The copy of the feather crown - or how it all began...

In the very large Mexica-Saal (Aztec room) of the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City there is a reproduction of Moctezuma's feather crown. This copy largely corresponds to the characteristics of the original in terms of dimensions, colors, material combination and form. Following an order from Abelardo L. Rodríguez (politician and incumbent President of Mexico from 1932 to 1934). Francisco Moctezuma, a fan of pen art, made this reproduction in 1940 without direct access to the original object. It is believed that he only worked with copies of the picture. 

Although it is a replica, the copy has also become a unique, valuable and non-reproducible object. Another replica could not be made today because there are no longer enough quetzal birds to supply the feathers.

Well, Since I was a child, I have been aware of the many problems that my home country Mexico has. With all my might I wish that the situation could change and that my father could earn enough to support our family. But what could I do, a child barely 10 years old? 

The idea grew more and more that I wanted to do things to make Mexico and its people better off. I enjoyed helping people, but it was always a few. That wasn't enough for me. When I was around 20 years old, I realized that there were only 4 ways to change this country:   

1. By a coup. 

2. With a lot of money. 

3. Through politics. 

4. By changing people's mentality. 

I chose the last point! Now I knew what to do. But how should I convince millions of people….? 

I trained as a multilingual, state - certified tour guide for all of Mexico, a job that has always given me a lot of pleasure and with which I have earned good money. But millions of Mexicans lived in extreme poverty. 

...One Sunday, as I often did, I went to the Anthropological Museum in Mexico City to give a free lecture in the Mexica Hall. I spoke with 100 people about the copy of the feather crown, and also about the fact that the original can be found in Vienna.  

But suddenly, I cried out with joy and happiness as I realized that this very object that I considered sacred could do the best to change the history of Mexico!!! I'd had it in front of my nose a dozen times without noticing! 

I left the museum and was happy because after many years I had finally found the reason for my existence! TO BRING BACK THE HOLY CROWN FROM AUSTRIA TO MEXICO. 

1980

I decided to leave everything with tourism and devote myself entirely to what I call  OUR ancestral ROOTS and culture. Without a single cent, I started a dance group in the center of the big city of Mexico City, I was always the Chieff. For the first time ever after the decline of our peoples and with many problems we danced for 5 years exactly in the holy city, in front of the so-called "main temple" near the cathedral. The correct name is: Ueyi Teokalli, great, venerable, energy-generating construction. 

Many people stopped every day to watch us dance, mainly because I not only explained many things to them about dance, but also talked to them about our Aztec-Mexican culture. What I knew you did not know: THE ORAL HISTORY. As soon as we got there in the morning, people were listened to us, we even had "customers" or "fans" who came every day and brought more people to see and heard me talking. 

We were there Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 10 pm, every day except Sunday, because I went to the museum every Sunday for many years. There I answered questions about culture and provoked people because most of the viewers didn't want to show their ignorance by asking questions. But why not? We are all ignorant of many things and subjects. Someone said: “if ignorance hurt, we would all scream all the time”. It's not bad to be ignorant, the worst part is, to remain ignorant! 

They stayed there for hours and listened to me and watched us dance. Sometimes because I talked so much and so loudly that everyone present could hear me, sometimes 200 people, I almost lost my voice and asked them to come as close as possible. The next day, however, my voice was fine again and I was able to continue my explanations. And despite the fact that people gave us coins, sometimes…we couldn't even eat. 

Every Sunday, from the opening to the closing, I went to the Anthropological Museum to give free lectures. What made me very hurt and sad, is that they kicked me out of this museum twice for talking about things other than what the "official story" is as taught in Mexico's schools. The other, real story, the oral or traditional one, is more and more lost. 

There in the main square of the city, and in the museum, I practiced how to talk and what to talk about for 5 years. What should I say, what should I answer, how should I express myself, how should I behave in relation to permits and, above all, to deal with "people" in order to be "ready" for the great odyssey of traveling to Europe. 

By the way, something very interesting happened to me there in the down town. There was a group of fair-skinned foreigners, adults, children, and young people who were half lost. I immediately said that I could help them and that I would not charge anything in return. I thought they were Germans. They agreed. Then I changed clothes, stayed with them for about 4 hours and explained to them, among other things, the murals by the great Mexican painter Diego Rivera that are in the National Palace, when they left they wanted to pay me, But I said no. 

They said, quite happily, "Well, we'll trade then. Guys, gather around him." And they started to sing! It was the famous Vienna Boys' Choir!!! 

They and their parents said to me: "Yes, go to Vienna and ask for what is yours - the crown of feathers and Gold of your Aztec emperor!!!"