“Hey everyone, it’s Xochitl back again with another Nahuatl lesson.” The sparkles emoji pops up with text saying “Happy Mother Language Day”.
“It’s international Mother Language Day, so what better to celebrate by paying tribute to my and probably your mother language, Nahuatl.”
Greenscreen opens up to map. “So many words we know today come from Nahuatl.”
“Nahuatl is the most widely spoken Indigenous language in North America. It belogs to the Uto-Aztecan family of language. It’s related to the Huichol language of Nayarit, the Yaqui and Tarahumara of Chihuahua, the Hopi of Arizona, and the Shoshone Indigenous language of Wyoming.”
“The Nahuatl language experienced it’s Golden Era in the 15th and early 16th century. During this time, the Nahautl language spread from Western Mexico to the Gulf Coast and even parts of Central America.”
Picture in background changes to a art recreation of a Nahuatl city, with the three names of the greatest cities, Tenochtitlan, Tetzcohco, and Tlacopan.
“These theee cities right here are the greatest empires of the Mexica People.”
New picture pops up of an ideogram of Nahuatl language.
“This right here is pictographics script, which is how the Mexica People used to communicate and write down their Nahuatl language. To this day, along with written manuscripts in Spanish, that’s how we preserve the Nahuatl classical language.”
Cacamatzin was a powerful nahual of the order of eagles. He was one of the Ahuízotl comrade in arms, accompanied him on numerous campaigns of conquest.
After the death of his friend, Cacamatzin became one of the teachers and counselors of Cuauhtemoc, the last Aztec tlatoani and son of Ahuízotl.
Cacamatzin was killed covering the withdrawal of several survivors during the siege of Tenochtitlan, the legend said has it that it took 10 Spanish soldiers and tlaxcaltecas to kill him.
Yaotécpatl was one of the most experienced warriors of the Mexica Empire in its heyday, and he was a powerful nahual.
He gain the range of tzitzimitl warrior with only 23 years old and participated in numerous campaigns of conquest taking numerous prisoners.
However, his greatest achievement was the single combat that he took against the tzitzimime released by owl nahuals who used powerful spells of necromancy.
He could kill the terrible monster, which wreaked havoc on the population of Chapultepec, but he had to sacrifice his life.
En Nahualitas encontrarás a las muñecas artesanales más folk de México Su nacimiento está inspirado por la magia de los pueblos originarios y la belleza de sus mujeres.
From a decolonization perspective, what is your opinion on this topic? I have seen several art prints with La Virgen wearing zapatista style face coverings, which is strange to me. I understand its pop culture importance in current Chicanx culture, but in terms of indigenous history, how and where does la virgen fit in? I want to know your opinion! I wrote an essay about “Guadalupanismo”, and read the book by Francisco De La Maza on the topic (I really recommend this book as well).
CW: death positivity , trans surgery mention ️⚧️, and Bats ______________________________
In english and spanish translations of the Mayan legend, Camazotz is often called the “Death Bat” (“Zotz” meaning bat in the k'iche’ language). They are entities of the underworld and symbols of sacrifice, death, and the night.
While there are fearful tales of them in their native culture, it is important to remember that in many cultures - cosmic beings were not altogether viewed through the western lense of “good and evil”. In fact, in many pre-columbian mesoamerican philosophies the primary dichotmomy was Chaos and Order, with the universe existing in the balance between the two. (and as a physics loving person this makes my heart sing )
Camazotz (sometimes said to be one entity that was “he”, or many of a type of entity that were “they”) to me, is a symbol of natural forces embodying Life and Death. To die is to be unwoven, and return to the earth. To live is to be re-ordered from the unwoven universe. To sacrifice… is to give up personal safety or the order of the status quo - and is something I feel has been relevant to many communities in our ongoing fight for Justice. Though what we work for, is a system that does not make us sacrifice ourselves. ✊✊✊️⚧️️♿
I was REALLY thinking about bats and about my life in general. And yes! this is my Halloween pumpkin. I carved it on Dec. 25th even though I had it since mid October because of my top surgery making it hard to lift or use my arm muscles ️⚧️
(I like to think I sacrificed my chesticles,returned them to theChaos, and rebuilt the place my heart rests…)
I wanted to donate the pumpkin to @batworldsanctuary for the bats to snack on (they take donations!), but they can’t take carved ones .
A beautiful scene takes place in the old city of Tenochtitlan, where two Mexica princesses kiss under the afternoon sky, with a majestic view of the Iztaccihuatl mountain in the backgound.
Clickhere for a print and much more art at my Corazon Mexica shop!
This painting is a devotional image of Xochiquetzal and Xochipilli, the Plumed Blossom and the Prince of Flowers. She is the Teotl of love and the feminine arts, he the Teotl of spring, hallucinogenic plants, the Sun in the morning, venereal disease, and the masculine arts. The whole is an illustration of the concept of duality; the two Teteo are one and the same time brother and sister, husband and wife, and the very same being. In the painting They therefore stand back to back, and yet are joined by a single spinal column, so that the two are revealed as being a single entity; male and female as one. They stand on the twined tree of Tamoanchan, which stands at the center of existence and represents the eternal revolution of the male and female principles of Tonantzin and Totatzin. From Their mouths emerge speech-scrolls marked with the glyph which signifies wisdom.
