Aztec mythology is the body or collection of myths of the Aztec civilization of Central Mexico. The Aztecs were Nahuatl -speaking groups living in central Mexico and much of their mythology is similar to that of other Mesoamerican cultures. According to legend, the various groups who became the Aztecs arrived from the North into the Anahuac valley around Lake Texcoco . The location of this valley and lake of destination is clear – it is the heart of modern Mexico City – but little can be known with certainty about the origin of the Aztec. There are different accounts of their origin. In the myth, the ancestors of the Mexica/Aztec came from a place in the north called Aztlan , the last of seven nahuatlacas (Nahuatl-speaking tribes, from tlaca , "man") to make the journey southward, hence their name "Azteca." Other accounts cite their origin in Chicomoztoc , "the place of the seven caves", or at Tamoanchan (the legendary origin of all civilizations).
24-616: In Aztec mythology , the Centzonhuītznāhua ( Nahuatl pronunciation: [sent͡sonwiːtsˈnaːwa] or, the plural, Centzon Huītznāuhtin , [sent͡sonwiːtsˈnaːwtin] ) were the gods of the southern stars . These "four hundred" (i.e. innumerable) brothers appear in some versions of the origin story of Huītzilōpōchtli , the god of the sun and war. In these myths, the Centzonhuītznāhua and their sister Coyolxāuhqui feel dishonored upon learning that their mother,
48-438: A "decolonial imaginary" which will allow them to transform their realities. Tupac Enrique Acosta describes Quetzalcoatl as follows: "from the memory of our identity, the knowledge of our collective history, we draw the perspective that draws us to the contemporary reality [and] from this orientation we achieve stability [to become] a mature human being." Huitzilopochtli represents the will to act, encouraging students "to act with
72-410: A new age. Although the world and the sun had already been created, it would only be through their sacrifice that the sun would be set into motion, and time (as well as history, could begin.) The strongest and most handsome of the gods, Tecuciztecatl , was supposed to sacrifice himself but when it came time to self-immolate, he could not jump into the fire. Instead, Nanahuatl the smallest and humblest of
96-490: A process of "reflection, action, reconciliation, and transformation." Utilizing the framework has been described as an effective way to combat historical trauma , particularly for Chicana/o and Latina/o students. Educators at the Xicanx Institute for Teaching & Organizing describe the concept as follows: The Nahui Ollin represents the cyclical movement of nature with respect to the four directions. The Nahui Ollin
120-400: A series of catastrophic earthquakes or one large earthquake that will lead to a period of famine and darkness. Ollin has been described as being composed of four (Nahui) concepts, Tloke ("what is near") or the principle of generation, Nahuake ("what is closed") or the principle of congregation, Mitl ("arrow" or "direction") or the principle of displacement, and Omeyotl ("dual essence") or
144-468: A spirit that is positive, progressive, and creative." The willingness to act is described by Tupac Enrique Acosta as essential to the physical act of survival and the work of sustaining oneself through self-discipline, which provides "a means of maximizing the energy resources available at the human command which in order to have their full effect must be synchronized with the natural cycles." Arce describes that Huitzilopchtli "as praxis, presents students with
168-553: Is a fundamental concept in Aztec/Mexica cosmology, a guide for everyday life and decisions. The objective is to constantly strive for balance, even when there is struggle. The Nahui Ollin uses cultural concepts representing community, knowledge, education, will power, transformation, and most importantly, self-reflection . The Nahui Ollin is composed of traditional Aztec ideologies, including the concepts of Tezcatlipoca , Quetzalcoatl , Huitzilopochtli , and Xipe Totec . The Nahui Ollin
192-508: Is both the end and the beginning, and is described by scholar Curtis Acosta as representing "precious and beautiful knowledge... [and the need to] listen to each other with humility, respect, and love in order to become mature human beings who walk in beauty." Arce states that this involves the work of guiding students through "critically analyzing the social realities that are steeped in their collective historical memory," and from this positionality being able to form what Emma Pérez describes as
216-424: Is used as a culturally responsive method of teaching and ultimately supporting the development of harmony and balance of the mind, body, spirit, and community. In the educational framework, Tezcatlipoca represents self-reflection, "silencing the distractions and obstacles in our lives, in order become intellectual warriors." Tupac Enrique Acosta describes Tezcatlipoca as "a reflection, a moment of reconciliation of
240-570: The Coat of Arms of Mexico . According to legend, when the Mexica arrived in the Anahuac valley around Lake Texcoco , they were considered by the other groups as the least civilized of all, but the Mexica decided to learn... and they took in all that they could from the other people, especially from the ancient Toltec (whom they seem to have partially confused with the more ancient civilization of Teotihuacan ). To
264-559: The Five Suns , describes four great ages preceding the present world, each of which ended in a catastrophe, and "were named in function of the force or divine element that violently put an end to each one of them". Coatlicue was the mother of Centzon Huitznahua ("Four Hundred Southerners"), her sons, and Coyolxauhqui , her daughter. At some point, she found a ball of feathers and placed it in her waistband, thus becoming pregnant with Huitzilopochtli . Her other children became suspicious as to
