Tonantzin..to Virgin?

If your world was suddenly turned upside down, say there were some strong and powerful people who conquered your culture and made you start to follow their rituals...then you might find that you would continue the traditions of your old culture in secret, and try to blend them into the newer rituals that were required.

After a while, the old ways would have died with the old peoples...a thing that used to happen more frequently, but now that we elders live longer, the memories are there longer.

Here's a great link to the tale of Tonantzin, who became absorbed into the Virgin of Guadalupe.

It was 1531 when Spaniards told indigenous people who lived in Mexico that they must become part of the new culture.

But today there are still Mexicans of indigenous descent who know Tonantzin's story.


Last year I also posted on Dec 12 about Tonantzin.  If you want more information look HERE>

Look into the cultures of your own heritage...does your family continue a tradition that was handed down in the family, rather than according to the media?  Perhaps favorite holiday foods...decorations, or opening presents on Hanukkah or Christmas Eve?

 I really miss having Christmas morning peeks at presents, though I've moved away from many of the rituals of celebrating Christmas itself.

Have Christmas cards become unimportant with daily instant contact through the internet and via cell phones.  But that's because "snail mail" represents just certain kinds of paper in the mail box now, which seldom includes chatty letters.  Did you ever wait eagerly to hear from someone, so whenever that mailman came there was such anticipation?

 I'm sharing this on Sepia Saturday this week, not at all on theme!  Sorry about that!  Maybe next week.