Montclair library celebrates Cinco de Mayo

Visitors of Montclair Library received a special treat last weekwhen the Aztec tribe Copali Copili performed for Cinco de Mayofestivities.

The group not only danced, but they also showed the audience thedifferent types of instruments they use including a skull that whenblown into it is called the death whistle.

"Even death has a sound," said Chris Stenmo, performer and Aztecname Ixtemoc, which means swooping eyes.

During the presentation Stenmo, dressed in traditional garb,explained what each of their instruments are capable of.

He pointed at the the drum or the 'hue huetl' which Stenmo saidthe "old sound drum."

"The drum sound represents the heartbeat of mother earth," Stenmosaid.

In total there are about 400 different instrument, said RaymondRamirez, a member of the group.

But on May 5, there were about two dozen.

"The hollow tree trunk sound when you hit it sounds like timeticking by, it represent to walk in balance," Ramirez said.

As Stenmo blew through a large sea shell he called it "theoriginal Internet."

"If you wanted to call someone from miles away for a ceremony youwould blow into this and then there would be a constant number ofshells that would be blown," he said.

Serrano Middle School student Sarai Popoca said the presentationwill help her on a report she's doing on Aztec civilization.

"I thought the performance was amazing," said Sarai, 13. "Ididn't know they had so much passion for what they do."

She said she was also impressed by the different instruments.

"I didn't know there was such an instrument such as the deathone," Sarai said. "It really sounds like a person's last breath."

canan.tasci@inlandnewspapers.com

909-987-6397, ext. 425