Tonantzin Tlalli

This ceramic sculpture of Tonantzin Talli is deeply rooted in my personal beliefs, growth, and connection to history. As someone who grew up Mexican and Catholic, my identity was shaped by a complex blend of tradition, faith, and cultural expectations. Catholicism was not just a religion; it was a lens through which I understood my place in the world. Over time, I began to question how these beliefs were influenced by colonial histories and systems of power, particularly how Indigenous figures and deities were renamed, repurposed, or erased in the process of colonization.

Tonantzin Talli is a reclamation celebration of decolonization in which sacred figures, like the Virgin Mary, are restored to the names and forms they once held. By returning to her original Nahua name, this sculpture honors the Indigenous knowledge, spirituality, and reverence that were suppressed, while asserting the right to reclaim cultural and spiritual identity. In front of Tonantzin Talli sits a small sculpture of a sacred heart with flowers, blending Catholic iconography with Indigenous symbolism, illustrating the possibility of honoring both faith and heritage without erasure.

The act of sculpting Tonantzin Talli became a spiritual and political practice, one that allowed me to reclaim autonomy over my beliefs, my identity, and my connection to the land. The work is not about rejecting history but transforming, acknowledging the pain of colonization while celebrating resilience, continuity, and ancestral wisdom. By bringing her to life in clay, I create a visual offering to my ancestors, my younger self, and anyone navigating the intersections of faith, culture, and colonial legacy. This sculpture stands as a meditation on decolonization, healing, and spiritual reclamation, affirming that the names, stories, and sacred figures of the past still hold power and guidance in the present