News/Reviews
'Tonalmachyotl...an interview with Michael Heralda'
by John Martinez-Aztlan Media Kollective
Intro: In the following interview, songwriter artist storyteller & poet Michael Heralda talks about his artistic development, Indigenous consciousness, past/recent creations of Indigenous music, the differences between contemporary & Indigenous music, his work with other Indigenous & Mexican@ artists, the artistic creative process, and the importance of being an independent artist. A songwriter & musician since 1966, Michael Heralda has over 20 years experience as a graphic artist. Heralda's most recent work 'Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone' is the 2nd CD that deals with Nahuatl/Mexica culture & memory, the 1st being 'Aztec Stories' produced in 1996. Both CD's are produced on his label Tochtli Productions. For more info about either of these CD's visit:
Aztec Stories www.aztecstories.com
Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone www.aztecstories.com/page_two.html
Michael Heralda has presented his work throughout California, in Minnesota Connecticut, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Mexico, Arizona & Texas, as well as an invited presenter in Ocotepec Morelos Mexico. Heralda is also editor of the bilingual cultural magazine 'Ketzalkoatl'. What impresses me about Michael's work is his humanity, especially in the face of Indigenous People's current struggle for survival, in the aftermath of the super-holocaust due to european invasion/destruction throughout this continent, that continues to this day...
Background/Musical Experience Towards Musica Indigena...
jm: Michael, your musical work with 'Aztec Stories' & now with 'Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone' comes from our Nahuatl/Mexica cultural traditions & memory. Describe your life experiences including your youth, your beginnings & experiences in music that led to your current work with Musica Indigena.
MH: I'm a native of Southern California. My family's bloodlines are Mexican, Apache & Spanish. I studied the piano for a number of years but eventually gravitated towards the guitar during the 60's. Many of my Mother's family members were self-taught musicians so music was always in our house. In the late 60's and throughout the 70's I played in many different types of bands. I stopped playing (in bands) in 1979 because we had two young children & I wanted to spend more time with my family. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made. For me it was the right choice.
Although I quit playing in bands the music in me never stopped. Sixteen years later I found a very personal and meaningful reason to write and create music once again and this time the focus was especially more meaningful to me.
Prior to this redirection of my musical focus most of the instruments I used were contemporary- electric guitars, synthesizers, etc; now those instruments were being replaced with indigenous styled instruments-clay flutes, hand-made drums, assorted shakers and other unique hand-made percussive instruments. The strange part, with regards to finding musicians to record the new songs, was that because I had lost contact with musicians and groups for so long I didn't really know any musicians to ask who I thought would be interested in recording music so culturally focused. So, my son, Chi, and I did the recordings ourselves. Vick Silva, who was introduced to me by a mutual friend, produced both CDs and has since become a very good friend.
Since the beginning of this project I have met some incredible artists and musicians who have inspired me with regards to Musica Indigena-Xavier Quijas Yxayotl and Martin Espino to name just a few. Xavier Quijas Yxayotl and Martin Espino can be heard on both of my CD's and I have acquired many clay flutes from Xavier in addition to his insight with regards to indigenous music. I also have had the remarkable pleasure of meeting members of Tribu (a well respected group in Mexico), and acquiring from them a number of hand-made flutes and drums as well.
Reaffirming Our Cultural Roots...
jm: As a Xicano, listening to your work, I see it as an attempt for us to reconnect with viciously severed ties with our ancestral roots here on our lands, Anahuac, and this continent, Abya Yala. Explain your musical work towards reaffirming our Nahautl/Mexica heritage, and, does this affirmation imply that you resist/reject european & anglo american culture?
MH: The focus of my recorded work and presentations is to re-introduce through the medium of music and spoken word what I have learned and desire to share about the ancient culture of the Nahuas-the philosophy, arts, poetry, ceremonies & traditions. So much of their history and culture was suppressed and has been presented in a way that is not conducive to positive understandings, feelings and associations. In the past if someone referred to you as an "indio" or "india," it was a derogatory statement, something to be ashamed of. What I have learned about my/this ancient culture is just the opposite and that is what I try to convey to those who have an interest.
