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Tlazohtla
Itzel carries her Nahua heritage across borders from Tepetlixpa to Alaska. As a bilingual researcher, she has been actively engaged with the Abya Yalan (Latin American) diaspora community in Alaska since 2013, dedicating her work to community-based solutions and advancing Indigenous futurities.
Zagal´s research examines the intersections of Indigenous cultural heritage and intellectual property. Her scholarly work encompasses decolonial migration approaches, international human rights law, Indigenous food sovereignty, and community healing practices.
As an Indigenous Anthropologist, Itzel rejects neutrality; my work prioritizes Indigenous ways of knowing, foregrounding relationships and the process, so that community well-being becomes the primary measure of impact.
Itzel is also a mother, a wife, and a comadrita of many. In 2017, Itzel was given by Ernestina Rodriguez the traditional role of caring the popoxcomitl (ceremonial copal smoke) and the permission to share the ceremony across borders.
LATEST PUBLICATIONS: Published by the Alaska Humanities Forum
IT IS RUMORED that the Sonriente (the one who smiles) arrived in Alaska undocumented. Perhaps the mountains or snow made him curious, or maybe he came under the command of Tlazolteotl (the divinity of pleasure) to redeem his people…
LATEST PUBLICATIONS: Published by the Alaska Humanities Forum
ABYA YALA
Raíces Indígenas de Latinos en Alaska
Nuestras Raíces is part of Nuestra Huella, a project by Enlaces Alaska and the Anchorage Museum. The exhibition opens a dialogue between the past and present Indigenous peoples of Abya Yala in Alaska, focusing on three important themes: Memories of Flavor, Our Ancestors Live, and Women Weaving Life.
The exhibition is available starting October 4, 2024, at the Anchorage Museum.
LATEST PROJECTS
Roots: Indigenous Mexico in Alaska
This book compiles the study of 137 Indigenous pieces from the collection of the Museum of the North in Fairbanks, Alaska, exploring how these artifacts arrived at the museum, their origins, and their cultural significance. The project seeks to honor and dignify the Indigenous legacy, offering a deeper understanding of the rich history and meaning behind these pieces.
Indigenous Practices Honoring Life and Death from Mexico to Alaska
Article coauthored with Christina Edwin for Sibirica: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Siberian Studies focuses on the annual Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration held by the Latino community in Anchorage, Alaska, every November 2nd since 2004. The article underscored Día de Muertos as both a spiritual practice and a form of cultural resistance and solidarity.
Radio Sembranza: Abya Yala Alaska
Radio Sembranza is the first Spanish-language podcast produced in Anchorage, Alaska, for the entire Latin and Spanish-speaking community. In the program, we celebrate culture, traditions, and ancestral knowledge and flavors through the stories of our guests—individuals who are part of the Latinx community in Alaska and have found food to be their means of expression.
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Aquí se come dignidad: El tianguis de Ozumba
Short documentary that explores the practices of Buenvivir and food sovereignty at the ancestral market of Ozumba, State of Mexico, as an example of community resistance against the agro-industrial food model imposed by the capitalist system through supermarkets.
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Let's connect
I’m always open to collaborate and listen to wonderful stories and projects.
Feel free to reach out—I’d love to hear from you!