awakes from the dream of life. The listener experiences a full arrangement of sounds that compliment the story being told. Tell us more about both the origins of the story and the musical composition accompanying it?
This particular piece is the heart of the whole presentation and all the other songs and narratives surround and support it. The origins of the "Journey to Mictlan" story go back at least a thousand years. It is an oral tradition story that reveals on numerous levels what we can expect at the moment of our death. Martha Ramirez, one of the instructors at La Universidad Nahuatl in Ocotepec, Morelos, Mexico, shared with me an English translated version of this oral tradition story. I also found a few other versions in books and codices and after reading them I compared them all to each other. I "artistically" took their essence and wove-in additional relative philosophical aspects that I wanted to share. One of the things I noticed while comparing the different versions was a lack of flow from a storyteller's perspective. I think that this came about during the translating (of the original Nahuatl oral tradition story) from Nahuatl to Spanish and finally to English. I tried to re-instill some of that "flow" into the recorded version.
The ancient Mexica artists used symbolism extensively and I wanted to incorporate this concept into the music. In order to create a multi-layered experience I used meters of time and measurement that are not common. Using rhythms based on the count of nine instead of four or eight, representing the nine levels to Mictlan, for me added that layer of symbolism I was looking for. I think few listeners will even notice because of the seamless way it was woven into the musical score. Trying to represent the various levels of the journey took a lot of thought in finding just the right instrument(s) to portray them. How do you make the sound of two mountains crushing up against each other? How do you make the sound of flint knife mountains or a "rain of arrows" being shot towards you? What is even more interesting is that all the instruments used were hand-made acoustic (non-electric) indigenous instruments. You should have seen Vick (Silva) and I in the studio making the sounds that represented the "rain of arrows." It was comical! When I first arrived at the studio, Vick asked if I needed any help bringing in the instruments and I asked him to bring in the "arrows." He looked around in the van and said he couldn't find them so I handed him a bundle of freshly cut branches (approximately 30 inches in length) from my Toyon shrub. He said laughingly, "I should have known that only you could figure out how to make the sound of a hundred arrows being shot through the air with twigs!"
14 - "I Comprehend the Secret" is a poem by the great Mexika Tlatoani Netzahualcoyotl. What prominence did poetry have in our ancestral traditions?
Netzahualcoyotl was from the city state of Texcoco (a neighboring city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan). Because of his status many of his poems are attributed to him. Ancient (Nahuatl) poetry rarely gives credit to the poets who created them unless, like Nezahualcoyotl, they are of a highly respected position.
Poetry had a great prominence in the Mexica and Nahuatl culture. Language skills were highly regarded. Keep in mind that the highest elected official of the land, was given the title of Tlatoani, which translates to mean "one who speaks." Poets shared their craft at major and minor events and were highly respected and regarded. Subject matter of the poems dealt with daily and historical occurrences as well as philosophical contemplations. Men and women participated in this art form.
15 - "Can this be True" is based on an ancient Nahuatl poem written in the 1400's that questions our mortality. Why did you choose to make this song acappella? I detect a fusion of diverse musical influences, is this case?
This is an example of how a group experience can lead to something unexpected. I planned on singing this song originally as a soloist, but during rehearsals the other singers started adding their voices because they liked singing it. Eventually all the singers found their harmony and musically it blended wonderfully. When it came time to record this song I decided to record it the way we had been rehearsing it. The fusion you speak of comes from each of the singers adding their own personalities. Music is a living entity. It moves, changes, and evolves during its existence. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
16 - "The Mirror" is a wonderful multi-layered song that integrates both music and history through statements. Please share with us how the song was conceived and also explain why you integrate the views of other individuals in this last track?
The idea was to have indigenous music flowing under spoken passages that had prominence and importance - words to share that encapsulated the theme of the work. I also knew that I wanted people I knew who had a good sense of the concepts of Dia de Los Muertos to share their thoughts in this song. Some of the statements I selected were recorded directly over the phone while others were extracted from previously recorded television interviews (with permission of the television host and interviewees). While reviewing their statements I realized that there were some broad ranging ideas being shared. I decided that the music should mirror their ideas by also changing between the speakers and their comments. I had already been experimenting with, and developing, some short musical arrangements that would one day become part of an indigenous orchestra so it made sense for me to connect that music with their words. The end result, I feel, supported the ideas being shared wonderfully and offered an introduction to another project I will continue working towards - creating an indigenous orchestra.
