Anastacio Duran

…the Eagle Warrior, in the Danza Azteca tradition that honors our Aztec ancestors as well as our own descendants. My grandma on my mother’s side made these costumes. She taught me about the culture and the traditions and she is the one who showed me how to use the sewing machine.

I took me a long time to make the Eagle Warrior costume. I wanted it to be different from the other Aztec dance costumes, to be unique, and I had to figure out how I could make those big wings move. It was the first Danza Azteca costume that I made.

I love to share my culture with the younger generation. We have a lot of kids here who want to know everything about the culture and the costumes, why we dress and dance like that, and now they want to get involved with the group.

Danza Azteca Aztlan started about ten years ago. We have performed at the Fiesta on Wells and many other community gatherings and events. I’m looking forward to the next Nevada Day parade in Carson City. We’ll be there!

—Anastacio Duran, Danza Azteca Aztlan, Sparks

Continue to the next story in the Find Your Folklife Exhibit by Andrew Fusco