Indira González | XO.003

Indira | XO.003

extraORDINARY Series

Indira González

Indira González | Interview

Can you tell me about your background and who are you? Hello! My name is Indira González Bravo and I am Mexican. I am 30 years old, I studied Accounting and Finance at the Anahuac Mayab University in the city of Merida, Yucatan. Currently I undertakes a jewelry business and I am a cultural events promoter. I love spending time in contact with nature, to me is a way to charge myself of vitality and energy, I think that spending time in nature is a healing energy! I am a cheerful and friendly person so I enjoy traveling in company of friends and family, but I enjoy more travel alone occasionally because they are moments of introspection and self-knowledge I consider as the foundation of a full life. I like to practice yoga, especially an oriental meditation technique called Kundalini. I love this kind of meditation because it trains me to live each day with grace and harmony. It is a magical energy especially when there is live music because you release emotions and it is a way to know your body, you can be amaze of how wonderful and perfect it is and all that is able to transmit only through movements. I consider myself a person a hundred percent dedicated and committed to what I propose, I like to do things with passion and dedication. I like spending time with elderly people and children, the first are a source of infinite wisdom and the second are a source of innocence and pure and genuine fun. I want to know about the history of our ancestors, how they lived, what they believed, how they related, etc. I like meeting people different to me because I get excited and amazed that differences sometimes link us more. I am a rich person!!, That wealthy is not about money but memorable moments, I have many and I like working for more of them: family gatherings, meeting with friends, romances, learning, new experiences, challenges, travels, etc. But above all I am a blessed woman, having been born within a large and united family, who have supported me at all times, even in my madness. I have the best family and best friends ☺ . I think happiness is not what you have or what you do, but with whom you share what you have and what you do, and that's why, yes, I am very happy. What are you passionate about? Definitely music and dancing are my passions since childhood, mainly Reggae and Afro-Caribbean (punta, socca, calypso, Garifuna, dance hall, etc). This is a family legacy, because I have a happy family who like parties and dancing. My dad is responsible for the reggae that runs through my veins, since I remember he always played music of Bob Marley, UB40 and INNER CIRCLE... Always!!!! I am also passionate about meeting people from other countries, meet their beliefs, customs, traditions, music, gastronomy, history, clothing… in a few words, the cultural exchange. For these reasons I really enjoy music and attend to music and dance festivals and, of course, travel. You speak of your passion for African music, dance and culture, share how you got involved in this. I live in the Mexican Caribbean area, and it is well known there is a great African heritage in the Caribbean. So I grew up with this preference especially about food and music. However it was until a few years ago, I started to learn more about this culture in a more traditional way: through dance. I have been fortunate to take classes and workshops with excellent Mexican and African dance teachers with great preparation and years of experience, which motivated me to learn more about this interesting culture. I find fascinating the devotion with they live, it makes their daily lives a living tradition full of rituals that always have to do with dancing and music. You are also a big fan of reggae, where did this love for the music come from? Yes, I love the Reggae because it is a universal language of love and good vibes. Reggae knows no borders, languages, skin colors, cultures and ideologies, it has a single message: ONE LOVE, ONE HEART, and ONE PLANET!! My dad is responsible for this great love I feel for this music genre. He was born and raised in the Mexican Caribbean in a time where (people) heard more reggae than mariachis. Back then Chetumal was better connected with brother countries in Central America that the rest of the country. And that widely affected the cultural identity of the city of Chetumal, for example there are always popular festivals, formal parties, colorful carnivals involving live bands from Caribbean countries such as Belize and Jamaica. This the best legacy that has given me my dad, and I know we will always be united through Reggae. What are your plans for the future? My only plan is to keep learning what I like, live this philosophy of enjoying “the now” consciously. I'm excited about the idea of deepening into the cultural area in my state and promote it internationally; to keep attending more workshops, courses, festivals, concerts; to learn from other cultures, learn languages, to meet new and interesting people; I plan to enjoy while learning and I share what makes me feel alive and happy. My plan is to value time with my family and friends, my plan is not to lose the desire to learn continually, to keep ahead. My plan is to enjoy the journey that God guides. Among other things, I would like to create or participate in cultural, artistic, social or economic projects with a real purpose of social welfare. What are your thoughts about the future of Mexico? Mexico is one of the world's richest countries: it has natural resources, the most enviable flora and fauna. Mexico has eveeeeeeerything to get ahead, but we unfortunately focused more on violence, corruption, inequality and economic crisis, which folded down to us and beat us. We forget that we are responsible for the direction and future of our nation. I think every time, people are more aware of it and every time there are more who raise their voices and speak out against what keeps us to improve as a country, but especially beyond mass action manifestations (protests, demonstrations at streets), there is a need for for those who participate to do so responsibly and peaceful informing correctly. I believe that real change starts with oneself, making peace in our own minds and hearts, to be consistent with our actions. Being in peace and harmony with ourselves we will be able to vibrate love and understanding in our families, society, nation and so on. I think it is increasing the amount of people with this kind of collective consciousness, and it is why Mexico will overcome the political, economic and social crisis through which we are passing. Who are the great Mexicans who inspire you? First, my family. My mom, dad, brother and grandmother are my main source of inspiration. They are the living example of what is unconditional love, hard and honest work, perseverance and enthusiasm. My dance and yoga teachers inspire me to keep learning, to bet on what I love and do it often without excuses or pretexts. Also I have several friends who inspire me by its strength, its way of living life so easy and joyful, laughing despite the difficulties. Friends who inspire me by their great self-confidence and in what life has for them. Mexicans who inspire me are those who feel proud of it, they are hardworking, honest, cheerful and well done / do things well. What part of Mexico are you from, and what makes this place special? Uff !! I am from a beautiful city called Chetumal, capital of Quintana Roo state. It is a city with a very peculiar and interesting history, whose first human settlements were Mayan. Geographically it has a privileged location being part of the Caribbean. Even Chetumal was historically the Reggae gateway to Mexico. Such closeness to the “brothers” Caribbean countries, this made Chetumal a city that shares gastronomy and music mainly with them. It is a quiet and verdant city, it is a blessing to breathe clean air and listen to the birds in your window in the morning and evening, and have within the city a boulevard surrounding a beautiful bay. No need to leave the city to transport us to a small tropical paradise, we own it. The best thing is that around the city, a few minutes only, there are lagoons and cenotes whose crystalline waters are recognized worldwide. For these reasons I always say that I live in a little piece of paradise. I like that Chetumal preserves their Caribbean identity with old wooden houses even with the overwhelming passage/pace of modernity that involves large buildings and shopping malls. I feel really blessed by this land I wish someday to do something for it in return for how much it has given me. How would you like to change the world to be a better place? The first agent of change has to be me. If I vibe love, peace and harmony, my surroundings will change. And that's exactly what's difficult but not impossible: work on oneself. Every great change begins with one small. Do you think art can make a difference in the life of ordinary people? Of course, it is one of the most subtle of ways to change lives for the better, you find the freedom to express yourself as you are, to experience shapes, textures, rhythms and sounds without limits on yourself and others. It is also a subtle way to break free, to know, accept and love to yourself. Personally, I found much acceptance through dance. I learned to appreciate my body, take care (of it) to realize all I could achieve dancing. The same thing happens with Reggae, it is like a medicine for the soul. Reggae and African dance connect me in a special way with life. That is why I respect and admire artists who share their art, but better yet, artists who motivate and teach others to find the art that everyone has and sometimes we do not know how to develop it. Who is your favorite reggae artista? Bob Marley “the King” Protoje Luciano Fantan Mojah Hierba Santa (from Chetumal)