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Mexico's Indigenous Culture Exhibit Opens in San Jose, California
Mexihcahs : Keepers of the Fire Joins 2005 Bay Area Indigenous Art Expo

November 10, 2005 – For five centuries, the sudden collapse of one of the world 's greatest cultures has mystified many historians and led countless followers of history to believe that its people also vanished. But were the Mexihcahs – a people more commonly known as the Aztecs – wiped from existence by virtue of the Spanish conquest? And, as our history books suggest, did human sacrifice truly play a pivotal role in their culture? In just a few days, San Jose will learn the surprising truth about this ancient culture…from the Mexihcahs themselves.

Mexihcahs: Keepers of the Fire, a traveling exhibit by photographer Wesley Billingslea and the descendents of Mexico's legendary civilization, will join the line–up of exhibits at the upcoming 2005 Bay Area Indigenous Art Expo in San Jose, California.

This unique collaboration not only provides the Mexihcahs with one of the first opportunities in five hundred years to write their own history, but it also documents the modern–day survival story of an often–misunderstood culture.

At its heart, the exhibit features his inspirational black and white portraits and documentary–style photographs, many of which vividly depict how tradition plays a significant role in the lives of today's Mexihcah.

Combined with handmade artifacts and the poignant text provided by the Mexihcahs, the exhibit further provides an uncensored view of their history and the truth about their modern–day fight for freedom and the rights they deserve.

Complete with programming, Mexihcahs: Keepers of the Fire offers a cultural educational experience that is both thought provoking and memorable.

The success of this collaboration has been truly remarkable. Mexihcahs: Keepers of the Fire, which initially debuted in Los Angeles and Kansas City in 2004, has received extensive media coverage from network–affiliated television stations to CBS radio to major print publications like the Kansas City Star and LA Times Newspapers.

In the Nation's Heartland, a diverse group of more than 1,000 people attended two separate openings, while hundreds of elementary and secondary students either visited the exhibit or were involved in in–school presentations as part of their class curriculum.

“We couldn't be more pleased with this very timely opportunity to share these extraordinary accounts and images of an often forgotten culture with the people of the Bay Area,” said photographer Wesley Billingslea.

“Our overall hope for this exhibit is very simple,” said Billingslea. “That people set aside some of their preconceived ideas and prejudices about indigenous people and the Mexihcahs, and that they open their minds to a new level of awareness and understanding.”

Speaking of the rift between preservation and assimilation, Maestro Sergio Ocelocoatl Ramirez, a teacher and himself a descendant of Mexico's earliest inhabitants, explained how indigenous people have the dual struggle of trying to survive within society and preserve their heritage. “To be indigenous is to be marginalized,” he said. “Especially in Mexico, where racism is severe and akin to the up–front discrimination of the 1950s South in the United States.”

“Through the centuries, much has been written about the Mexihcahs. But the vast majority of what we've been taught came from the accounts of everyone except the Mexihcahs,” said Billingslea. “It's time to change that.”

Billingslea says his aim has been to “…document their way of life in a manner that enables them to tell their own story.” By depicting the Mexihcahs daily lives, he wants his images to offer viewers an insight into how this historic culture lives today.

The 2005 Bay Area Indigenous Art Expo will be held on December 3 and 4 at SEIU Local 715 headquarters, 2302 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA. For more information, call 408-324-6215, or visit www.pochtecayotl.com. Sponsored by the Indigenous Peoples Council, SEIU Local 715 Latino Caucus, Calpulli Tonalehqueh, Native Voice TV & El Observador Publications, the expo will also offer live music, vendors, food, educational workshops and activities for children.