Another aspect I've learned is that what has been presented to us, as truth, is not necessarily the truth, or the whole truth. Critical thinking is an aspect I present as well during my presentations. I have also discovered that there is a hunger for knowledge about the ancient indigenous cultures of Anahuak. Feeding this "hunger" or need for "indigenous knowledge" is also one of the elements in my work, to re-introduce my culture in a positive way and from the indigenous perspective. So much is misunderstood and misinterpreted about the ancient Nahuas that the focus of my work is to dispel the misconceptions and to instill a sense of pride in those who are connected either genetically or spiritually to this great culture.
For me it is all about the reconnection to our past and the wondrous heritage that has been waiting for us to rediscover.
I do not reject or resist other cultures because by definition "culture" is the highest level that a society attains-this is the best of what any particular group has to offer and share. The Mexica/Aztecs themselves absorbed new ideas and philosophies from all those whose paths they crossed-their greatness came from all those whose shoulders they stood upon, metaphorically speaking.
Previous Work: 'Aztec Stories' to 'Tonalmachyotl'...
jm: Michael, describe your previous work 'Aztec Stories' & how it led to the making of 'Tonalmachyotl', and why Tonalmachyotl?
MH: This most recent work, "Tonalmachyotl," is an extension of the first "Aztec Stories." I like to use the word "evolution" in describing the differences between the two. The first "Aztec Stories" CD specifically revealed subject matter based on the time period during the initial contact and conflicts between the Spaniards and Mexica Aztecs-all based on documented accounts. Some subjects were very powerful and touched on deep rooted emotions.
"Tonalmachyotl" is timeless in the sense that the knowledge and subject matter presented transcends time-it is rooted in the past but is relevant today and will be tomorrow as well. Great care was taken in deciding which pieces to select for the new recordings. I chose elements that represented a variety of topics reflecting the multi-layered world, as the Nahuas understood it.
I chose the name "Tonalmachyotl" because within this collection of ballads, songs, and narratives, I share indigenous knowledge representative of the rich diversity and advanced levels of understanding that the original people of Anahuak knew to be true, and passed from one generation to the next. Tonalmachyotl is a Nahuatl word and if we were to dissect it, it could be separated into three words and understood as:
Tonal = energy
Mach = to know
Yotl = heart
Put the three words together and it can be interpreted as "What works to understand the energy of the universe" or as "a synthesis of all the symbols and knowledge of Anahuak." I call it the memory stone.
La Universidad de Nahuatl...
jm: In the booklet that accompanies the music of 'Tonalmachyotl', you thank many people in the making of this work including those of La Universidad de Nahuatl, at Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Describe your experience with the University of Nahuatl.
MH: I had just completed the first "Aztec Stories" CD and realized that I needed to go to the source (Mexico) of what I was studying in order to move up to the next level of indigenous understanding and education. It was then that an announcement crossed my path about a series of summer workshops/sessions at the University. After a few phone conversations with Martha Ramirez, one of the instructors, I knew I had to plan a visit.
It was a very unique experience being in the land where what I had been studying took place. Meeting the instructors and listening to what they had to share was a turning point in my work. Now I was learning the indigenous history, language, philosophy, poetry, ceremonies and traditions as opposed to what I had been reading in books-the history and stories told from the European perspective.
Since then they have been very supportive of my work and we continue to communicate and plan projects together. Among others, they were also instrumental in the development of "Ketzalkoatl"-a bilingual cultural magazine I am still involved with. La Universidad de Nahuatl: www.kapulli.org/unahuatl.html
In a very tangible aspect, relative to my new work, Mariano Leyva, Director of La Universidad Nahuatl can be heard reciting, in the original classic Nahuatl the most famous speech by Huey Tlatoani Kuauhtemok of Mexico-Tenochtitlan-"the Last Mandate of Kuauhtemok."
Fusing Indigenous/Contemporary Music...
jm: Michael, in both "Aztec Stories" & "Tonalmachyotl" you blend traditional indigenous music with more contemporary western european/u.s. cultural music styles, ballads & narrative storytelling. Other Indigenistas also reconnecting with our native traditions, who I'll call 'purists' may criticize you/others for blending or bastardizing Musica Indigena, the mixing of the traditional with the contemporary. What's your take on this?
