Nahua of the Huasteca - Religion and Expressive Culture
- Religious Beliefs. Nahua religious beliefs are generally a syncretic mix of Native American traditions and Spanish Catholicism; however, even in areas where Catholicism appears to prevail, beliefs tracing to pre-Hispanic ...
- Religious Practitioners. ...
- Medicine. ...
- Death and Afterlife. ...
Is Nahuatl religion pre-Hispanic?
Among both these groups, remnants of pre-Hispanic Nahuatl religion persist in combination with a Catholicism that retains much of the character of its sixteenth-century Hispanic origins. Folk Catholicism in most Nahuatl villages is more than a superficial veneer on a pre-Hispanic substratum; it constitutes the very meaning of village life.
What is the religion of Nahua?
Modern Nahua subscribe to a sort of quasi-Catholicism that fuses pagan traditions with Catholic religious beliefs and practices. In the 16th century, during the Spanish invasion, Catholicism was brought in and basically forced upon the indigenous tribes.
What does Nahuatl believe about nature?
NAHUATL RELIGION. Fright-illness and various other beliefs indicate that persons having strong — even tainted — natures enjoy more protection against evil than do persons with weak or sensitive natures. Indeed, nature as well as spirit is seen as a necessary and inevitable part of a person's total makeup.
What is the Nahuatl language?
The word ''Nahuatl'' actually means ''pleasant language.'' The language predates many of the most well-known Central and South American tribes and was still in use in the 16th century when Hernan Cortez and the Spanish explorers came on the scene.
Does the Aztec religion still exist?
Today the descendants of the Aztecs are referred to as the Nahua. More than one-and-a-half million Nahua live in small communities dotted across large areas of rural Mexico, earning a living as farmers and sometimes selling craft work. Most Nahua worship in the local church and take part in church festivities.
Is Nahuatl Mayan or Aztec?
Nahuatl language, Spanish náhuatl, Nahuatl also spelled Nawatl, also called Aztec, American Indian language of the Uto-Aztecan family, spoken in central and western Mexico. Nahuatl, the most important of the Uto-Aztecan languages, was the language of the Aztec and Toltec civilizations of Mexico.
Who did the Aztecs worship?
Prominent in the Aztec pantheon were Huitzilopochtli, god of war; Tonatiuh, god of the sun; Tlaloc, god of rain; and Quetzalcóatl, the Feathered Serpent, who was part deity and part culture hero. Human sacrifice, particularly by offering a victim's heart to Tonatiuh, was commonly practiced, as was bloodletting.
What were Aztecs religious beliefs?
The Aztecs, like other Mesoamerican societies, had a wide pantheon of gods. As such they were a polytheistic society, which means they had many gods and each god represented different important parts of the world for Aztec people. Whereas a monotheistic religion, such as Christianity, only has one god.
Did Aztecs fight Mayans?
No, not if by “the Aztecs” we mean the Aztec Empire, before the Spaniards came. There were Aztec garrisons on the Maya frontier, and very likely plans to attack. But then the Aztecs themselves were attacked - by the Spaniards.
Are Aztec and Mayan gods the same?
The Maya were polytheistic like the Aztecs, but they did not have any particular god, while the Aztec worship Huitzilopochtli as their main god. The Aztecs used a sacred calendar, a 365-day agricultural calendar, and their writing system was based on glyphs (symbols that stand for sound or words).
Who is the most powerful Aztec god?
Huitzilopochtli1. Huitzilopochtli – 'The Hummingbird of the South' Huitzilopochtli was the father of the Aztecs and the supreme god for the Méxica.
How many gods are there in Aztec religion?
200 godsScholars studying the Aztec (or Mexica) religion have identified no fewer than 200 gods and goddesses, divided into three groups. Each group supervises one aspect of the universe: the heaven or the sky; the rain, fertility and agriculture; and, finally, war and sacrifice.
Who is the main Aztec god?
Huitzilopochtli, also spelled Uitzilopochtli, also called Xiuhpilli (“Turquoise Prince”) and Totec (“Our Lord”), Aztec sun and war god, one of the two principal deities of Aztec religion, often represented in art as either a hummingbird or an eagle.
Why was Aztec religion so important?
