Aztlán and the Aztecs

[BlackWolf]

Someone  in the other forum "PODIAS, incorrect assumptions and CUAUHTEMOC LAST ORDERS" asked  Koyoteh if he was a supporter of the "Aztlanista" group that was once associated with the "Eagle Mountain" Spiritual Community.  I then questioned Koyoteh and gave him my opinion about the Aztlan movement.  I think he made his point that he's not one of the radical supporters of Aztlan.  ( Or claims not to be anyway ).  Since that forum was suppose to be about "PODIAS", I'm moving the discussion here.  I'd like to hear Koyoteh's views and what his interpretation of what Aztlan and the Aztlan movement is and means?  Anyone not familiar with this term " Aztlán", I'll try to run it down as best as I can. 

It refers to the ancestral homeland of the Aztecs ( the Aztecs were a great empire dominated by Nahuatl Speakers ( Mexicas).  The Aztecs at some point began to migrate south.  In the 14th century the Aztec prophecy came true and they found a place where an eagle clutching a serphant in its talons was sitting on a cactus.  This place was Tenochitlan and later became the center of their empire.  Tenochitlan is modern day Mexico City.  Their origin story tells them that they came from Aztlan ( a place described as in the north) ( Meaning north of Tenochitlan ).  Recorded reports from the Aztecs themselves were unreliable as to where it was exactly.  Present day Aztlan supporters say it was in the South West United States.  I beleive Koyoteh shares this view?  Some of the radical supporters of Aztlan say when Mexicans cross the border and settle in the Southwest US, they are really just returning home as indigenous people.  Anyways.  I'd like to hear Koyoteh's views on the topic. 

[koyoteh]

thanks for seperating this. thread.

dude i got online to get directions to go pay a ticket and got stuck in these forums. I got to go , but I'll be back later.

I would like to leave some questions though , that people can think about while they consider what they already know or feel they already know.


1) if Aztlan does have a specific place and is real, how would you feel about where it is? What would feel about the people currently residing there? How would you feel if your people shared the same place?

2) when people left Tenochtitlan ( Mexico City ) after the war with Cortes, where do think they went? Do you feel they all went to only one or a few places? Only the ones that are named by a couple of websites? Do you think it possible that they spread far and wide?
Where do you think they went? No matter where they went , wouldn't there have been other tribes there already? Were they welcomed? Were they taken in?  WHO were these other nations that took them in?

3) Does your nation have any other names or similar stories that even remotely relate to our "aztlan" story and place of origin?

okay I got to go.

[koyoteh]

okay I'm back. Its hard for me to say whether or not I am a radical. I think everyone has their opinion on what that even means.

Aztlan is GENERALLY the southwest AREA of the united states. This area is rather large and non-specific. Its not a city, or a state. Or village. It is an area. So for me, its not farfetched to call it the southwest. Thats a pretty large area. The 'aztecs' in question could come from ANYWHERE in that region.

Thinking about the time period and area that aztlan existed , we need to recognize that they were NOT the only people there. That like others , had their own language and so by using the word aztlan they are using a word to describe an area that other nations would have, even at that time, their own word for the same area. The other nations may even have had a completely and totally different map and view of borders and territories. Such was the causes of conflicts back then from time to time anyways , right?

So to speak of aztlan , we feel , is a pretty SAFE claim being that it is very vague and non-specific.
There are specific theories that many of our credible or respectable elders and teachers and professors have come up with. One of them is BLYTHE  I  believe. The people that live there are aware of this and have actually welcomed us to continue studying this theory. They have welcomed us as relaltives even. Specifics on more than that I can't say. If interested in that theory, you could try looking into more on your own.
There are other theories of specific place in existence as well. I forgot them already though as it really no longer has had an impact on my life. ITs has been enough for me to know that Azltan is the southwest. And to be anywhere in this area is home.

Still , we have to respect the poeple and nations who live here and continued to live here throughout time, and for those of us involved in our native community and ways, we do do our best to give proper respects.

[koyoteh]

Another part of the AZTLAN story speaking of the names of places in the NAHUATL language. remembering , other nations had their own languages.

The other part is the place called CHICOMOZTOC. Literally the mountain or place of 7 caves. Knowing that our people use words with metaphors, this may not even be an actual mountain or actual caves. But within these caves lived 7 nations, clans, or tribes. No matter, there were 7 groups of natives each with their own name. One teaching is that all of them were called, at least at one point in time, ChiChiMecas. NOT MEXICAS. NOT AZTECS. Other names we have been told , possibly , these were also known as the Anasazi.