MH: I create music because it is in me. The instruments are tools. Much like an artist chooses different types of brushes and paints, and any other materials that are available to him/her, they are the vehicles that get the artist from point A to point B. The spirit, theme, and emotional expressions sought after, as a goal, are more the result of the journey than the completion of the exploration. All the things the artist discovers while traveling down a particular path are the most rewarding. It is why we do what we do - we are exploring, experiencing, and moving forward. The end result is the stick we plant in the ground indicating where we were and where we ended up at the end of this exploration.
Insomuch as presenting a finished piece of work-Tonalmachyotl for example-it is a statement about where I've been. That's why I stated earlier that one of the goals of my "Aztec Stories" program is to "share" what I have learned.
I do mix contemporary music and rhythms with indigenous instrumentation and rhythms. This is why I described my new work as an "evolution." Change is constant and for someone who creates, it is a way to stimulate the imagination. Even languages change. They change because they are alive. It is not possible for me to travel back through time to listen and learn how the music and instruments were used then so I rely on my intuitive sense and creative interpretation. Lately, I have been moving more and more towards the full use of indigenous instruments. The two instrumentals titled "Mujer de Maiz" and "Ocelotl" are prime examples of "indigenous instrumentation only" pieces.
I cannot say right now if I will ever totally reject the use of contemporary instruments because they add more colors to my box of paints. Music is a sensory medium and there is room for unlimited forms of creative expression.
I admire and have close friendships with artists/musicians who create with a "purists" sense. They have been inspirational to me and on occasions I have had the opportunity to perform beside them. My good friend Xavier Quijas Yxayotl is a prime example. I also think it is important for authentic representations of ancient music to continue to be played, presented, and preserved. They are the roots of our ancestral heritage and within them our knowledge and traditions, secular and non-secular. For more info about the CD 'Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone': www.aztecstories.com
'Tlakenahuake' Song...
jm: 'Tonalmachiyotl: The Memory Stone' begins with 'Tlakenahauke', which you wrote for Danza Indigena. Describe the rhythms/melodies of 'Tlakanahuake' & the complex symbolic/cultural significance of Danza Indigena, beyond mere performance.
MH: This has to be the largest song on the CD and by this I mean the most amount of tracking was done on it-overdubbing of instruments. But I won't go into the production technicalities because I think you want to discuss this piece on a different level. Danza-the dance of merit, veneration, or penitence as it was described to me, is a ritual of mental and physical purification. Another way to understand this connection is in how we are reflective of all that exists-the cosmos and their movements. Through dance, our body and spirit can become coordinated and connected with nature and its forces. Danza is also a medium for cleansing, energizing and curing. Another element of Danza is the use of mathematical equations in its sequenced movements-the perfect medium for expression through music. Music and danza were always together and there are a number of oral tradition stories that relate the connection of the Huehuetl drum (large upright drum) and the Teponaztli (two-toned drum) with the ancient singers and danzantes.
'Tlakenahauke' is my contribution to Danza. Because of the multi-layers and complexity of Danza I knew from the start that I would have to create musical passages incorporating numerous rhythmic patterns and melodies reflecting, or mirroring, its concept. Ancient instruments were also required, hence the use of conchas, chachayotls, flutes, whistles, shakers, gourd water drums, along with chanting.
Symbolic representations were also utilized in the arrangements-conch shell horns representing the four directions, and the overlapping of all melodies in the final passage reflecting the melding of the human spirit with the cosmic-a form of liquification. It was an obvious choice for me to use this piece as the first musical presentation on the new CD. It was a way to re-introduce, right at the beginning, indigenous polyrhythmic patterns along with not-to-familiar musical scales and sounds.
'The Planting Song'...
jm: 'The Planting Song' is a ballad & part of a trilogy about corn on your CD Tonalmachyotl. It's sung in Nahuatl, Spanish, and English. Why 'The Planting Song', why in three languages, and why the focus on corn?
MH: The "Planting Song" is from my Corn/Tlaolli trilogy and is based on an ancient Nahuatl poem by an unidentified poet. I had an immediate connection to this poem when I found it and knew that it was destined to be one of the most symbolic and meaningful pieces on this CD.