You can see this painting as a print in my Etsy store!
These are some details of my painting of Tlaltecuhtli, Earth Lady.
On either side of Tlaltecuhtli appear two Teteo, Mictlantecuhtli, the Lord of Death, and Tlaloc, Our Lord the Rain.
The land of the dead is under the earth, and the lords of rain live in the hollow mountains. Both are accessed by caves which pierce the earth. The joints, such as elbows and knees, are thought of as openings by which one can enter the body and the solid bones. Therefore, her joints are painted with Tlaloc faces, or, sometimes, with skeletal faces. These represent the caves by which one enters the world of the Teteo of death and rain. They also represent her two poles, of life and death, and of the duality which she incarnates.
At the feet of Mictlantecuhtli are two quail. The white spots on the quail’s feathers symbolize stars, and the quail is a symbol of the night time sky. At the feet of Tlaloc is a rattlesnake. The curving, sinuous body of the snake is like the movement of lightning across the sky, and like the curving of rivers as they wind across the earth. Both animals live in caves in the ground, and therefore are bridges between the dark and mysterious world of the Teteo beneath the earth, and the world of humanity on the earth’s surface.
You can find prints of Tlaltecuhtli in my Etsy store!
In recent years it has become evident that we need to create conscience on the damage that we are inflicting on our planet. Acting as a society is extremely important in order to make a change.
The Earth is Tonantzin, Our Beloved Mother, who gives birth to us, nourishes us, and finally devours when we die. She receives different names: Coatlicue, She of the Serpent Skirt; Cihuacoatl, Serpent Woman; Cipactli, the Earth Alligator, or Tlaltecuhtli, Earth Lady/Lord.
Our ancestors were aware of the complete dependence of humans towards the Earth. This is why they had a relationship of reciprocity with Her, repaying what She gave them, offering all things precious, hard and joyful. They knew that extraction without retribution is theft, so they were very cautious that nothing was taken from the Earth without asking for permission and without giving Her something in return. Working in the fields, for example, weeding, planting, watering and looking after the crops is a kind of “payment” Her abundance.
Today this balance has been broken. We no longer thank the Earth, and we no longer give Her back what She gives us. Earth Day is an opportunity to remember our responsibility and to take action so that we stop harming our wounded Mother
Our ancestors saw humans not as completely feminine or masculine beings, but as a combination of both qualities.
Every person has a side that is spiritually wet, cold, fertile and dark, and another dry, hot, sterile and luminous side.One of the names of this painting, Cihuaoquichtli, means Man-Woman. This is why it is called Man-Woman Duality as well. It also shows the position of the days of the Sacred Calendar in the human body.
This painting, along with Life-Death Duality, will be on display at my show at Art Bug Gallery! The opening is on Saturday!
In this exhibit you will be able to see my original painting of Ometeotl, which metaphorically represents the Mesoamerican creator divinity. Ometeotl, Dual Lord and Lady, are everything that exists. They are creator and creation, painter and painting, mother/father and son/daughter. They are all which we understand as reality, placed in time and space.In this painting the main Teteo appear intertwined to represent that They are all but faces of Ometeotl, and to remind us that all life is connected through Their love and generosity.
The Triptych of Maguey, the sacred plant of Mesoamerica, will be on display at this show! It consists of the central painting, in which appears Mayahuel, Lady of Maguey, and two accompanying paintings of Pahtecatl, Lord of Pulque, and Ometochtli, Lord of Drunkenness.
Our ancestors considered alcoholic beverages to be a means of communication with the Teteo. Drunkenness is a state of divine connection, through which inspiration, devotion, love, violence and courage are shared with us.
You can find these paintings as prints in my Etsy store!
My painting Patlache or Owner of Wild Cacao is part of a series that explores queer identities in Mesoamerica.
Sources are scarce and contradictory, and little information can be obtained about sex and gender diversity in ancient times. However, there are few cases of what we would call today “queer” identities were registered in colonial manuscripts.
A patlache or owner of wild cacao is a word apparently used to describe a lesbian woman or a trans man. Here are two types of patlache sharing a moment of cacao collection.
You can find this painting as a print in my Etsy store! Click here!
My painting Xochihua or Owner of Flowers is part of a series that explores queer identities in Mesoamerica.
Sources are scarce and contradictory, and little information can be obtained about sex and gender diversity in ancient times. However, there are few cases of what we would call today “queer” identities were registered in colonial manuscripts.
A xochihua or owner of flowers is similar to a modern queer man and this word usually describes gay men.
You can find this painting as a print in my Etsy store! Click here!
This is my oil painting of Tonalco Tlaltecuhtli, the Earth during the dry season.
