Showing results by author "Duncan Tonatiuh" in All Categories

Although it is debated when and where capoeira—an art form that blends martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality—originated exactly, one thing is certain: in the early 20th century, Brazil was the only country in the world where capoeira was played, and it was mainly practiced by people of African descent. In 1890, two years after Brazil officially abolished slavery, the game was outlawed. Wealthy, lighter-skinned society feared and looked down on capoeira, seeing it as a game for malandros—what people in power called the poor Black communities they disdained.

Aunque se debate cuándo y dónde se originó exactamente la capoeira, una forma de arte que combina las artes marciales, la danza, las acrobacias, la música y la espiritualidad, una cosa es segura: a principios del siglo XX Brasil era el único país en el mundo en el que se jugaba a la capoeira, y era practicada principalmente por personas de ascendencia africana. En 1890, dos años después de que Brasil aboliera oficialmente la esclavitud, el juego fue prohibido.

Itza era la princesa más hermosa de la tierra, y muchos pretendientes viajaban de todas partes para cortejarla. Aun siendo la hija del emperador, Itza no quería casarse con un hombre de poder y riqueza. En cambio, se enamoró de Popoca, un valiente guerrero que peleaba en el ejército de su padre, quien no le ofreció riquezas, sino la promesa de quedarse a su lado para siempre.

As a child, Amalia always thought she would grow up to be a teacher - that was until she saw dancers perform in her town square. She was fascinated by the way they twirled and swayed, and she knew that someday she would be a dancer, too.

Award-winning author Duncan Tonatiuh reimagines one of Mexico's cherished legends. Princess Izta had many wealthy suitors but dismissed them all. When a mere warrior, Popoca, promised to be true to her and stay always by her side, Izta fell in love. The emperor promised Popoca if he could defeat their enemy Jaguar Claw, then Popoca and Izta could wed.

In this allegorical picture book, a young rabbit named Pancho eagerly awaits his papa's return. Papa Rabbit traveled north two years ago to find work in the great carrot and lettuce fields to earn money for his family. When Papa does not return, Pancho sets out to find him. He packs Papa's favorite meal- mole, rice and beans, a heap of warm tortillas, and a jug of aguamiel-and heads north. He meets a coyote, who offers to help Pancho in exchange for some of Papa's food.

When the other gods grow tired in their attempt to create humankind, only one does not give up: the Feathered Serpent. He embarks on a dangerous journey full of fearsome foes and harsh elements, facing each trial with wisdom, bravery, and resourcefulness before confronting his final challenge at Mictlan, the underworld. In the spirit of Duncan Tonatiuh’s celebrated book The Princess and the Warrior, this pre-Columbian creation myth tells the story of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, one of the most important deities in ancient Mesoamerica.

Cuando su familia se mudó al pueblo de Westminster, California, la pequeña Silvia Méndez estaba entusiasmada con inscribirse en la escuela de su vecindario. Pero ella y sus hermanos fueron rechazados y les dijeron que, en vez, tenían que asistir a la escuela mexicana. Sylvia no podía entender por qué; era una ciudadana estadounidense que hablaba inglés perfectamente. ¿Por qué obligaban a los hijos de familias mexicanas a asistir a otra escuela? Al no poder obtener una respuesta satisfactoria de la junta escolar, la familia Méndez decidió tomar cartas en el asunto y organizar una demanda.

A young Aztec girl tells her little brother how their parents create beautiful painted manuscripts, or codices. She explains to him how paper is made from local plants and how the long paper is folded into a book. Her parents and others paint the codices to tell the story of their people’s way of life. Inspired by the pre-Columbian codices, this story tells how the Aztec and their neighbors in the Valley of Mexico painted books and records long before Columbus arrived, and continued doing so among their Nahua-speaking descendants for generations after.