This ballad easily transcends from recorded piece to live presentation-solo, or group performance/presentation, and I think this is so because of the words. Through the use of poetic metaphors it relays information to the listener about the symbolism and ritual of the ancient farmers with regards to ceremony and tradition and their relationship with the plants. This song is for "plant people" and you know who you are!
This song also reminds me of an indigenous Corn/Tlaolli farmer I met in Cuernavaca by the name of Don Maya. The narrative in Spanish at the beginning of the piece represents Don Maya, conversing with the seed. With tender and loving care he is going to place her (the kernel) into the ground, her bed of earth, so she can sleep until it is time for her rebirth. Because of the important information contained within this piece I wanted as many people as possible to understand what it represented so I decided to sing it in the original Nahuatl and in English.
"Why the focus on Corn?" Because Corn is life. It is undisputedly the most important element of our sustenance-past, present, and hopefully future. Get invited into the home of any Latino, Hispanic, Mexicano, Chicano, or whatever word you want to use to describe a person connected to this land and what do you think you will find on the dining table? If you are lucky, and they really like you, you will be treated to such loving delicacies as: Tortillas, Tamales, Posole, Taquitos, Tacos, Enchiladas, Tortas, Sopes, Burritos, Chips with Guacamole, and a hundred other dishes utilizing our most revered food source-Corn. These are foods made with thousands of years of handed down knowledge, traditions, ceremonies, and most importantly, love. Corn is one of the seven power/warrior foods of the Mexica.
Tlaolli did not exist on this planet until the ancient horticulturists, botanists, and farmers focused their energies, observational skills, and knowledge of plants creating a symbiotic relationship with the primitive grass known as Teozinti. Along with this development came oral tradition stories to help explain this wondrous gift. The earliest known traces of this plant's kernels, found in a cave in Mexico, have been carbon dated to be about 6,000 years old.
'She is the Earth' Song...
jm: Michael, in "She is the Earth," I hear energy relations, the mechanics of the universe, sensual relations between women and men, and I hear African-American musical influences in the final chorus. More about "She is the Earth"?
MH: "She is the "Earth" is based on an ancient oral tradition story that I learned from my friend Martha Ramirez, one of the instructors at the Nahuatl University in Cuernavaca. On my recent CD the "oral tradition story" precedes "She is the Earth", which is most relevant for a number of reasons.
One of the goals of this piece was to reveal the meaning of duality with regards to the roles of men and women working together (with a slightly focused look at women). Contemplating the indigenous philosophy of duality brings many aspects of our potential into clarity-from the "man/woman" reference, all the way to the big picture "cosmic" reference. I tried to share what I have come to understand about duality within this piece. Utilizing poetic metaphors along with feminine and masculine references, I anticipated that the listeners might absorb, interpret, and come away with different experiences.
To hear your multi-layered interpretation of this song within your brief question fills my heart. From the beginnings of my "Aztec Stories" program, my goal has been to write, present, and share what I have learned utilizing/replicating the flowery speech of the ancient speakers - "in Xochitl, In Kuikatl."
Speaking about the end of the song with the "Gospel" feel to the vocals, all I can say is that it was a spontaneous reaction in the studio and it felt good so I kept it in the recording. I think the back-up singers, Roberta, Delfina, Vick, Vladimir & Gabriel, having been so restrained throughout the song, finally couldn't hold it in any longer and by means of expressing their soulful connection to what the piece revealed, finally exploded with some heartfelt adlibbing. It was the reality of the past (the messages within the oral tradition story) and the present (the artists/singers) manifesting, creating a blending of the two.
The Creative Process...
jm: Michael, describe the creative process of these songs-from your original ideas to the collective sharing their ideas, to the creation of this music.
MH: The idea/concept of each song, ballad, and narrative is about 50% completed in my head prior to actually performing it for anyone in the group. I spend a lot of time just thinking about it, visualizing, and arranging the music mentally. For me this is a natural way to work. It is the part I enjoy most-the exploration part of creating music.
If the piece is going to be a "word" song (tell a story or embellish a poem), the words usually come first. Then I adjust the musical arrangements setting the mood and complimenting the story line. In my studio I play with different instruments and combinations of instruments, listening to the sounds that each one is capable of creating.
