Sun Crown is my personal exploration into Viento Solar, a group in Northern Mexico that follows in the Lakota tradition from Northern USA. This is a long term documentary project about inner growth and personal development. Along the way I found many “regular” people with “regular” jobs doing amazing things; real feats of mind over body and faith based strength. This portion of “Sun Crown” focuses on one ceremony -Sundance- arguably the most significant in Lakota tradition. I am not yet allowed to share the more sensitive imagery I was able to document this past March 2021. Out of respect to tradition and those who allowed me to photograph them, I’m in the process of carefully curating and editing a sequence that may do justice to their devotion. Next year more will be added in that regard. My next step is further documentation of Hanblecha or Vision Quest, this next November 2021.

In the meantime, I’ll be posting Sundance images here. As I edit, develop and move forward with this part of the documentary, I’ll be posting moments and people with short descriptions of their time at Sundance 2021 Viento Solar.

Sun Dancer. Supplicant. Voice that leads songs, hand that leads the drummers. Mechatronics Engineer, buddhist; experienced Sun Dancer and seasoned sweat lodge runner.

Raul is a 60 year old State run power plant retired accountant. He’s danced 8 times and done Hanblecha 4 times and now he plans to work the fire 4 years (this is his first) on Sundance ceremonies to come; he tells me he wants to volunteer for cedar work after that. Here he is giving hot coal to Elizma (20) who is helping with Cedar.

Sun Dancer. Supplicant. College bachelor degrees in Accounting, Marketing, Business Management and 3 Master’s degrees in Senior’s Management , Education and Gestalt Formation. Has also taught at college level in the TEC Milenio system.

Anita is a 10 year experienced teacher, she teaches high school social studies and preschool. She’s certified to aid people who’ve suffered strokes, helping them relearn motors skills.

Sun Dancer, this is her first year at Viento Solar.

Irma María and Angel: freelance accountant and instrumentation technician specialized in thermographic inspections.

Angel is recently retired and together with Irma, they have been coming to Viento Solar for 5 years and Sundance for the past 3 years. They say they are very happy since they began following this path, they find peace, tranquility and health in it as well as a strong connection with The Great Spirit.

Víctor is an Electrician. It’s midnight, he is beginning the long night of taking care of the Fire.

He came to Viento Solar 4 years ago invited by his brother. This is the third year serving as a Fire Man at Sundance. His Hanblecha made a big change in life as well as working the Fire. “Being of service to others has made me a stronger person and helped me gain control of my life. I’m grateful for this, I’ve met new people -family- and had great experiences.

The Kitchen, where the other fire burns.

The unsung hero: the kitchen.
I've seen many women along the years (and some men) give all their time and effort to this difficult task. Whether in Hanblecha, the Kiva or Sundance, there are many mouths to feed. Maintaining a happy kitchen is not easy. And having a happy kitchen in the middle of nowhere, serving 3 times a day for 80-120+ people is quite a feat. Thanks to the hands that always give us warm food with great disposition. Coffee, tea, water and fresh fruit. It takes many hands to bring the kitchen to life.

These are Hector’s stakes, that’s dry blood on them from his previous dance. Sundancers are given 2 pieces of wood and they polish them to make stakes during purification days before Sundance begins. These are the stakes that will pierce them and where ropes will be tied to pull until skin tears and their offering or sacrifice is done. This is all voluntary and optional. Sundancers can choose to dance and fast with no obligation to make the sacrifice. It is however a trance like experience when they decide to go through with it. It’s liberating and helps them break mental barriers as well as heal in metaphysical ways.

This is what the leader of Viento Solar drives. He is a wise, humble man whose mission is to serve others. At some point years ago I saw him driving this truck with no rear window for some time and a piece of wood across the frame to support the roof. He calls it The Fire Claw which sounds fierce, but in Spanish claw translates to “garra” which colloquially also means “old rag”. This truck is indeed an old rag but it’s taken many people to their vision quest up in the mountains and brought them back as well. I’ve seen men and women praise life, thank God, bless water; troubled kids experience happiness by inclusion and supplicants making it through Vision Quest, and the joy of being taken back home on this very truck. This old but well used machine has been part of amazing moments in the lives of many. This “old rag” is victor of a thousand battles.

Héctor in the purification period a couple of days before Sundance begins. During this time Sundancers meditate and experience camaraderie while working and helping at camp chores as they prepare. This is all voluntary and optional. Héctor is a business owner of a small agency specialized in marketing consulting and strategy development for family run businesses.

