Out of the Office: A Mission for Cultural Preservation and Appreciation
Where do we go at the end of the day? Some go home to spend time with loved ones, some have passion projects, and some participate in community work. For Adan Gutierrez, our Assistant Vice President, he does all three with Kalpulli Xihuacoatl, an Aztec Dance Group established in 1996. From the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, Kalpulli means community, Xihua means woman and Coatl means serpent. Their mission is to preserve their culture for future generations by sharing Mexican traditions with the community. Their Founder, Irene Adame, lead with the joy of teaching others and honoring those who came before them.
In 2017, Irene passed away from cancer and Adan continues her legacy today as Kalpulli Xihuacoatl’s Captain. Adan joined the group in 2012. He was born in Mexico and was drawn to “the discipline and the respect for tradition and culture.” Now, all five of his children, nieces and nephews are also members of the dance group. Adan says he’s “learned that to reach immortality you must teach” and what he loves most is “when children look at you in awe and ask lots of questions.”
Pictured Above: Adan Gutierrez.
For almost 20 years, Kalpulli Xihuacoatl has hosted a Dia De Los Muertos celebration for the Sacramento community. Dia De Los Muertos is a special ceremony for our deceased loved ones. On this day, the spirits come to enjoy the essence of the food they liked the most, the aroma of the cempohuxochitl or cempasuchil “flowers of the dead”, and the aroma of the copal (tree sap). Calacas (skeletons) and calaveras (skulls) are prominent symbols of the holiday. In Mexico, people make offerings to their deceased loved ones at cemeteries on November 1 and 2. They also set up altars in their homes, called ofrendas, to welcome the souls of the dead back. Traditional foods include pan de muerto, a sweet baked good, as well as spicy dark chocolate and atole, a corn-based drink. These altars are decorated with bright yellow marigold flowers, photos of the departed, and the favorite foods and drinks of the one being honored. The offerings are believed to encourage visits from the land of the dead as the departed souls hear their prayers, smell their foods, and join in the celebrations! Learn more about Kalpulli Xihuacoatl and their Dia De Los Muertos celebration by visiting their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/kalpullixihuacoatl/
Pictured Right: An ofrenda from the Dia De Los Muertos celebration.
Pictured Above: Kalpulli Xihuacoatl with Dolores Huerta, an American labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Cesar Chavez, is a co-founder of the United Farmworkers Association.