Sometimes my son joins me in the studio and we just jam on the different instruments. Sometimes my grandson joins in as well. He loves music and the instruments and he loves to dance around the studio when I'm jamming. When something gels, I remember it. Eventually it will resurface in a song. Improvising musically with the instruments gives me a sense of which ones compliment each other in creating a certain mood or feeling. I work and re-work them until the transitions between the different melodies and patterns gel smoothly and make sense to me especially if within a specific song I want to tell a story with just sounds.
When it comes time to share the new work with others, I will make cassette copies of the "rough" song or just play it for them at rehearsals in order to give them a sense of the piece. We may jam together for a while so that they get a sense of the song and sometimes during the "jamming", surprises happen-sound combinations or counter rhythms I hadn't thought of occur. When I hear something that works I remember it and may add it to the final arrangement. After they hear the "rough" song and review the tapes I know that they will select the instruments they want to play and at the next rehearsal we will give it a try.
Each artist/musician works differently. Some will try to mimic or copy what was on the "rough" cassette, and others will add their own interpretation. Once I hear what is transpiring I make the decision to either continue with what they added (musically) or offer suggestions. There is room for each artist to express him, or herself.
Prior to going into the studio the new pieces are about 90% finalized. In my home studio I finalize the arrangement of each song. I give copies of the arrangements to my producer, Vick Silva, to review months in advance of booking any studio time. Vick and I talk about what I want to accomplish, and who I want to include in the recordings (playing which instruments). Vick might also mention other artists who he feels could contribute in a unique way-artists for me to consider.
In the studio it is very important for the producer to have a clear picture of the artist's goal or vision. The artist usually thinks in terms of the final song/product and the effect or mood he/she is after whereas the producer thinks in layers-the foundation, support, and lead instrument or vocal(s). I cannot over emphasize the importance of having a producer who understands your (the artist's) vision. Recording in the studio is not at all like performing live. It is a different process altogether. There is a huge difference in how an experienced artist works in a studio and one who is just getting their feet wet. Studio time can be very expensive and you have to make decisions quickly and constantly-you have to know what you are after and know when something isn't working. Vick and I work well together-he is "mi hermano cosmico." For more info about Vick Silva's CD 'Roots Man Dance': www.rhombus-records.com/welcome.html
Vick (the producer of both my CD's) used to kid me a lot about how I wrote my songs. Many of them were written during my daily one-hour commute to work, on the freeway, with a flute or two in my hands while steering with my knees. He would want to know which freeway I would be driving on so that he could avoid it. The first song on the "Tonalmachyotl" CD titled "Tlakenahuake" was entirely written in my car while driving on the Harbor Freeway. I use four different flutes on that song so here I am driving along, steering with my knees and switching between flutes all the while playing to some pre-recorded percussion rhythms I recorded at home which included conch shells, Mayan Bubaluk gourd water drums and numerous shakers. I guess it was kind of dangerous now that I think about it.
'Torillas/Tlaxkallis' Song...
jm: On 'Tonalmachyotl: The Memoray Stone' is the children's song 'Tortillas/Tlaxkallis'. Describe the creative inspiration behind the song & describe its' musical rhythms.
MH: Since my grandson was born I have been making up short children's songs for him. Most of them are fun and silly. I decided to write a song that would incorporate our culture in a meaningful way and teach him something important to remember. It also needed to be fun and easy to remember. Since I love Tortillas (and who doesn't) it was a natural subject to use for the new children's song I was going to write. I thought I would accomplish two of my goals by teaching the listener the original Nahuatl name, Tlaxkallis, and the process used to make them. It turned out to be a great interactive song for large groups of listeners, especially at school presentations.
With regards to the mechanics of the song, besides having to be easy to play and remember so that others will learn it, I also had a very clear picture of a particular percussion sound I wanted to incorporate into it. Many, many years ago, I was at a beach in Tijuana, Mexico and I heard these two very young boys singing songs on the sidewalk for money. One kid had a (6 string) guitar with only four strings on it and the other, an even younger brother, had a wood block duct-taped to a big belt that went around his waist and he was striking it in rhythm to the songs with two very beat-up sticks. I loved the sound of the sticks on the wood block and the exuberance and enthusiasm the kids had. It was a remarkable sound that these two kids created together and I never forgot it. So when I began to write this children's song I remembered these two kids and wanted to replicate the sound of the sticks on the wood block. To create the sound of the sticks I tied together two bunches of mustard sticks (each stick was about 16 inches long and each bundle contained about seven to ten sticks). The mustard plants grow on the hill adjacent to my home. Listen to the song and you will hear them on the recorded piece.
