Latine Heritage Month at SMC Opens With Aztec Dance, Food and Community
On Thursday, Sept. 17, the sound of drums accompanying the Mexican flag reverberated across the Santa Monica College quad. In front of the flag, a group of people adorned with long black, white and colorful feathers on headbands, colorful clothing with beaded accessories on their ankles and wrists gathered in a circle. They are Azteca dancers, and what they wear is not a costume; it is attire that symbolizes nature, talks about their history, their roots and their journey. They were at SMC to show the community their culture as part of the opening ceremony of Latine Heritage Month organized by the Student Equity Center with help from the Latine Collective. The event featured Aztec dance, hair braiding, lunch and information resource tables.
According to the Library of Congress, National Hispanic Heritage Month originated in 1968 when Congress established National Hispanic Heritage Week to honor Hispanic history and traditions. September was chosen because many Central American countries, as well as Mexico and Chile, celebrate their independence during the month. Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan continued the annual observance. In 1988, Congress expanded it from one week to the 31-day celebration observed today.
Dr. Llanet Martín, Dean of The Equity, Pathways and Inclusion department, spoke at the opening event, pointing out that 40% of the college community identifies as Latine. She emphasized the responsibility the college holds in making the students feel valued through the creation of policies, practices, programs and relationships that help with their success.
“Let the celebration remind us that belonging and mattering are things we build together. Let's celebrate where we come from. Let's honor the people who helped us get here, and let's celebrate the cultures, traditions, languages, and stories that make this community stronger. Let's continue creating a college where every student can say ‘I'm seen, I am valued, I belong, and I matter,” Martín said.
Students were able to experience the Aztec dance by Ritual Azteca de la Santisima Virgen de Los Remedios, some by participating in it and others by watching it. This is an ancient ritual from Mexico expressed through dance, in which movements are connected to deities and the cosmos, with the goal of honoring the sun and the earth. Their attire was made with nature-related materials such as feathers and accessories with shells, accompanied by instruments such as drums and maracas, which echo the sound of nature.
One of the performers, Ruben Junior Gonzalez, spoke about how danza azteca is incredibly personal for each performer and how, when dancers lend their own stories and philosophies to the craft, it continues to evolve into more than it once was. “For me personally, Danza Azteca … is the freeing of one's body. It's the balance of give and take, just like the energy of the sun, it gives us energy,” Gonzalez said. “We replenish it and we feed it back to it. Not even just that, we give it back to the tier of the earth to show respect and to show like we give it our all and we give it our heart. And most importantly, for me, it means to give back to my community.”
Among them, pride in the heritage shows up, a sense of belonging and connection with their roots, and happiness for serving the community while sharing their culture.
The event also offered lunch, consisting of tacos and aguas frescas, keeping the event centered in Mexican roots. The line was long, so students formed groups while talking to each other and watching the event. Jalen Sammy, a student who passed by the performance, enjoyed the meal with a group of friends. “I like the different cultures. Seeing different cultures and how they act and how they eat…how they make food; it's pretty good…the experience.” he said.
On the other side of the podium was a small stand of students braiding hair as part of the cultural festival. Many students were intrigued and walked out with braided hair. Heidi Fletes was one of the students braiding hair.
Fletes went deeper into what her role in the event meant to her. “I want to give back to the community just like how the community gives back to us… I believe my feelings are connected to my heritage,” she said.
Although this event was for the SMC community to get a glimpse of the culture and tradition, it also invited them to dive deeper into its history.
For Luis Espinosa, a student who attended the event, Latine Heritage Month means “embracing the roots.” “It's very beautiful, it showcases the different types of groups that come to the school and showcase their heritage and everything.”
SMC’s Student Equity Center celebrates many cultural heritage months such as Latine Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, Black History Month, Women's History Month, APIDA Heritage Month, and other identity-centering programs like Sexual Assault Awareness Month.