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By Romy Carver; Photos & Video by Don Backman
On Saturday evening February 7, 2026, Bay City Arts Center hosted a special treat, an Ancestral Music and Dance Celebration featuring Huehca Omeyocan, an Indigenous ensemble dedicated to sharing the ancestral traditions of the Anahuac (Mesoamerican) people. “Anahuac” is the name the Náhuatl speaking cultures gave to the North American continent which means “The Land surrounded by the Great Waters” because of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans surrounding the land. The interactive cultural event featured authentic traditional music and drumming and a dance performance celebrating community.
The presentation was both entertaining and educational. Eduardo Cruz and his wife Maria E. Cortes shared information with the audience about Anahuac cultures, leading them through the building of a tlalmanalli, a ceremonial altar. Tlalmanalli is a Nahuatl term for an “offering to the earth,” and is intended to honor our relationship to the earth and the natural world. Audience members were invited to come forward and place a seashell on each corner on the cloth to represent the four winds and additional items to denote the four natural elements (earth, water, air, and fire) as Ms. Cortes sang ceremonial music.
The couple performed traditional music and dance, while explaining the significance and meaning behind those dances. One of the dances honored hummingbirds, which are important in Anahuac cultures, referred to as huitzillin in Nahuatl. They are a powerful symbol of the sun’s rebirth from its lowest point, as it becomes a hummingbird. They are also considered a way to remember people no longer with us.
Mr. Cruz explained, “When a culture is destroyed, the environment is also destroyed.” He stated that ancestral languages honored their connection to nature. They were very advanced for their time and “knew their place in nature and the universe.”
He emphasized the importance of humor. “Our ancestors liked to have fun. As humans we all have the right to enjoy life. Even in suffering and grief, there is laughter. We only get serious when we need to get serious. We enjoy life together.”
After some dance performances, they invited the audience to form a semi-circle around the stage and join them to learn some traditional dance. He reassured the audience that joining them in dance is about being human. “We still gather by the fire and eat and talk. Sharing culture together is important.”
For nine years, the couple have shared ancestral knowledge with schools, museums, and other groups interested in helping to preserve that rich history. Both have full-time jobs and brought their little boy, who was also in full regalia and is an experienced dancer. While many of their presentations are in the Portland metro area, they enjoy coming to the coast and look forward to their Blessing of the Ocean next summer.
Lauren Sorg, recently appointed Bay City Arts Center Executive Director, was thrilled to welcome them here. She brings a strong passion for cultural opportunities and stated, “This is what Tillamook County needs – more diversity, and more opportunities to celebrate with each other.”
If you missed the event, you can still enjoy stunning Indigenous art by Eduardo Cruz and others, which will be on display at Bay City Arts Center through February. On March 13-15, the Center plans to host three days of children’s theater, by local playwrights. For more details about what’s coming up, or to learn more about the Huehca Omeyocan display, visit www.baycityartscenter.com.