One more comment about this song, it has been a custom for Vick Silva, the producer, to play guitar on at least one of the songs in each of my CDs. Because he has a fondness for Reggae music I told him that that type of rhythm might work at the beginning. You can hear him playing guitar on this song - the only non-indigenous instrument on the entire recording.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS
17 - Michael, describe to us how you incorporated the oral tradition of story telling and your musical art form to create the "The Journey to Mictlan".
It was a natural extension for me to fuse music with storytelling. I never thought about it as being anything but a natural progression. It just "is what made sense to me" in order to present the subject matter in a way that I felt would capture the listener.
Few storytellers today incorporate music in their presentations and few musicians incorporate storytelling in their presentations. Combining the two offers an opportunity to expand the listener's experience.
I also think that so much narrative storytelling needed to be shared in this project that adding music to enhance it seemed the most logical way to go. Plus, it gave me an opportunity to play a lot of great instruments like clay flutes, drums, and other unique hand-made instruments. In addition, I was able to invite some very talented friends, musicians, and artists to play with!
18 - Is the creative process a personal experience for you?
It absolutely is a personal experience. It is a personal journey of discovery, questioning, reasoning, contemplating, formulating, connecting, dissecting and reconnecting information, awareness, observations, knowledge, and most importantly, listening to and using your intuitive sense. In other words, it is an experience of deep personal isolation. I say this because creatively you have to go deep within yourself to find what you are seeking. What I chose to put into this project is what I have discovered and believed to be valuable information to share. Another aspect of the personal experience is that every time you create something you put yourself on the line for criticism and judgment. On the positive side, you also grow and learn from your exploration and this adds to your personal growth.
19 - What form do you expect your music to take in the public sphere?
I know what form I would like it to take. I would like it to be a reference source that you can hear over and over again and share with family and friends. I would also like it to be an awakening for listeners to start investigating their own culture. And I guess as a third expectation, to be considered an indigenous alternative to academic perspectives currently available. In the song "The Mirror" Carlos Barron sums it up perfectly by stating, "...we also have the opportunity to be the authority, the source of knowledge." This was an underlying goal of this project - to be an authoritative voice from the indigenous perspective.
20 - Your musical composition provides an alternative to the classical spiritual Western Christian canon. What types of conversations do you expect to generate from your work?
Three topics come to mind:
1. The idea that storytelling can be combined with music for a positive emotional and enlightening experience.
2. A renewed interest in hand-made indigenous instruments and their evoking of emotional sounds, ancient and yet familiar.
3. The topic of life and death from the indigenous point of view. I believe the statements "Fear not Death" and "Hell does not exist" are profound concepts to think about. They shine a light and place under a microscope for reexamination contemporary concepts about death. Those statements alone should open the doors of conversation and contemplation (I hope).
21 - Michael, your work re-introduces ancient indigenous traditions kept silent for centuries. What is it that you are communicating through it and why does it matter?
I am communicating what I believe to be valuable - information I discovered during my personal journey of understanding my indigenous connection. This is an art expression. I am mirroring my perceptions through music and storytelling. I believe there are many people who feel disconnected and uninformed like I did. So little information is readily available and this reality motivates me to continue working in this manner.
Does it matter? Yes. On a personal level it is a way for me to fulfill a need I see. I am a strong believer that when you become aware of a need you have been given this realization in order to do something about it or with it. In addition to the "need" aspect, I think introducing people to the concepts of an indigenous philosophy are also important. Our ancestors were brilliant people who possessed immeasurable amounts of knowledge and wisdom. Bringing awareness to this fact is what I liken to planting seeds in the minds of those absorbing this information - they come away with a greater appreciation and respect for this culture and that is a need that matters.
22 - Lastly, how does your work concern itself with cultural ownership? And how do you qualitatively measure your work?