The Anasazi , as we all know, gave birth to other nations currently living in the southwest. That would imply a shared origin.
I won't bother to name these other nations.

So the story goes. One group at a time  the chichimecs migrated down to the south. NOT only stopping in tenochtitlan by the way.

Somewhere between the first and the last group , ONE group in particular began to be called MEXICAS. This was not the real name of their tribe, clan, or nation. At least not the one they started with. That is another tradition - the changing of names. They were called mexicas due to an important leaders name MEXI. The word CA is added to say PEOPLE. SO together it meant MEXI's PEOPLE. THOSE GUYS ... yeah , you know , ol'mexi's bros. Like that. The other way Mexica or Mexicano or Xicano is defined as is People of the Earth. I still have yet to figure out how these two explanations balance out with each other...no matter for this thread.

The Day of the Dead ceremony holds this story of Mexi and the migration that took place. Onward.

When Mexi's people left, they left other tribes and clans and nations behind. This is part is not the focus  of the story, but this is what happened and it is briefly mentioned. The question then becomes, who were these people who stayed behind? What happened to them ? who did they go on to become? what language did they speak or come to speak? ...and more probably.
My answer is that these people are the people currently residing in the southwest. That would make them our relatives. Even if they don't like us. Maybe its even part of the origin of some animosity.
One version is that the departing tribes were fleeing.

but here's the official native versio of why , at least the one particular tribe left.

Mexi had a vision or a dream of the land of the eagle and the snake and the cactus . There is even way more deep stuff into this vision that I won't get into here. or right now. And so he lead people south to this area. By the time they arrived decades had past and he was dead.

[koyoteh]

so you see, we came from the north, went south, and now are coming back to the north.

We have lived in all these places. They were all home to us. No one can tell us otherwise.

Knowing that one has a home after being taught for centuries that they should not be native, that they are not native, and that they have no homeland or origin or proof of existing, this story has become SACRED to us. It validates us as natives as a part of the land.

Just the fact that we have an origin story at all is something.

Now some might say that , we all don't originate from this, thats no big deal either. Not to us. Because this story exists, since it exists for us, it shows the possibility that one exists for all of us , for each of us. Therefore , it is still sacred to others.

And as others have taken us in and made us a part of them back in time, so we can do for others. If others who are lost and disconnected exist, we welcome them as we were welcomed. No big deal to us. Seems quite generous if you ask me.

If others do not want to adopt that way of life , that generous gift of welcoming 'lost' or distant or disconnected people , thats up to them , thats there perogative ( spellcheck ). But for us , many have welcomed us. ANd so in honor of our hosts and our teachers, we welcome others right back.

The Mexica had history of that anyways, whether it be by force and some say or ceremonial or not. I believe we all had some form of this.

This is how the MEXICA CONFEDERATION came to exist by taking in others.

[koyoteh]

Continuing the story.

The Chichimeca / Mexica arrived in at tenochtitlan. They were met by previous tribe who had gone south before them. They were met by the Toltecs as well. The new arrivals , the Mexica band of Chichimeca were not met happily.  So they were forced to live in unwanted areas of the region. They hired themselves out as workers and warrior to the Toltecs and soon intermarried and became accepted. They adopted the name MEXICA . They created a confederation of tribes called the Mexica Confederation. Also called the Triple Alliance. I believe , but still am trying to figure out, how the Mexican Confederation balanced out with the Triple Alliance.

I learned of the Confederation through one of my elders. In this Confederation , was alliances with the shoshone, the chumash, the apache, the yaqui, and others, This was amazing to learn about. However , I  have not learned much else about it. I have never seen this ever mentioned in books anywhere. Good luck finding it. If you find it , let me know.

[koyoteh]

ther is also a spiritual version of what Aztlan is and is about that has nothing to do with a real life physical place. Thats all I will say on that . Its not new age stuff. Its stuff you can really only get from an elder, a teacher, or someone involved with this kind of stuff.

Most people , including my people, are still learning. Most do not know about this part. Most don't even know about the confederation.

since we don't know , how can I expect people outside of our circles to even guess at?

since others can't even begin to guess at this, how can people outside our circles even begin to say "THIS IS HOW IT IS" when it comes to anything about Aztlan?

but this is what happens. even anthros and professors are only given a part of it cautiously.