During my presentations this song is one of the most active and fun songs to play with kids. It is interactive so they get an opportunity to perform with me in front of all their friends/classmates. Plus, they get to go home and ask their Moms, or Dads, to make them some Tlaxkallis. When their parents respond with a "What?" They get to teach their family something that they learned. Hopefully after you hear it you will want to learn it and pass it along to your kids as well. I hope this song out lives me and continues to be played for a very long time.
'Ocelotl' & 'Mujer de Maize' Songs, Indigenous Instrumentation...
jm: Michael, 'Tonalmachiyotl' has 2 instrumentals 'Ocelotl' & Mujer de Maize'.Please talk about them. Are instrumentals different in the context of Musica Indigena?
MH: I am not a stranger to writing instrumentals-songs with no words. During the seventies I was writing numerous instrumentals. Some of them grew in length to over 20 minutes and with so many changes (melodic and rhythmic) that it became a test for the musicians who were playing with me. Just when they thought they had it down, I would add a couple of new changes. I never recorded any of them in a real studio (mostly because I couldn't afford it) so I only have rough rehearsal cassette recordings. It's too bad because this music was very experimental for me. I was making up cords (on the guitar) and playing whole tone scales-very weird stuff.
There is a huge difference in what some people refer to as Musica Indigena and the music I play today. True Musica Indigena is learned like oral tradition stories-handed down from those that have the knowledge. An artist/musician would have to apprentice under someone who has this knowledge for many years, earning the right to publicly present it accurately and true to the traditional methods. My presentations, utilizing the indigenous instruments, are a contemporary interpretation or exploration of the different moods and feelings that these instruments can evoke. In presenting a specific narrative topic, be it poetry or philosophy, I use the instruments to set the mood, or to add the emotion of my topic. Take for example the (instrumental) song "Mujer de Maize." This song, which utilizes many indigenous instruments, tells the story of Tlaolli/Corn in it's three stages of growth: from the dried seed-Chicomekoatl-to the first sweet green corn-Xilonen-and finally to the mature adult Corn ready for harvest. All the instruments you hear represent an element of the story line. There is a poem in the booklet that parallels the musical storyline. Once you read it you will understand the music.
Now, "Ocelotl," (another instrumental) is a different story altogether. Ocelotl is the Nahuatl name for a Jaguar-the largest cat indigenous to this continent. I worked out all the arrangements in my head before playing a single note. I had the most intensely focused experiences creating this piece. In comparison to all the other tracks on this CD, this one is the one that allowed me to push the limits on what I could do musically. I let go of most of the rules and created some new ones. Listen to the vocals towards the end of the song. This was the most challenging (and fun) element to capture on tape. I tried explaining to Vick, the producer, what I wanted to accomplish with the voices and I don't think I was making myself understood so I just told the engineer to run the tape, over and over again, adding one voice over another until I used up all but one last track. Then, I scheduled Roberta (Martinez) to come into the studio and told her that I had a special track waiting for her. The day of the recording session I sang for her the part I wanted her to sing. She just looked at me with two huge question marks in her eyes, shook her head and said, "you sang it just fine, I think you should consider singing it yourself." I told her it was meant for her to sing. She did it, and now it is a beautiful moment of recorded history (for me). I think this is one of her favorite songs on this CD and I am most proud of this experiment. It opened up a whole new area for further musical explorations in the future.
These two songs "Mujer de Maize" and "Ocelotl" specifically mark a change in style and presentation for me in comparison to the first "Aztec Stories" CD.
'The Last Mandate of Kuahtemok'...
jm: In terms of our collective trajectory as Xikano People, the song 'Last Mandate of Kuauhtemok' has profound importance in terms of our memory & future. Comment on the importance of this piece, the use of Mariano Leyva of La Universidad de Nahuatl in the piece & the relevance of Kuautemok today.