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#1732872221593288-608: The Aztec, the Toltec were the originators of all culture; " Toltecayotl " was a synonym for culture. Aztec legends identify the Toltecs and the cult of Quetzalcoatl with the legendary city of Tollan , which they also identified with the more ancient Teotihuacan. Because the Aztecs adopted and combined several traditions with their own earlier traditions, they had several creation myths . One of these,
312-510: The South." At an island in Lake Texcoco , they saw an eagle , perched on a nopal cactus, holding a rattlesnake in its talons. This vision fulfilled a prophecy telling them that they should found their new home on that spot. The Aztecs built their city of Tenochtitlan on that site, building a great artificial island , which today is in the center of Mexico City . This legendary vision is pictured on
336-401: The fourth sun ended, Nahui Ollin emerged "from the remnant matter of an earlier age of humanity." It is believed that Quetzalcoatl traveled to Mictlān (underworld or land of the dead) to gather bones from the previous age and initiate a process of re-birthing humanity after its previous catastrophic end. According to sources describing Aztec belief, the fifth world will too be destroyed through
360-491: The goddess Cōātlīcue , had become impregnated by a ball of feathers that she had tucked into her bodice. The children conspire to kill their mother, but their plan is thwarted when, upon approaching their mother, Huītzilōpōchtli sprang from the womb—fully grown and garbed for battle—and killed them. Huītzilōpōchtli beheaded his sister Coyolxāuhqui , who became the moon. Huītzilōpōchtli chased after his brothers, who, in fleeing their brother, became scattered all over
384-547: The gods, who was also covered in boils, sacrificed himself first, and jumped into the flames. The sun was set into motion with his sacrifice, and time began. Humiliated by Nanahuatl's sacrifice, Tecuciztecatl, too, leaped into the fire and became the moon. Nahui Ollin Nahui Ollin is a concept in Aztec / Mexica cosmology with a variety of meanings. Nahui translates to "four" and Ollin translates to "movement" or "motion." Ollin
408-401: The identity of the father, and vowed to kill their mother. She gave birth on Mount Coatepec, pursued by her children, but the newborn Huitzilopochtli (born fully armed and prepared to fight) defeated most of his brothers, who then became the stars. He also killed his half-sister, Coyolxauhqui , by tearing out her heart using Xiuhcoatl (a blue snake) and throwing her body down the mountain. This
432-643: The past with the possibilities of the future... It is the 'Smoking Mirror' into which the individual, the family, the clan, the barrio, the tribe and the nation must gaze to acquire the sense of history that calls for liberation." Scholar Martín Sean Arce describes this as "a process to regain the historical memory at the individual and community collective levels, which leads to individual and community liberation." This process of coming to know oneself through an Indigenous epistemology has been notably successful among Xicana/o youth in leading them to "embrace their identities and foster their academic success." Quetzalcoatl
456-531: The principle of integration. Nahui Ollin is also described as referring to the four directions, although not being limited to these directions in a static or rigid way. Scholar Gabriel S. Estrada states that "as cosmic movement, ollin is all movements at once that are both orderly and chaotic. Paradoxically, it defies human understanding even as it motivates all human movement." Nahui Ollin has been adopted as an educational framework by various social justice and ethnic studies institutions to guide students through
480-488: The sky. The Centzonhuītznāhua are known as the "Four Hundred Southerners"; the gods of the northern stars are the Centzonmīmixcōa . This article relating to a myth or legend from Mesoamerica is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Aztec mythology The Mexica/Aztec were said to be guided by their patron war-god Huitzilopochtli , meaning "Left-handed Hummingbird " or "Hummingbird from
504-484: The will and courage to enact their positive, progressive, and creative capacities to create change for themselves as well as for their community." Xipe Totec represents transformation, which is described as the ultimate purpose of the Nahui Ollin educational framework. Transformation the need to "have the strength to discard what hurts us [in order to] identify what will help us make progress and move forward." Xipe Totec
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#1732872221593528-492: Was described by Tupac Enrique Acosta as "the source of strength that allows us to transform and renew. We can achieve this transformation only when we have learned to trust in ourselves." This brings together all three preceding concepts, in which transformation is a central aspect. Arce states that "transformations must be embraced and not resisted, the former ways of being and knowing must be shed, and new ways of being and knowing must be embraced, for to resist these transformations
552-490: Was primarily portrayed in Aztec codices as two interlaced lines which are each portrayed with two central ends. Nahui Ollin has been used as an educational framework, particularly in social justice and ethnic studies institutions. The concept is also described as alluding to the four preceding suns or ages in history. Nahui Ollin has been described as the fifth sun over our current world. Nahui Ollin has been described as "the sun ( Tōnatiuh ) in its four movements." When
576-409: Was said to inspire the Aztecs to rip the hearts out of their human sacrifices and throw their bodies down the sides of the temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, who represents the sun, chasing away the stars at dawn. Our age ( Nahui-Ollin ), the fifth age , or fifth creation, began in the ancient city of Teotihuacan . According to the myth, all the gods had gathered to sacrifice themselves and create
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