So if we only rely on books , its only half of the knowledge. without the other half, lots of conclusions can become incorrect.
Even for my own people , which does happen.

but the story is meant as a STARTING POINT. A point of reference to begin our studies. From there we are supposed to continue studying. After years of studying we will not believe the same things about the story we did when we first started.

Many of the groups out there like "aztlanistas" are like this. They got so far as just reading the story. And stopped looking into it. well many of the members of these gruops stopped that for sure. We just say they are stuck and sooner or later they will move on and grow.
but that us , cause we know what we went through while we were growing and what we still are going through as we continue growing.

Many of the aztlanistas do not stay within the confines of those radical groups. As they grow, they begin to realize thats not the place to stay and find more constructive means to be active. But those outside their communities will never see this part. Those on the outside listening to rhetoric only hear the rhetoric not realizing that the person they heard one time no longer believes in what they once said in anger and emotion. The next time a radical aztlanista speaks out in a rage  , everyone is really listening to a whole new person, a whole new student, who just read the story and is all fired up. Soon that person also grows and leaves, and so on and so on .

The problem is this, when the persons grow and leave , the group stays behind, those remaiining continue on in name, then they leave, but the name of the group continues on. This is an illusion. Every year the groups name continues to exist, but in reality , its a whole new group of people just starting out. No one would know this if they are only folllowing the groups names or the repeated rhetoric that they see and hear.

For reals, there's always one or two people to stay behind that never leave or mature. They even get old there. These are the ones the rest of us need to be aware of, as they are kind holding others back from growing. Still on the other hand, if they werent there, then a lot of kids would never have had a starting point at all. They would not have had a good or bad experience to make decisions on.

So i don't agree with a lot of that Aztlanista stuff. But my experiences are different then theirs. I ''ve had time to study, go to ceremonies, learn more about it.
But I understand their sentiment . Most if not all natives feel that desire and anger to "take the land back". No native I have had to listen to , including myself , has ever said or added, "while respecting other native nations" or anything of the like. Most often , it is said when they're drunk to boot. Before anyone deny's this , shit , i was there getting drunk along with'em.
This desire will never go away.

How we deal with it , what we do, the fact of doing anything at all is what is important.
I may not agree with how a lot of aztlanistas behave with this desire we all have , but one thing for sure, unlike others who just whine and complain they are ATTEMPTING to deal with it. I have to give them credit and applause for that. Thats kinda tooting my own horn I guess. cause there was time that I felt this way too. At the beginning when I first began to learn and became aware of myself and other nations history. I felt that anger and pain. because of the anger and pain, I did something about it, I took action, and it lead me to where I am today. someplace completely different then where I started, but I had to start somewhere. Aztlanistas are starting at the point they have chosen or have fallen into. I have complete confidence that individually , they will continue past that STAGE in their life.

Why have Aztlanistas gained the reputation they have?
Because of AIM for one. AIM is one of their big heroes. So are others. Brown Berets. Black Panthers. The alcatraz takeover. DQ-U takeover. Along with Geronimo, Crazy Horse, Zapata, and Cuauhtemoc. Get the theme here? They are not all just xicano heroes now , and they don't have to be. They were people of resistance.  Warriors. Who do we applaud in all of our nations histories? People of resistance our WARRIORS.

Aztlnistas are warriors. But the problem is that warriors need good leaders or to be good leaders as well.

This is where the argument actually comes in. Do they have good leaders? Are they good leaders?

I won't touch that. For now, they are warriors, whether right or wrong, they are trying -INDIVIDUALLY wise.

[koyoteh]

and by saying these things , in does not imply approval or disproval in any way.

I just sayinig ...I understand the sentiment.

[educatedindian]

Need to distinguish between Aztlanistas as a group, at one time big enough to be called a movement, and the tiny bunch in S California today operating Aztlan.net, which is correctly IDd as a hate group by the SPLC and others.

You also refer to the term Chichimeca repeatedly as a term the Nahua used for themselves. It's not , it's the insult the Aztecs had for tribes further north, implying they were uncivilized. It means "dog without an owner" or wild barbarian.