To be perfectly honest, I did not think in terms of cultural ownership (as an intellectual property) while I was creating this new work. I viewed it simply as a means to share what I believe to be valuable knowledge and insight - something I have done for over a decade during my "live" presentations.
To my knowledge there is no legal system in place that governs how to manage legal protocol regarding the sharing of this type of information or how it can be presented, or by whom.
I tend to model the approach the Mexica people took in absorbing all the valuable knowledge they came across (prior to, during, and following their 200 year migration) and integrating what made sense to them into their lives - building and designing their cultural social systems. Theirs was a collective of many people's ideologies.
How do I qualitatively measure my work? If I were an academic it would be easy to offer for inspection a list of references to measure it according to established academic standards. But how does one measure the value of undocumented sources such as oral histories and stories? And, to take it even further, how do you measure personal intuitiveness? Intuition is one of the eight senses we possess. It is no less valuable than the other seven. The academic measuring stick is based on only the five senses.
Knowledge comes in various forms. Sometimes, unknowingly we carry messages to those looking for it. Sometimes messages are presented to us in nontraditional methods. It can also be in the form of words, phrases, music, sound, and/or visuals. The receiver in turn interprets it and applies it to himself or herself based on their needs. Because my work is an extension of my personal views and interpretations, and treated as an art form, the quality of what I share is what I believe to be of the highest level of truth, as I understand it. I am a sharer.
Although the name of my program is "Aztec Stories" I do not focus the information I share solely on this one group/family. In a more accurate sense I share the Nahuatl culture. There is also a universal indigenous aspect I share and believe to be very important. During my "live" presentations I identify the cultural sources for what I share so in that respect I do inform the listener about cultural ownership. I think that sharing this information to a broad audience is important because throughout the world many people have lost their own cultural identity. Hearing about the origins of a specific group guides the listeners to start looking inward and towards their own cultural heritage - to begin looking within themselves. This is a step towards acknowledging our individuality along with our gifts as well as seeing the connective thread that binds us all together.
23 - Michael, would you like to add a final comment about "Miccailhuitl - The Journey to Mictlan"?
Since I completed this project a number of friends and family members have transitioned from the world of the living to what I now call Mictlan. I now see their lives and their death differently. I know that their energy, their spirit will always exist and be a part of me along with all those whose paths they crossed. I have also seen how the information I share has the potential to change people's concepts regarding their own mortality. I have seen it in their eyes and in their physical appearance during my presentations. I see within them a renewed energy about life. When we contemplate our life in conjunction with our death we realize how precious life is.
This work is not a commercial venture in the sense that I thought it would be profitable. This had to be an independent project - what record label would ever invest their money in a project themed on death, in challenging the concepts of Old World (European) religion, and in a format utilizing oral tradition stories, indigenous music, and ancient poetry?
One success of this project for me has been in receiving letters from listeners who make the time to write and share their words of gratitude for what they discovered in this new work. Or getting an order from someone who wants to acquire a number of CD's to give to family members because they feel the information is valuable and they want to share it. Another success for me is being able to work with family members and friends who generously contributed towards this project because they saw in it an opportunity to be of service. They wanted to share a side of their ancestry that so few people are aware of - the greatness, intelligence, awareness and advancement of a culture few historians or academics write about or share with their students. These are the real rewards that continue to motivate me. A lot of seeds have been planted with this project. Now let's see if they will grow into healthy and beautiful flowers.
I am grateful that you made the time to listen to this new work and put together a list of questions for me to respond to in order to reach a larger audience.
I hope those who read these words find them useful and informative. I hope that they begin to integrate personal ceremonies of their own honoring loved ones and inviting them into their homes during the time of year we call Dia de Los Muertos.
TLAZOKAMATI! Thank you!
Michael Heralda
This interview was produced by Tokoztli of the Aztlan Media Kollective. The Aztlan Media Kollective (AMK) is based in Bakersfield and East Los Angeles CalifAztlan and is committed to the creation of community-based non-commercial media. AMK produces and provides trainings in community-based video, radio and print media. Tlazokamati / thanks to John Martinez-AMK for his insights and support in the completion of the interview. AMK can be contacted at 1800 590-2921 or Kollective@hotmail.com