MH: Because the title of my recent work is "Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone" I thought it would be appropriate to incorporate one of the most important speeches handed down through the oral tradition in the family of Tlakaelel for 17 generations-Huey Tlatoani Kuauhtemok's Last Mandate. I came to realize that the one person who I respected and knew personally who could do this speech justice and honor was Mariano Leyva-Director of La Universidad Nahuatl in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. He is fluent in Nahuatl and has years of teatro experience. He is a member of one of the foremost and respected theatrical groups in Mexico-Teatro Mascarones. The Mascarones were planning a visit and tour to California so I asked him if he was interested in reciting this speech in the studio while they were here touring. He agreed without any hesitation and I began scheduling the recording session. At the last minute the tour was cancelled.
I wrote to him and offered an alternative approach to capturing this speech on tape. He agreed to recite it over the phone while we were in the studio recording it. I originally wanted to differentiate the sound quality of this narrative from others that I had recorded and now with this approach I was guaranteed to begin with a new and different sound. Vick and I worked in reverse on this piece with regards to the tracking of instruments. We recorded the narrative first and then laid down the separate instrumental tracks. It worked because of Mariano's natural narrative rhythms-he understands spoken word presentations. He is a true professional and charismatic individual.
While I was preparing the booklet that would accompany this CD, I decided that because of the importance of this speech I wanted to make sure that it's meaning would be understood by as many people as possible so I presented it complete in three languages-the original classic Nahuatl, English, and Spanish.
Kuauhtemok presented this speech to all those survivors in order to direct them with regards to safeguarding their knowledge, culture, philosophy, ceremonies and traditions so that when the time came, the rising of the sixth sun, those people with the safeguarded knowledge would reveal the true treasures of Anahuak. It is most relevant today because we are now living in the time of the sixth sun. Without saying more, it is my hope that those interested will listen to the words and reflect on their meaning.
Final Comments: 'Tonalmachyotl' & the Independent Artist...
jm: Michael, please add any final comment about 'Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone' & comment on the importance of this work as an independent/no major label, artistic creation.
MH: For me, the beauty of this recent work is that it is a marker that I planted in the ground identifying where I was when it was completed with regards to understanding and sharing what I have learned about my culture.
I am an independent artist. As an independent artist there are things I can do that a group or individual with a supporting label might not be able to do. The disadvantage of being an independent is that you have to manage all aspects of your project. But to tell you the truth, having my hand in it, at all stages, keeps it very personal and meaningful for me. I like it. I don't have a huge distribution network in place or have other people managing my marketing, licensing, or promotion. It's just me, with the help of my family and close friends, working on a very small scale. There is a lot to be admired about small scale operations and businesses.
In the early development of my "Aztec Stories" program that I would have a limited audience. But what I have learned during the last 9 years is that those that find an interest in my work are very passionate about it-it touches them in a very real and personal way. That in essence, is the food that sustains what I do creatively, musically, and artistically. I am proud of this most recent work and grateful to all those that have supported me, and shared their knowledge which I have incorporated into my program.
There was so much information to share in this work that I found the constrictions of a "jewel case" insert (booklet-like the insert found in my first "Aztec Stories" CD) just too limiting. That's why I decided to design and produce a separate 24-page booklet that would accompany the CD. Most people, when they first see this CD, are impressed with the booklet. It was necessary in order to communicate all the valuable information contained within the CD.
I hope you enjoy it and find the "Tonalmachyotl: The memory Stone" CD/Booklet educational as well.
Again, Michael Heralda's two CD's 'Aztec Stories' & 'Tonalmachyotl: The memory Stone' are on his independent Tochtli Productions label. For more info about either of these CD's:
Aztec Stories www.aztecstories.com
Tonalmachyotl: The Memory Stone www.aztecstories.com
This interview/article was produced by john Martinez of the Aztlan Media Kollective. The Aztlan Media Kollective is committed to community-based non-commercial media, towards the multi-demensional liberation of oppressed/colonized Peoples. AMK focuses on community-based video radio & print media. Special tlazokamati/gracias a Inez Martinez-AMK. AMK is based in San Francisco & East Los Angeles CalifAztlan. Contact the Aztlan Media Kollective at 1-800-590-2921 or kollective@hotmail.com Email John Martinez-AMK at airezapatista@hotmail.com
Tiahui/Adelante,
jm/Amk