Religion Ruled All of Life Religion permeated every aspect of Aztec life, no matter what one's station, from the highest born emperor to the lowliest slave. The Aztecs worshipped hundreds of deities and honored them all in a variety of rituals and ceremonies, some featuring human sacrifice.
Which god did the Aztecs sacrifice to?
the sun god HuitzilopochtliAccording to Aztec cosmology, the sun god Huitzilopochtli was waging a constant war against darkness, and if the darkness won, the world would end. The keep the sun moving across the sky and preserve their very lives, the Aztecs had to feed Huitzilopochtli with human hearts and blood.
How did the Aztec worship their gods?
The Aztecs built temples to honor their gods. Temples provided a place for the music of worship, a place for the private ceremony of personal bloodletting, and a place to conduct the many human sacrifices that the Aztecs believed were necessary to keep their gods happy.
What is the Nahuatl language?
Numerous superstitions pervade the Nahua religion, carrying the values of the people along with it. Finally, the language of the Nahua, Nahuatl, still has a strong presence in the Americas with indigenous people, sometimes to the exception of the European languages that could have supplanted them.
What is the culture of Nahua?
The culture of the Nahua comes through in their close ties to nature. There is still an understanding that nature shapes much of the lives of the people. Families and communities are also highly valued and tight knit. Their dance, poetry, and music included ceremonial aspects of their religion and of everyday life.
What are the Nahua people?
The Nahua people of Mesoamerica are a group of Native Americans originally associated with the ancient Aztec people. While the modern Nahua people have very different views, the ancient culture, religion, and language continue to influence the Nahua. Updated: 06/10/2021.
Where did the Nahua originate?
The Nahua people of Mesoamerica are a group of Native Americans originally associated with the ancient Aztec people. The Nahua tradition included several different dialect groups throughout the region of modern day Mexico. The language itself is estimated to be around 5,000 years old, originating around the time of ancient Egypt and other eastern cultures.
What did the Nahua people produce?
They produced and traded copious amounts of corn, tobacco, beans, cacao, and various other staple crops.
Where did the Nahua people live?
The Nahua people have lived in the Mesoamerica region for at least 5,000 years. As a result, many peoples have adopted and continued elements of Nahua culture, including in native tribes throughout Central America, South America, and Canada (especially through language patterns).
How old is Nahua?
The language itself is estimated to be around 5,000 years old, originating around the time of ancient Egypt and other eastern cultures. The Nahua people actually were one of the earliest progenitors of the tribes of Mexico and Central America. Their culture, language, religion, and society influenced all who came after them.
What language family is Nahuatl?
Language of the Nahuan branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Nahuatl. Aztec, Mexicano. Nāhuatl, Nāhuatlahtōlli, Mēxihcatlahtōlli, Mācēhuallahtōlli, Mēxihcacopa. Nahua man from the Florentine Codex. The speech scrolls indicate speech or song. Native to.
What was the Nahuatl language?
After the conquest, when Spanish colonists and missionaries introduced the Latin alphabet, Nahuatl also became a literary language. Many chronicles, grammars, works of poetry, administrative documents and codices were written in it during the 16th and 17th centuries. This early literary language based on the Tenochtitlan variety has been labeled Classical Nahuatl. It is among the most studied and best-documented languages of the Americas.
What language is Pochutec?
General Aztec encompasses the Nahuatl and Pipil languages. Pochutec is a scantily attested language, which became extinct in the 20th century, and which Campbell and Langacker classify as being outside general Aztec. Other researchers have argued that Pochutec should be considered a divergent variant of the western periphery.
What branch of Uto-Aztecan is Nahuatl?
In the past, the branch of Uto-Aztecan to which Nahuatl belongs has been called Aztecan. From the 1990s onward, the alternative designation Nahuan has been frequently used instead, especially in Spanish-language publications. The Nahuan (Aztecan) branch of Uto-Aztecan is widely accepted as having two divisions: General Aztec and Pochutec.
How long has the Nahuatl language been in contact with Spanish?
Nearly 500 years of intense contact between speakers of Nahuatl and speakers of Spanish, combined with the minority status of Nahuatl and the higher prestige associated with Spanish has caused many changes in modern Nahuatl varieties, with large numbers of words borrowed from Spanish into Nahuatl, and the introduction of new syntactic constructions and grammatical categories.
