The Compassion of the Feathered Serpent: A Chicano Worldview - Paperback

by Ysidro Ramon Macias (Author)

This is a story about God, a red native God, native to the Americas and yet the very same God worshipped throughout the world with different names. Macias takes the reader through a virginal journey into Chicano philosophy, employing the spirit world and his native ancestors as he makes his way wearing serpentine glasses through his belief system, abandoning Catholicism in the process as he embraces "La Esencia de las Cosas," the Mexica worldview taught to him by Andres Segura Granados, the conchero maestro and capitan-general de la danza. The author begins with his birth in the 1940's as he explores factors that led to his involvement in the beginning stages of the 1960's Chicano Movement in southern and northern California, both in politics as well as the Chicano artist community. Mexican history is re-visited from a Mexica/Maya native perspective, as Macias lays the foundation for the native worldview which came to recognize the One God, Ometeotl, Hunab K'u. In the process, his personal life story becomes intertwined with native belief to create one serpentine tale, honoring the spiritual essence of the Americas, the Feathered Serpent.

Author Biography

Author is Chicano who participated in beginnings of Chicano Movement in 1966, first in Los Angeles and later Berkeley/San Francisco. Also involved in various phases of Chicano artist community. Jailed for movement activities twice. Author subsequently became acquainted with Mexica dance master, Andres Segura Granados, who taught and revealed philosophy of Aztec/Mexicas to author over 25 year friendship. Author previously taught at Berkeley, Merritt College, Santa Clara University, UC Irvine, Fresno City & Fresno State University, before establishing a farmworker constituency as a Fresno lawyer until 1990. Practiced law in Hawaii for couple of years before starting family business, now tortilla makers for state of Hawaii.