Calling Forth the Warrior Spirit: Honoring 700 Years of Tenochtitlan with the Consulate of Mexico

This is my 4th year collaborating with the Consulate General of Mexico in Sacramento for Día de los Muertos! As the Ofrenda Designer, I worked in partnership with Juan Carlos Ruiz Gajardo and Ernesto Robles for the LCAC, and Vidal Beltrán and the Consulate’s cultural team for the Natomas location. In recognition of the 700th anniversary of Tenochtitlan, we built two community ofrendas (altars) that honor our ancestors, history, and duality. At the Consulate General of Mexico in Natomas, we built an altar centered around Templo Mayor, reflecting the heart of the Mexica capital. For Panteón at The Latino Center of Art and Culture, we renewed the 10-foot Templo Mayor pyramid originally built by Jorge Ruiz for this year’s Día de los Muertos celebrations.

On the renewed pyramid, we left the north side open, allowing the altar to live inside the structure. The interior features the Tree of the Victorious Night, once called the Tree of the Sad Night, renamed to honor the Indigenous people of this continent and reclaim the meaning of that historic moment. The front displays the Tzompantli, the traditional wall of skulls that honored the dead, signaled strength, and served as a powerful force to intimidate their enemies. Together, these elements call to our ancestors for Día de los Muertos as we channel their warrior strength and seek guidance to meet the times we have lived through and face now—and that our future generations will most likely meet again. It invites all of us to reconnect with our Indigenous ancestry, from every continent, and to recognize the shared roots that bring us together.

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Gratefully,

Roberta Alvarado Founder, New Bird Studio

Info@NewBirdStudio.com