Where is Nahuatl spoken today?
Today, a spectrum of Nahuan languages are spoken in scattered areas stretching from the northern state of Durango to Tabasco in the southeast. Pipil, the southernmost Nahuan language, is spoken in El Salvador by a small number of speakers.
What is the terminology used to describe varieties of spoken Nahuatl?
Terminology. The terminology used to describe varieties of spoken Nahuatl is inconsistently applied. Many terms are used with multiple denotations, or a single dialect grouping goes under several names. Sometimes, older terms are substituted with newer ones or with the speakers' own name for their specific variety.
What are Nahua beliefs?
Nahua religious beliefs are generally a syncretic mix of Native American traditions and Spanish Catholicism; however, even in areas where Catholicism appears to prevail, beliefs tracing to pre-Hispanic practices often remain strong. The sun has been syncretized with Jesus Christ and is seen as a remote creator deity.
What is the name of the shaman in Nahua?
In more traditional Nahua communities, the primary religious specialist is the shaman, called tlamatiquetl ("person of knowledge"). These shamans may be either male or female, and they undergo an apprenticeship under an established master before practicing on their own. Other specialists include midwives, and, in more acculturated communities reflecting Catholic influence, catechists and prayer leaders. Few Nahua communities have a resident priest. During the 1980s, under the influence of North American missionaries, some Nahua have become lay Protestant pastors.
What are the beliefs of the afterlife?
Death and Afterlife. Beliefs concerning the afterlife are in transition under influence from both the Hispanic dominant culture and late-twentieth-century Protestant proselytizing efforts. The fate of the soul is linked to the circumstances of death rather than being a reward or punishment for behavior. The yolotl soul, representing a person's life force, generally travels to an underworld place of the dead called mictlan, where it eventually dissipates. The tonali soul, linked to the personality, disappears at death. There is a widespread belief that the souls of those who die from water-related causes go to a kind of watery paradise. People who die prematurely are thought to become disease-causing wind spirits.
What do shamans do?
Both male and female shamans engage in the practice of cutting intricate and aesthetically powerful images of spirits from paper; as part of their religious observations, they also construct complex altars designed to be beautiful places. Medicine.
What is sacred geography?
A complex sacred geography is associated with mountains, springs, caves, lakes, arroyos, and the Gulf of Mexico. More acculturated communities may have a cult surrounding the saints.
Do Nahua have a priest?
Few Nahua communities have a resident priest. During the 1980s, under the influence of North American missionaries, some Nahua have become lay Protestant pastors. Ceremonies. The Nahua have a rich ceremonial life that is partially synchronized with the Catholic liturgical calendar.
Is the Sun a deity?
The sun has been syncretized with Jesus Christ and is seen as a remote creator deity. The moon-related Virgin of Guadalupe, a manifestation of the pre-Hispanic earth and fertility deity Tonantsin, is widely venerated. The pantheon incorporates a complex array of spirits representing manifestations of a unified sacred universe: earth spirits ...
Content
The Nahuatl culture, also known as Nahua, encompassed a series of native peoples that inhabited Mesoamerica in pre-Columbian times. Their common link was the language they spoke, Nahuatl. Among these groups, the Mexica and other Anahuac peoples stood out.
Origin
Although the Nahuatl culture was the majority in Mesoamerica, research on its origin has been very scarce. In many cases, the legends of each town have given some indications about their origin, but the historical data are not very abundant.
Presence in Mesoamerica
Researchers date the presence of the Nahuatl culture in Mesoamerica around 500 BC. It is known that, from that time on, the language used by the peoples of that culture spread to the west of the region, reaching even further to the south, such as Chiapas.
Geographic location
Much of the research on the extension of the Nahuatl culture is based on linguistic studies, since the language was the common link between all the peoples that made it up.
General characteristics of theNahuatl culture
The common element of all the Nahua peoples was that they spoke the Nahuatl language. Furthermore, their religious beliefs were very similar.
Language
The name of the Nahuatl culture comes precisely from the language they spoke. This language began to be established in the valley of Mexico around the 5th century AD. C. It is a language included in the Uto-Aztec linguistic family.
Writing
Before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, the Aztecs only had a script based on ideograms and pictograms. It was a very rudimentary system that only allowed the transmission of basic ideas.
