In this post I will focus on talking about the influences on what is today known as traditional Mesoamerican medicine.
No one knows exactly since when humans have inhabited the area of MesoAmerica. What is known is that there has been human presence in this region for several millenia.
The Toltec culture is recognized as the mother civilization to all urbanized cultures of MesoAmerica. The Toltecs were idolized by the Mexica in ancient times, so much so that artisans and great orators were given the title of Toltec. Groups of Toltecs migrated southward the most famous of these migrations was the one carried out by the legendary leader Topiltzin son of Mixcoatl after having suffered a defeat during a civil war carried out by rival Toltec factions. These groups of Toltecs would contribute greatly to the formation of the civilization that would one day be known as the Mayans.
The Mexica in their oral and written history maintain that they originated in an Chicomoztoc (place of 7 caves) and lived in a "northern" area called Aztlan from which 7 Nahuan tribes escaped an oppressive regime and ended up settling in the Valley of Anahuac. After priests saw the sign of an eagle devouring a snake atop a cactus, which fufilled an ancient prophecy the mexica established the city of Tenochtitlan(present day Mexico city). Furthermore some Nahuan groups such as the Nicarao, Pipil, Lempira, Cacaopera and others continued to migrate further southward and settled in Central America.
The Maya Quiche in their sacred book known as the Popol Vuh speak of how the Creator Heart of Sky attempted to create human beings on various occasions and finally materialized this feat by making first man and first woman out of corn masa (meal). The Popol Vuh also speaks of how when the different mayan groups grew in number they dispersed themselves throughout Central America and founded their city-states. Most present day Mayans live in the southern part of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Honduras.
It is not my intention to leave out other indigenous groups of the area. The reason why I fail to speak about the Zapotec, Mixtec etc. is frankly because I dont know much about them due to the fact that I have concentrated on learning about my roots. Nevertheless without a doubt I can say that all of the indigenous groups of MesoAmerica have contributed to the history, culture and identity of the inhabitants of their respective regions.
In 1492 with the arrival of the Europeans to American lands the course of history of the peoples that had inhabited region for millenia was forever altered. In my opinion the arrival of the Europeans was a horrendous misfortune due to their arrival whole nations were violated, humiliated, and were forced to convert to Christianity and speak foreign languages or die by the sword. These aforementioned events lead to the sowing of the seeds of racism and intolerance against our peoples even in the present day.
The Europeans brought christianity, the medicinal knowledge they inherited from the greeks, romans and in the case of the Spaniards the Arab influences.
What happened when the two culturers collided was a syncretism where a base of indigenous ceremonies and cultures were covered with thin icing of Christianity and other european influences. What this means is that the majority of traditional mesoamerican of Mexico and Central America is comprised of indigenous elements and a smaller percentage by that which is wholly European/Christian.
Examples of this syncretism are the worship of Maximon, The Black Christ, Day of the Dead, use of tarot cards, hens during some ceremonies that require sacrifice, the use of candles with images of saints plastered on them and the use of the rosary while praying to a mayan or nahuan being. There are many more examples of this syncretism they wil someway or another be touched upon in this blog over time.
This concludes part 1, I hope this has been an informative and educational post.
Ashta Nemanha Nuiknew (Nahuat: until next time)
No one knows exactly since when humans have inhabited the area of MesoAmerica. What is known is that there has been human presence in this region for several millenia.
The Toltec culture is recognized as the mother civilization to all urbanized cultures of MesoAmerica. The Toltecs were idolized by the Mexica in ancient times, so much so that artisans and great orators were given the title of Toltec. Groups of Toltecs migrated southward the most famous of these migrations was the one carried out by the legendary leader Topiltzin son of Mixcoatl after having suffered a defeat during a civil war carried out by rival Toltec factions. These groups of Toltecs would contribute greatly to the formation of the civilization that would one day be known as the Mayans.
The Mexica in their oral and written history maintain that they originated in an Chicomoztoc (place of 7 caves) and lived in a "northern" area called Aztlan from which 7 Nahuan tribes escaped an oppressive regime and ended up settling in the Valley of Anahuac. After priests saw the sign of an eagle devouring a snake atop a cactus, which fufilled an ancient prophecy the mexica established the city of Tenochtitlan(present day Mexico city). Furthermore some Nahuan groups such as the Nicarao, Pipil, Lempira, Cacaopera and others continued to migrate further southward and settled in Central America.
The Maya Quiche in their sacred book known as the Popol Vuh speak of how the Creator Heart of Sky attempted to create human beings on various occasions and finally materialized this feat by making first man and first woman out of corn masa (meal). The Popol Vuh also speaks of how when the different mayan groups grew in number they dispersed themselves throughout Central America and founded their city-states. Most present day Mayans live in the southern part of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Honduras.
It is not my intention to leave out other indigenous groups of the area. The reason why I fail to speak about the Zapotec, Mixtec etc. is frankly because I dont know much about them due to the fact that I have concentrated on learning about my roots. Nevertheless without a doubt I can say that all of the indigenous groups of MesoAmerica have contributed to the history, culture and identity of the inhabitants of their respective regions.
In 1492 with the arrival of the Europeans to American lands the course of history of the peoples that had inhabited region for millenia was forever altered. In my opinion the arrival of the Europeans was a horrendous misfortune due to their arrival whole nations were violated, humiliated, and were forced to convert to Christianity and speak foreign languages or die by the sword. These aforementioned events lead to the sowing of the seeds of racism and intolerance against our peoples even in the present day.
The Europeans brought christianity, the medicinal knowledge they inherited from the greeks, romans and in the case of the Spaniards the Arab influences.
What happened when the two culturers collided was a syncretism where a base of indigenous ceremonies and cultures were covered with thin icing of Christianity and other european influences. What this means is that the majority of traditional mesoamerican of Mexico and Central America is comprised of indigenous elements and a smaller percentage by that which is wholly European/Christian.
Examples of this syncretism are the worship of Maximon, The Black Christ, Day of the Dead, use of tarot cards, hens during some ceremonies that require sacrifice, the use of candles with images of saints plastered on them and the use of the rosary while praying to a mayan or nahuan being. There are many more examples of this syncretism they wil someway or another be touched upon in this blog over time.
This concludes part 1, I hope this has been an informative and educational post.
Ashta Nemanha Nuiknew (Nahuat: until next time)
No comments:
Post a Comment