Aztec seeking return of ancient head-dress

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For seven years, Xokonoschtletl Gomora has marched in the Austrian countryside trying to reclaim a piece of his central American past.

The Nahuatl Aztec from northern Mexico has walked the length and breadth of the central European country to force the government to hand back an ancient Aztec head-dress.

"I'm sure we're going to get it back to Mexico," he said. "It will be the first time that the government does something for us, not something for themselves."

The Quetzal-Ketzalli, an arcing fan of green-feathers and gold, currently rests in the Museum of Ethnology in Vienna, Gomora said. He has spent the last several years trying to convince the Austrian government to relinquish the traditional Native ceremonies dress, worth more than $50 million.

Brought to Europe in 1524 as a prize for King Charles V of Spain, the head-dress is a Native cultural symbol that must only be worn by the Chief of the Aztec, Gomora said.

"I just want it back to the people that it belongs to. It belongs to the Maya, The Totonato, the Sapotaks, Otomi, the Seltal."

Gomora, along with a dozen other Mexican Natives, held a demonstration at the United Nations Conference on Human Rights.

Although seven years of demonstrations have failed to sway Austrian authorities, Gomora said this time was different.

"There was only, before, a 60-per-cent chance that we would get it back," he said. "Now with the conference, I felt there is a 90-per-cent chance."

In the last five years, Gomora and his supporters have gone on numerous country-wide marches, encamped on museum property, and even starved themselves for more than 40 days in an attempt to retrieve the head-dress.

To date, he has collected more than 500,000 signatures on at least three separate petitions. With 40 of his Native supporters in tow, Gomora presented a new petition, signed by an additional 103,000 Austrians, to the conference.

"I speak better German than English," he said. "So I speak to everyone. I'm always talking to people."

In addition to his following in Austria, Gomora said he has the backing of several Native political groups in Mexico and the United States, including the International Indian Treaty Council and the National League of American Indians.

Several attempts to discuss the matter with Austrian Minister of Culture Erhart Vicek have met no response, but Gomora remains unswayed.

"It is our history," he said. "It is our head-dress. I won't leave Austria until it is back with my people."