Big obvious mistakes like this are why I wondered in the other thread about the people you say are elders teaching you traditions. There are Nuage frauds who specialize in preying upon Mexicans eager to know their NDN heritage, just like some target Blacks, Jews, etc.  And then there are Mexicans who are PODIAs not in terms of degree of ancestry but terms of their NDN culture(s) who simply naively pass along misinformation.

Just the fact that you call yourself Aztec, instead of Nahua as Nahua people of central Mexico generally do, suggests to me you are probably well intentioned but still need to be cautious about where to learn.

[BlackWolf]

To answer your third question Koyoteh.

A long long time ago, there was a land that was surrounded by water that no one could drink.  (An island perhaps? )  This land at some point began to sink, and a great journey was started towards the Cold.  (The North ) Seven traveling groups were formed to insure survival.  They later crossed valleys and fertile ground, and hot sand, and crossed rivers.  The first river that was crossed flowed from where the Sun went up to where it went down. ( Possibly crossing the Rio Grande?  (And the ancient language was still spoken at that time ). Great beast with humps on their back were seen, and some were killed for food and shelter.   They crossed another river, ( The Red River? ) which ran west to east and they passed small green mountains.  They crossed another river that ran from where the cold came and the Sun went down and ended between where the Sun came up and where they had come from. ( Arkansas River? ) and they arrived at where the land turned white and covered the whole ground, and were they were then  warned to leave by the Seers.  They camped here so the seers could see the future.  The Seers said to leave, because a great calamity was coming.  They then crossed the big river that ran from the Cold to the South ( Mississippi?)  After centuries this great journey ended in a land of great mountains, and water and game.   The travelers told of people that they passed who  built mounds and sacrificed people. ( any one want to guess on this one? ) They arrived at a place with material for baskets, and blow guns, and clay for pottery, and material for houses.  They arrived at the Great Smokey Mountains. 

This is part of the Cherokee Origin or Journey story that was told to m.  I have asked certain Cherokee that know this story just exactly where it is we came from so long long ago. Who knows?  I have heard South America, and even that we came from an Island in the Carribean long long ago.  We came from the South, as you Koyoteh say your people came from the North.  One thing is clear.  This place has been lost to time, just as Aztlan has.  To add another piece to the puzzle.  Cherokees speak an Iroquoian language, (the only Southern Iroquoian Language ) which is in the same language family as Mohawk and other languages from tribes from the Great Lakes Region.  As a comparison to your connection to the Anasazi people.

I think Koyoteh, that this could be the story of many people throughout the world with some variation or another.  The Celts were not originally from Ireland.  They migrated from somewhere over in Eastern Europe, or maybe even Northern Germany.  The Celts later arrived in the Island we know today as Ireland.  They conquered and assimilated the people that were already there. Some centuries later the Vikings arrived plundering, and raiding the Irish Coastline, eventually establishing the city of Dublin. Today the Capital of Irish culture.  Many societies throughout the world could find a similar story.  I do not search for this mythical place that my Cherokee ancestors came from.  This place has been lost to time, and history, just as Aztlan has been lost to time.  I know where my people come from, and that’s good enough for me. 

[koyoteh]

Need to distinguish between Aztlanistas as a group, at one time big enough to be called a movement, and the tiny bunch in S California today operating Aztlan.net, which is correctly IDd as a hate group by the SPLC and others.

You also refer to the term Chichimeca repeatedly as a term the Nahua used for themselves. It's not , it's the insult the Aztecs had for tribes further north, implying they were uncivilized. It means "dog without an owner" or wild barbarian.

Big obvious mistakes like this are why I wondered in the other thread about the people you say are elders teaching you traditions. There are Nuage frauds who specialize in preying upon Mexicans eager to know their NDN heritage, just like some target Blacks, Jews, etc.  And then there are Mexicans who are PODIAs not in terms of degree of ancestry but terms of their NDN culture(s) who simply naively pass along misinformation.

Just the fact that you call yourself Aztec, instead of Nahua as Nahua people of central Mexico generally do, suggests to me you are probably well intentioned but still need to be cautious about where to learn.

sorry but it may be insulting to some to be called a dog, but no, it wasn't an insult, at least not in every instance. They were the Dog People. Plenty of nations had these societies so its not suprising that they would to. The codices even show them wearing the skins of canines. Could be coyotes or dogs, all the same really.

