Our Video Documentaries
At Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac, our video documentaries serve as a captivating window into the heart of our cultural and community initiatives.
01
Y Nosotr@s Que?
As the the pandemic hits Philadelphia, thousands of undocumented immigrants -- mostly descendants from the Indigenous people of the American continent -- are left out of economic relief pushing them to find any kind of work, depleting their savings, and putting their lives at risk while carrying the stress of immigration limbo.
02
Reclaiming Coaquannock
This film tells the story of how Belmont Plateau served as a powerful gathering space for Philadelphia's native communities from 1974-1992 and what impact the loss of that space had
03
Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac en Philadelphia
The dancers of Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac, an organization dedicated to rescuing and disseminating the Mexica culture (pronounced Mechica) in Philadelphia, a way of life of the Aztec empire in Mexico.
04
Aztec Dance in Philadelphia
Meaning “School of Blood Moving in the Heart” in the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac is a dance and cultural troupe based in the heart of South Philadelphia. A visually captivating portrait of the group told through their own voices, Aztec Dance in Philadelphia raises questions about indigenous history and the retention of cultural heritage in the context of modern immigration. “We consider it a school because we are learning about the culture we have lost,” says one of the group’s members. The dancers of Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac bring their audiences a pre-Columbian heritage with roots in central Mexico. Kept alive by modern keepers of the culture like those in this trilingual Spanish/English/Nahuatl documentary, Aztec dance has followed the paths of contemporary Mexican immigrants into the United States. That migration has brought Aztec culture here, to Philadelphia. Aztec Dance in Philadelphia is an engaging resource for educators teaching modern immigration and a colorful testament to the resilience of indigenous cultures.