Title
Honoring the historic relationships among the Dakota, Anishinaabe, Nahua and other indigenous nations; and recognizing the Mexica New Year Nahui Tekpatl Day in Saint Paul.
Body
Whereas, in 2015 the City of Saint Paul declared Indigenous Peoples Day to address the racial inequities in our city, thereby demonstrating that government entities and other institutions can change their policies and practices to acknowledge, respect and honor indigenous peoples; and
Whereas, the City of Saint Paul recognizes that the Dakota, Anishinaabe, Nahua and other Indigenous nations are the original inhabitants of this continent; and
Whereas, the City of Saint Paul acknowledges the importance of restoring and promoting the ancestral connections among Indigenous nations, which predate statehood; and
Whereas, the Dakota Anishinaabe, Nahua and other Indigenous nations enhance our great city through their political, cultural, and scientific knowledge such as timekeeping measurements and records; and
Whereas, the Nahua people and related Indigenous communities have kept their own records of time for thousands of years and the Mexica created the Tonalmachiotl, a time keeping structure commonly referred to as the sun stone, that documents the bioenergetic alignment of the cycles of the sun, moon, venus and earth; and
Whereas, the Gregorian year 2016, the Indigenous Mexican peoples, also known as the Mexica, will end the year Yei Akatl (3 Reed) and begin the year Nahui Tekpatl (4 Flint Knife) with the new cycle occurring on March 11, 2016 at approximately 6:45 p.m. (CST); and
Whereas, the alliance of the traditional Mexica groups: Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, Mexica Yolotl, Huitzillin, Santa Ursula de Coapa, Cuauhtemoc and the broader Indigenous community in Saint Paul will gather and celebrate the new year of Nahui Tekpatl in a public and family focused festival on March 12, 2016 at Johnson Senior High School hosted by Indigenous Roots.
Be It Further Resolved that the Mayor and the City Council of the City of Saint Paul recognize and celebrate the richness and diversity of the Indigenous Mexica Community and urge the community to join the celebration of Mexica New Year at Johnson Senior High School.