Tlaltecuhtli is the Earth Lord and the Earth Lady. She is the Earth itself; Her elbows, breasts, and belly are mountains, Her navel, the hollow of Her throat, the folds that wrap across Her stomach are valleys, and Her mouth and womb caves, entrances by which to enter her body. She is all abundance and all life, but likewise, She is the tomb who shall swallow us all in the end. We do not have four seasons in Mesoamerica, but rather two, Xopan or rainy season, and Tonalco or dry season. As Tonalco Tlaltecuhtli, Her body is painted yellow, to represent the yellow grass of Winter. She is dry, tired, and lacks the energy for growth and life.
I’ll be explaining more details about this painting in other posts!
Tlaltecuhtli will be on display at my upcoming show at Art Bug Gallery in LA! You can also find Her as a print in my Etsy store! Click here!
The yacametztli or Moon nose ring is an element of the regalia of the Pulque Lords. These deities are associated with darkness, humidity and the feminine side of the cosmos. The Moon incarnates the feminine principle, subtlety, fertility and cold, spiritual qualities found in pulque, which is seen as the milk with which the Earth feeds Her children. In the paintings of Pahtecatl, Lord of Medicine, and Ometochtli, Lord of Drunkenness, They both bear a yacametztli, symbolizing Their relation with the qualities of pulque.
The paintings of Pahtecatl and Ometochtli will be on display at my upcoming show at Art Bug Gallery. Click here to see prints of Them!
Cinteotl or Centeotl is the Lord of Maize, whose body is our food and our flesh. Centeotl is also the patron of cacao, the complementary opposite of maize. While one is a solar plant, associated with the Heavens, dryness and the masculine side of the cosmos, the other is a lunar plant, related to the Underworld, humidity and the feminine principle. This is why Centeotl is also the incarnation of duality and balance. Here I presented Him as Lord of the Plant of Cacao, which represented creativity, inspiration and sex.
This piece is part of a series that will be on display at Art Bug Gallery from April 23!
This painting is part of the story of the creation of the Fifth Sun, which is the sun under which we live. The Lord of Snails and Nanahuatzin, the Syphilitic Lord, leapt into the Spirit Fire. The Lord of Snails grew afraid when he felt the extreme heat of the Spirit Fire, and held back. Nanahuatzin, however, fearlessly went forward and leapt into the heart of the Spirit Fire. The Lord of Snails, when he saw this, felt ashamed, and leapt also into the Spirit Fire, but even then, because of his cowardice, he leapt only into its coals and ashes, where he too was consumed by the fire. In honor of the sacrifices of the two Teteo, the jaguar and the eagle leapt over the flame, thereby proving their bravery and acquiring their stripes and spots from the smoky ashes of the fire. The sacrificed Teteo arose in the East as two great suns. The gathered Teteo threw a rabbit in the face of the Lord of Snails, thus dimming his brilliance and transforming him into the Moon.
This painting will be on display at Art Bug Gallery! You can also find it as a print in my Etsy store! Click here!
This painting will be on display at my upcoming show at Art Bug Gallery!
It represents the duality of life and death, one of the main concepts of Mesoamerican thought. Our ancestors did not see life and death as two different things, but as two faces of one same truth: that which is alive nourishes death, just as death gives origin to new life, in a neverending cycle.
If you are in LA, do come visit my show! It opens on April 23rd!
bMonkeys are animals associated with cacao and chocolate, and their relation was possibly expressed through a creation story that has been unfortunately lost to time. Depictions of this narrative, however, were preserved.
Since they are related to light-heartedness and sex, monkeys are linked to the aphrodisiac characteristics of cacao and chocolate. They are also nahualtin or spirit animals of Quetzalcoatl, Lord of Creation, who taught agriculture, writing and preparation of maize and cacao to the first humans.
This painting is part of a series of designs I made for a set of ceremonial chocolate vessels. It will be on display at my upcoming show at Art Bug Gallery in Los Angeles!
This mummy was found in the late 19th century in Oaxaca, Mexico, and is inaccurately known as the “Toltec mummy”. This preserved body is unique to Mesoamerican archaeology for it is the only one on which tattoos have been discovered. Although it was traditionally considered to be the body of a male governor, recent studies show it belongs to a woman, whose important role in her society is represented in her collection of tattoos. Some of these tattoos might symbolize water waves, and thus fertility and nurturance.
Tattooing was a common practice in the past, as evidenced by depictions of individuals with marks on their body, but examples of tattooed corpses are extremely scarce, as flesh and skin are rarely preserved. Here are some examples of sculptures and figurines of tattooed people. The last image is a detail of my painting Le Nahual, in which a tattooed shaman transforms into his spirit animal. You can find this painting as a print in my Etsy store! Click here!
This is a xiquipiltontli or bag used by the danzantes for transporting offerings and other elements used in Mexicayotl ceremonies, such as flowers and copal.
Depictions of these bags can be found in sources as ancient as Olmec sculptures. They also appear in codices from the time of the conquest and are part of the ritual regalia of many contemporary indigenous groups.
You can see various models of this xoquipiltontli or bag in my Etsy store! Click here!
