Ilhuicaatl Metztli Danza de Luna
Where the Sky meets the Water Moondance
La Danza de Luna or Moondance is an indigenous ceremony originating from the Mexica/Aztec people.
It’s ancient roots have been adapted, remodeled, & rescued from the heart of the earth.
In 1987 during a vision quest, Abuela Patricia Guerra Totlalnanzin received the mission of restoring this lunar ceremony. She and a group of others carried out 4 years of research in the Amoxtlis Codices. With extensive research, and over 30 years of Sundancing and working with the Lakota traditions, they birthed this powerful women’s ceremony under the moon.
Moondance today is a movement that has spread all over the world. La danza is a safe space for womxn to reclaim their power and step into their leadership, which many have lost thru assimilation, capitalism, and the patriarchy.
In 2007 Ayotlmeztli Danza was planted in the USA, led and guided by Nananztin Sylvia Mayahuel.
This circle is where Nana Xochiketzalli began her Moondance commitment in 2012.
In 2024 Nananztin Sylvia Mayahuel traveled to Humboldt county to bless Nana Xochiketzalli plant the seed and birth of Ilhuicaatl Metzli Moondance.
Nana Xochiketzalli shares with her students,
“We are in a new cycle of time, where our first conquest is not of others, but of oneself. True Warriors do not go into battle upon an enemy in war, but they meet their reflections in the original mirror (which is the moon) and face their own enemies (which are our traumas) and the battle is to heal oneself and make ourselves whole again.
We womxn are like Coyolxauhqui, broken and dismembered, but we are slowly putting ourselves back together again & remembering who we are.”
Most people in the USA today are disconnected from their roots or people. So many are mixed and displaced from their original traditions.
La danza de luna is an initation ceremony to remember where one comes from and discover thier don/medicina.
The lineage of Abuela Isabel Vega, Abuela Malinalli, and Abuela Sylvia Mayahuel embraces all people. All races are welcome to participate. The Mexica tradition is a path home towards discovering and remembering your own ceremonies.
In 2025 gather for the 2nd year on original Wiyot territory.
All people are welcome from all races to participate and all genders, two-spirit, trans, & non-binary folk.
There are well over 30 danzas in Mexico alone and a few dozen internationally. Each circle is led by different Abuelas and carries different medicina.
These sacred ceremonies traditionally were shared via oral tradition and there was no information on online, yet as times change, this wide web can support bridging communites and spreading la palabra of unidad.
Nana Xochiketzalli has been influenced by her K’iche Maya maestras and as an AjQ’ij herself, thus both Mexica and Maya ancestral medicine influences Ilhuicaatl Metli Danza. As well as a long time danzante del sol, some different protocols also influence this circle.
At Ilhuicaatl Metzli Danza all dancers make a 5 year consecutive commitment to this prayer. The 1st year acts as a year of service and introduces one to the ceremony. During this time one decides if they wish to make a commitment to this circle for the following 4 years.
Danza is a way of life and not just an exploration of spirituality. To prepare to dance, a minimum of 9 months of preparation is needed. One needs to walk the red road, have a local sweatlodge community they can join monthly, and as well all new dancers need to attend the monthly Kalpulli Xochikalli Ensenazas.
Dancers need to finish their first 4 years dancing before traveling to other danzas or finish their 4 years at their mother dance before joining this circle; unless one has direct permiso from both circles abuelas. All veteran dancers from other circles are welcome.
La danza is only 4 nights long, yet this is a week long prayer and all Dancers need to stay the entire 8 days of ceremony.
At ilhuicaatl Metzli Moondance the main fast is a sleep fast. Danzantes eat a very light diet of fruit in the afternoons and vegetable soup in the evenings + can drink as much water as needed. For those who wish to do a total fast of food, this is wonderful and a goal one work towards as a dancer.
If you would like to support or petition to dance
Please send an email for more information:
somosmedicinacollective@gmail.com