The insulting word is from todays word CHOLO comes from. Xolotl the izquintli - or HAIRLESS DOG is a real dog, but its the cholo term that was the insult dog word. We still have this word in our community today. A cholo is the stereo typical mexican gangmember.

And yes , the toltecs and other nations did put them down , especiallly when they were travelling and arriving , being called barbarians. This is becuase they were somewhat like what people call "nomads" but as has been pointed out to me , there really weren't any real nomads. But that is how they were perceived by others regardless. And after travelling through deserts for a few years, you'd look wild and crazy too.
There was discrimination back then towards them. The story I gave you mentions this.

there was no nation who called themselvs aztecs. Aztecs was a term that meant "featherworker". When cortes asked other nations "who are those people over there?" Cortes was told "Those are the aztecs ( the feather workers )" Had Cortez asked "what is that nation over there?" The natives would have responded differently. But Cortez just asked the wrong question ,and took it as the name for the nation. Why I say this? Cause you keep saying aztecs and tell me about chichimeca. Where did you learn this stuff? In a book? Watch out for them books. There are clues in the books but not definite or accurate facts in a lot of them. And unless you are right in the middle of this stuff , there's no way anyone could tell.

We here are in the middle of it day in and day out.

I don't believe you could distinguish between any of all the kinds of mexicas we got these days. Nothing personal , you just don't live with us. Remember, we didn't just stay put. We left, we stayed put too, we grew , we evolved. Now we have to many groups to keep track of to be of just one defining anything for anyone to tell us we can only be one way. It just don't humanly work that way.

But to know the differences between all the groups that believe in Aztlan , you'd really have to be here be a part of our world. There isn't just one way when it comes to the issue of Aztlan.

I , in particular, am a descendant. I found my history, and it wasn't a nice story. My native Mexica ancestor was a slave to Cortez's people. Its how my family received their last name. The other half of me is of another tribe. But I don't know much about that. That tribe became pretty catholic and I don't want any of that.

[koyoteh]

Need to distinguish between Aztlanistas as a group, at one time big enough to be called a movement, and the tiny bunch in S California today operating Aztlan.net, which is correctly IDd as a hate group by the SPLC and others.

shit if a lot of individual natives , not all but some, could be all on their own  their own group, they'd be called a hate group.

Its like this rap poem i heard once, "black people ain't prejudice , we just mad.." same thing. But as we grow we can leave the anger behind. But everyone deserves the right to be mad for a little while. Its the first step to "not taking this shit no more!" and trying to begin to change.

It does no body good to stay living in anger or madness though. but they got to get over it on their own.

I don't know aztlan.net .  i guess i'll check it out. but still whoever they are , they are still just one group in thousands. A few people out of millions.

i don't know who the SPLC is either.

My group, we're dancers. We dance and we stand up for native people's rights. First , our own. Second, only those who want our help. There's lots of us. We are quite unlike the azltlanistas that you are speaking about. But we still believe in Aztlan. We just respond to it differently.

[koyoteh]

To answer your third question Koyoteh.

A long long time ago, there was a land that was surrounded by water that no one could drink.  (An island perhaps? )  This land at some point began to sink, and a great journey was started towards the Cold.  (The North ) Seven traveling groups were formed to insure survival.  They later crossed valleys and fertile ground, and hot sand, and crossed rivers.  The first river that was crossed flowed from where the Sun went up to where it went down. ( Possibly crossing the Rio Grande?  (And the ancient language was still spoken at that time ). Great beast with humps on their back were seen, and some were killed for food and shelter.   They crossed another river, ( The Red River? ) which ran west to east and they passed small green mountains.  They crossed another river that ran from where the cold came and the Sun went down and ended between where the Sun came up and where they had come from. ( Arkansas River? ) and they arrived at where the land turned white and covered the whole ground, and were they were then  warned to leave by the Seers.  They camped here so the seers could see the future.  The Seers said to leave, because a great calamity was coming.  They then crossed the big river that ran from the Cold to the South ( Mississippi?)  After centuries this great journey ended in a land of great mountains, and water and game.   The travelers told of people that they passed who  built mounds and sacrificed people. ( any one want to guess on this one? ) They arrived at a place with material for baskets, and blow guns, and clay for pottery, and material for houses.  They arrived at the Great Smokey Mountains. 