What is a Nahuatl will?
For individual Nahua men and women dictating a last will and testament to a local Nahua notary ( escribano) became standard. These wills provide considerable information about individuals' residence, kin relations, and property ownership provides a window into social standing, differences between the sexes, and business practices at the local level. showing not only that literacy of some elite men in alphabetic writing in Nahuatl was a normal part of everyday life at the local level and that the notion of making a final will was expected, even for those who had little property. A number of studies in the tradition of what is now called the New Philology extensively use Nahuatl wills as a source.
Where did the Nahua people come from?
It is suggested that the Nahua peoples originated in Aridoamerica, in regions of the present day Mexican states of Durango and Nayarit. They split off from the other Uto-Aztecan speaking peoples and migrated into central Mexico around 500 CE.
What are the Nahuas called?
The Nahuas are also sometimes referred to as Aztecs. Using this term for the Nahuas has generally fallen out of favor in scholarship, though it is still used for the Aztec Empire. They have also been called Mēxihcatl [meːˈʃiʔkat͡ɬ] (singular), Mēxihcah [meːˈʃiʔkaʔ] (plural) or in Spanish Mexicano (s) [mexiˈkano (s)] " Mexicans ", after the Mexica, the Nahua tribe which founded the Aztec Empire .
What are the ethnic groups of Mexico?
Related ethnic groups. Indigenous people of the Americas and Mestizo. The Nahuas ( / ˈnɑːwɑːz /) are a group of the indigenous people of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The Nahuas comprise the largest indigenous group in Mexico and second largest group in El Salvador. The Aztecs were of Nahua ethnicity, ...
Where does the name Nahua come from?
The name Nahua is derived from the Nahuatl word-root nāhua- [ˈnaːwa-], which generally means "audible, intelligible, clear" with different derivations including "language" (hence nāhuat (i) [ˈnaːwat (i)] "to speak clearly" and nāhuatl [ˈnaːwat͡ɬ] both "something that makes an agreeble sound" and "someone who speaks well or speak one's own language"). It was used in contrast with popoloca [popoˈloka], "to speak unintelligibly" or "speak a foreign language". Another, related term is Nāhuatlācatl [naːwaˈt͡ɬaːkat͡ɬ] (singular) or Nāhuatlācah [naːwaˈt͡ɬaːkaʔ] ( plural) literally "Nahuatl-speaking people".
When did the Nahuas split from the main group?
The first group of Nahuas to split from the main group were the Pochutec who went on to settle on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca possibly as early as 400 CE. From c. 600 CE the Nahua quickly rose to power in central Mexico and expanded into areas earlier occupied by Oto-Manguean, Totonacan and Huastec peoples.
Where are the Nahuas from?
For other uses, see Nahua (disambiguation). The Nahuas ( / ˈnɑːwɑːz /) are a group of the indigenous people of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The Nahuas comprise the largest indigenous group in Mexico and second largest group in El Salvador. The Aztecs were of Nahua ethnicity, and the Toltecs are often thought to have been as well, ...
What was the Aztec religion?
In Aztec. Aztec religion was syncretistic, absorbing elements from many other Mesoamerican cultures. At base, it shared many of the cosmological beliefs of earlier peoples, notably the Maya, such as that the present earth was the last in a series of creations and that it occupied a…. Read More.
What is the Aztec culture?
The Aztec culture, successor of earlier civilizations, together with the associated Maya culture, laid great emphasis on astronomical observation and on a complex religious calendar.
What was the most elaborated aspect of the Aztec culture?
In pre-Columbian civilizations: Aztec religion. Perhaps the most highly elaborated aspect of Aztec culture was the religious system. The Aztec derived much of their religious ideology from the earlier cultures of Meso-America or from their contemporaries. This was particularly true during the final phase of their history, when….
Which two cultures worshipped the gods of fire?
The Aztec of Mexico and the Inca of Peru worshiped gods of fire with sacred flames, which the Inca ignited by concentrating the Sun’s rays with a concave metallic mirror.
Who was the Aztec god of sacrifice?
human sacrifice to the Aztec war god, Huitzilopochtli. Aztec priest performing a sacrificial offering of a living human heart to the war god Huitzilopochtli, illustration from a reproduction of the Codex Magliabecchi. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-USZC4-743)
What did the Virgin represent in Chicomecóatl?
