Soluna is proud to present MESHIKA – A Soluna Ritual.
An immersive four-act experience that blends Aztec mythology with ritualistic dance to narrate the creation and evolution of the world according to Mexica beliefs. Dive deeper into the realm of MESHIKA by reading the story below.
PERMISSION – OPENING OF THE AZTEC CEREMONY
Once upon a time, in the realm of Ometeotl, the divine creator, there existed a sacred balance woven by four celestial siblings: Quetzalcoatl, bearer of wisdom; Tezcatlipoca, master of transformation; Mictlanteuctli, guardian of consciousness; and Huitchilopochtli, embodiment of willpower. In the solemn opening of the Aztec ceremony, we beseech the spirits of the four directions for permission, offering our humble prayers through the artful language of dance.
TEZCATLIPOCA – CREATION OF THE WORLD
In the age of the fourth sun, a cataclysmic flood ravaged the earth, leaving behind a desolate sea. Ometeotl, creator of the universe, tasked his sons Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl with the monumental duty of recreating a new world for the dawn of the fifth sun. United against the monstrous Cipactli living in the deep sea, the brothers devised a plan: to craft the world from the very flesh of the ancient beast. With Tezcatlipoca’s daring sacrifice, offering his foot as bait, the stage was set for the genesis of humanity. In the second act of MESHIKA we dance in honour of Tezcatlipoca.
THE FIFTH SUN – FIRE DANCE
As the ages turned and civilizations rose and fell, the Mexica mythos foretold four failed attempts at creation of the world, each ending in ruin. Yet from the ashes of destruction emerged the promise of a new era, heralded by the radiant glow of the fifth sun – the era we live in today.
MICTLANTEUCTLI – THE CREATION OF HUMANS
In the shadowed depths of Mictlán, the realm of the underworld, Quetzalcoatl embarked on a perilous journey to retrieve the sacred bones of creation. Cunningly challenged by Mictlanteuctli, guardian of the realm, Quetzalcoatl was given a task of blowing on a conch, however the catch was that the conch was solid and impossible to blow into. Quetzalcoatl thought to trick the guardian by adding worms that would grow the holes on the conch and putting bees inside that would make the buzzing noise. Mictlanteuctli wasn’t tricked by such an invention and Quetzalcoatl was left with no other choice but to steal the desired target. Though the theft of bones earned him a sentence to the pit, Quetzalcoatl’s ingenuity knew no bounds. Through alliance with the serpent goddess Cihuacóatl, the stolen bones were transformed into the first humans, infused with the sacred essence of blood and corn, a testament to the enduring power of creation against all odds.In the shadowed depths of Mictlán, the realm of the underworld, Quetzalcoatl embarked on a perilous journey to retrieve the sacred bones of creation. Cunningly challenged by Mictlanteuctli, guardian of the realm, Quetzalcoatl was given a task of blowing on a conch, however the catch was that the conch was solid and impossible to blow into. Quetzalcoatl thought to trick the guardian by adding worms that would grow the holes on the conch and putting bees inside that would make the buzzing noise. Mictlanteuctli wasn’t tricked by such an invention and Quetzalcoatl was left with no other choice but to steal the desired target. Though the theft of bones earned him a sentence to the pit, Quetzalcoatl’s ingenuity knew no bounds. Through alliance with the serpent goddess Cihuacóatl, the stolen bones were transformed into the first humans, infused with the sacred essence of blood and corn, a testament to the enduring power of creation against all odds.
The program was directed by our cultural advisor
Andromeda Diaz De Leon
an expert in Mexican culture, dance, and costuming.