Héctor. Weaving sage protections the night before it all begins.

Sun Dancer. Supplicant. Marketing bachelor’s degree with two master’s degrees: Strategic Marketing and Integral Gestalt.

A well grounded 20 year old Technical Chemist. She is there to help propitiate harmony between Dancers, prayers and spirits with cedar smoke.

Odette is a 25 year old musician focused on Mexican folk music, currently studying cello at Nuevo Leon Autonomous University in northern Mexico. She is joyfully quiet and keeps to herself. She’s at Sundance helping with Cedar, purifying the dancer’s circle and everyone around them. Her boyfriend is a Sundancer.

Cedar bearer, first year at Sundance.

Cristina is retired from lumberyard business and currently enjoying dealing in real estate. She is Leader of the women at Viento Solar.

Sun Dancer, Supplicant. She has danced 18 years and gone on Vision Quest 5 times. I’ve known her for years and she’s always quick with humor and filled with love for the work; she is tireless, dedicated and always ready to help.

This is Cesar’s 5th year at Viento Solar.

César is finalizing paperwork for his internship to be handed in as thesis to obtain his bachelor degree in leisure management.
He's an avid sportsman: climber, trailing enthusiast, bicycle user) main transportation) open water PADI level 2 certified diver and third dan Tae Kwon Do black belt. He got a job as a construction worker in skyscraper in Mexico City to learn about rope progressions. He's aiming to get his tourism board certificate as an adventure tour guide.
He's currently more invested in his spirituality than making money, doing handy work as a day player to sustain himself.
"Each experience is unique and unmatched. It's difficult to put into words when you feel connected with everything, in harmony, tuned in and fluid in thoughts, words and actions."

Juanma’s wife looks at his back. She’s checking his wounds after making his sacrifice as a Sundancer. His skin tore from where he was hung by wooden piercings in his back.

This is Gaspar at Sundance 2021 at Viento Solar. He is finishing “weaving” his prayers, which are small tobacco filled pieces of fabric in red, yellow, white and black colors. Each has an intention and prayer. These will be tied on to the Sacred Tree on the first day of the ceremony and will stay there for the entire year until next Sundance when they will be removed to be incinerated.

Lupita is 14 years old and this is her 3rd Sundance and has gone twice on Hanblecha, first one when she was only 12! It’s impressive that even though she is just a kid and behaves like one in front of the camera, she has a very clear idea of what these ceremonies mean for here and what they mean in her life.

Juan Manuel. After four days fasting, dancing and having hung from a tree until the skin on his back tore, he sat at the drum and played with unbelievable vitality.

Sun Dancer. Supplicant. Civil Engineer, volunteer firefighter and in training to volunteer as paramedic.

Beautiful morning at Viento Solar. Sundance 2021.

Beautiful morning at Viento Solar camp. Sundance is underway. Sun Dancers have come here to put themselves in the presence of the Great Mystery. These grounds become shared space for men, women and spirits.These are sacred moments.

Eder de Jesús and Rosy.
Together they will help Sundancers make their sacrifice. The small stakes that pierce Sundancers chests, backs or arms will be tied with a rope that runs across the sacred tree and on to Eder. When the signal is given he will ride Rosy, tearing the stakes from the Sundancer's body; the sacrifice will be done and the Sundancer will be free to run around the circle to take his/her place again and continue to dance until Sundance is over.

Since he was 7, Eder has loved horses. A man near his home in Guadalajara used to have some out and he was there all the time, self taught. He lives of permaculture, bio-construction and urban orchards. He’s danced at Sundance 6 times. He comes to Viento Solar to sing and play the drum, having started 10 years ago at “Raices de la Tierra” and “Amatlán de Quetzalcóatl” after that.

Miguel is a long time Viento Solar friend. He’s a graphic designer and musician. He’s had his differences with VS leaders, but he’s come back.

Veteran of many years at the fire and sweat lodge, avid musician and electronica composer, passionate about following inner truth, he is a fighter sometimes misunderstood.

Miguel is a special kind of person, interestingly radical, yet this year he came tame as never before. He has been a Supplicant before and he’s come to Sundance to serve and offer his voice at the drum. Many years ago he asked me to be his support on Hanblecha. He told me I visited him by night -even though I was miles away at camp- and that unbeknownst to me, I am a Nahual, a human who can shapeshift into animal form… man how I wish that were true.