“Guide Me Home”

Guide Me Home (Guíame a mi hogar)”
16x20 in. Linocut on Kitikata w/ cempohualxochitl petals.

I’m proud and honored to unveil this print on Indigenous People’s Day today, telling a narrative of indigenous cosmovision and Mesoamérican beliefs of the afterlife.

Death is embedded in our cultura and traditions in the way we honor our relatives and those departed, particularly around Día De Los Muertos.

Our traditions derive from indigenous praxes that we’ve carried since time immemorial, aside the syncretic incorporations of the church.
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When a person passes away, it’s believed that the soul must venture a treacherous journey through 9 levels of a realm known as Mictlan. Some realms with obsidian hills, strong winds with obsidian knives. Ruled by Mictlantecuhtli and his wife, Mictecacihuatl, a soul must traverse these layers to then find eternal rest and peace. This print depicts the Xoloitzcuintli, sacred compaction guides to lead a soul through Mictlan upon arrival, across the river Apanohuaia.
One of the rulers, Mictecacihuatl is depicted with maw agape as she consumes the stars during daytime.