This is part of the Cherokee Origin or Journey story that was told to m.  I have asked certain Cherokee that know this story just exactly where it is we came from so long long ago. Who knows?  I have heard South America, and even that we came from an Island in the Carribean long long ago.  We came from the South, as you Koyoteh say your people came from the North.  One thing is clear.  This place has been lost to time, just as Aztlan has.  To add another piece to the puzzle.  Cherokees speak an Iroquoian language, (the only Southern Iroquoian Language ) which is in the same language family as Mohawk and other languages from tribes from the Great Lakes Region.  As a comparison to your connection to the Anasazi people.

I think Koyoteh, that this could be the story of many people throughout the world with some variation or another.  The Celts were not originally from Ireland.  They migrated from somewhere over in Eastern Europe, or maybe even Northern Germany.  The Celts later arrived in the Island we know today as Ireland.  They conquered and assimilated the people that were already there. Some centuries later the Vikings arrived plundering, and raiding the Irish Coastline, eventually establishing the city of Dublin. Today the Capital of Irish culture.  Many societies throughout the world could find a similar story.  I do not search for this mythical place that my Cherokee ancestors came from.  This place has been lost to time, and history, just as Aztlan has been lost to time.  I know where my people come from, and that’s good enough for me. 

cool , good for you. glad you know. That means you'll be free of the stress other people have.

Nice to hear that one nation could have possibly something in common with all humanity.

[koyoteh]

you know, other nations have been glad to help us, as well as themselves  by looking deeper into the story and 'myth' of AZTLAN.

its not just us mexicans , or 'raza' that are interested.

Some tribes and tribal members and elders of other nations have taken a keen interest in their own teachings about how we are all related and started to look at their own histories and stories - and they have found similarities and interesting and sometimes unexplained things from within their own nations.

These teachers and elders of other nations sometimes come to visit us to share in their findings , discoveries, or old traditions and stories.

You may not like it , but this is what they do , and we are glad to listen to them and welcome them and receive them. They always come back and I am grateful to them and for them.

One man , in particular, I can't remember his name, but even if that matters to you , it doesn't to me right now, he was a ZUNI. He told us some stories. Then he told us how he went to look further deeper into them to find their origins and truths and physical evidence even . He ended finding what is evidence of the ZUNIS being related to the mesoamericans - somehow someway. In the least , we made contact at least once.
Amongst his people , they have a story about a macaw, only they don't have macaws - we did. They have a place where there were , I think, about 7 holes, in a wall I think. In one of these walls was a sacred macaw feather passed down and taken care of for a long time by the ZUNI.

I this story of this physical place that he found out about and went to , was an event . Some nations gathered, something happened, and they went off in different directions.
There was more, but I ain't going to say what.

He a ZUNI was telling us about the similarities of this to our story of ChicoMoztoc, Aztlan.

What it shows isn't proof of anything of course, but it does show the POSSIBILITY and validity of our story AND HIS and how wonderfully we are all related.

Dude even went on to tell us , even though he is Zuni, his people don't have a clear definition of what Zuni means or where the word comes from. I also believe he said they have their own name in their own language that is not "zuni". I don't remember that well on that.

and there are others from other nations as well , but thats all I'll say on that. you don't really need to know about all them. I'm sure if they wanted you to know , they'd have told you.

[koyoteh]

truth be told , we didn't just come only from the north. Thats just what people like to focus on. Mexicas are a result of different nations mixing with each other. As much as some nations may not like the idea of mixing , that is what happened for better or worse. The other nations , well some came from the south.

there was a cycle of people going north, then south, then north , then south , etc. Not saying who, just that it happened.

Big deal. That shouldn't be offensive or ruffle feathers, but somehow the idea does bother people.

The popol vuh mentions the Yaqui people . THey mention the direction they went. As you know the mayans were way down south.

somebody spread the way of the "feathered serpent". There's even mounds of the eagle and snake in the south east area of the u.s. but i forget where.

its no coincidence, and really no big deal, and no shit sherlock that people would say, right or wrongly, that "we are just coming back home". Doesn't mean we want to take your house, thats just paranoia.

Yeah you see it in the news, but the news is the main culprit of always creating paranoia. Its makes good ratings.

I always remember growing up , and still to this day , watch the news every year report "the worst storm of the century" "mother nature strikes" and such shit, and behind the newscaster would be some little kid and his dad splashing and having fun and just going about their day. Its all bullshit the news.