A virgin chosen to represent Chicomecóatl, after having danced for 24 hours, was then sacrificed and flayed. The celebrant, dressed in her skin, reenacted the same ritual dance to identify with the victim, who was viewed as the goddess. Read More.
What are some of the traditions of the Nahuatl culture?
Some Customs and traditions of the Nahuatl culture Most outstanding are its curious ceremonies, painting and crafts, among others. The Nahuatl culture comes from a group of native Mesoamerica . In its origins they lived in different states of Mexico, at the moment small populations spread by all ...
Why is the Nahuatl language important?
The Nahuatl language and culture continue to be very important for the cultures and lives of non-indigenous populations, but they are in serious danger of becoming extinct because of Globalization , Hence the importance of recognizing its value and taking measures for its conservation and study.
What river is the Nahuatl community located on?
The largest community is located on the Balsas River. This culture has had a great impact on the Mexican culture. Foods as well-known as chocolate, tortillas and tacos were produced and consumed by the Nahuatl long before Columbus"discovered"America. He Nahuatl language And their cultural knowledge of plants, animals, mountains, rivers, ...
What is Nahuatl painting?
Nahuatl painting is considered one of the best-known popular painting styles in Mexico. You can find scenes that tell about community celebrations, their religious beliefs and daily activities. These paintings can be found on amate paper, ceramic or wooden figures.
What are other rituals?
Other rituals are rituals intended to heal illnesses, invoke rain or to stop it, pilgrimages to sacred places, purifications of newborn children, blessing houses, performing divinations and funerals.
How many people speak Nahuatl?
Today, their customs and traditions persist in existing indigenous communities. Their language is spoken by almost 1.2 million Mexicans. Its economy is based on the exchange of ...
What is the traditional house of Nahuatl?
The traditional house of Nahuatl culture is composed of one or two rooms and a large solar, is rectangular in shape and is built with wooden beams. In each house there is an altar. In areas where the climate is cooler they have walls made of reeds and branches covered with mud.
Who controlled the Aztec religion?
Religion was part of all levels of Aztec society. On the state level, religion was controlled by the Tlatoani and the high priests governing the main temples in the ceremonial precinct of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.
What gods did the Aztecs worship?
The Aztecs would often adopt gods from different cultures and allow them to be worshiped as part of their pantheon. For example, the fertility god, Xipe Totec, was originally a god of the Yopi (the Nahuatl name of the Tlapanec people), but became an integrated part of the Aztec belief system.
What is the nature of Teotl?
The nature of teotl is a key element in the understanding of the fall of the Aztec empire. It seems that the Aztec ruler at that time, Moctezuma II and the Aztecs, in general, referred to Cortés and the conquistadors as “ teotl “.
What are the three groups of gods?
Nicholson (1971) classed the gods into three groups according to their conceptual meaning in general Mesoamerican religion. The first group he called the “celestial creativity—divine paternalism group”. The second: the Earth-mother gods, the pulque gods, and Xipe Totec.
What was the Aztec ritual?
As with the impersonation of gods, Aztec ritual was often a reenactment of a mythical event which at once served to remind the Aztecs of their religion, but it also served to perpetuate the world by repeating the important events of the creation.
What are the celestial bodies of the Aztecs?
Each level is associated with a specific set of deities and astronomical objects. The most important celestial entities in Aztec religion are the Sun, the Moon, and the planet Venus (both as “morning star” and “evening star”). The Aztecs were popularly referred to as “people of the sun”. Many leading deities of the Aztecs are worshiped in ...
Who was the head of the Huitzilopochtli cult?
The Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan was the head of the cult of Huitzilopochtli and of the state religion of the Aztec empire. He had special priestly duties in different rituals on the state level. However, the Aztec religious organization was not entirely under his authority.
Content
Origin
Presence in Mesoamerica
Geographic Location
General Characteristics of Thenahuatl Culture
Language
Writing
Nahuatl Name Meaning
Feeding
Architecture
- Many of the great monuments built by the Nahuatl are still standing. This is possible thanks to the resistance of the materials used. The most important buildings were those for religious activities. They used to consist of four sides, each with its corresponding staircase, and a sanctuary at the top. The ornaments represented elements of nature, t...