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I just came back from L.A. California and I saw some Aztec Indians performing in Downtown L.A. I was wondering if anyone may know more information about their culture…….I’ve read a little bit about their culture in the history books, which is very very little information. But, I was wondering if they participate in North American Pow Wows? Or what about their customs? Differences with other Tribes/Native Americans/American Indians (please let me know what’s politically correct). Thanks!!
Erica:)
Hi Erica,
I’m Christina or mrs patino lol my husband is Mexica/Aztec be glad to answer any questions you have you can email directly if ya like also I’ve been a long time member here on and off. would love to help ya out!
Holla back,
Christina
Thank you so much for replying. I am not sure where to start….how about with the original questions asked? Thanks again, and feel free to send me a PM if you would rather not share on the thread. Thanks!!!!
Erica Lewis:)
Niltze! (hello) my name is juan patino, i am a mexica indian, living in michigan, maybe i can help with some of your questions,
well lets start with names, “Aztecs” is a term created by anthropologists to describe 2 things, 1. any and all peoples in mesoamerica that spoke the nahuatl language, 2. it referenced Aztlan, the origin of the seven tribes, that left the place of the seven caves to migrate to their current lands. when you think of aztecs you might be referring to the dancers, temple builders, or sacrifices, in which case you are actually talking about the Mexica, the leading tribe. the mexica left aztlan last (no one really knows where that was, but it may have been california or maybe even Utah) but they made their way down to the valley of mexico.
there are teachings that there were councils of elders of all native peoples that came together to discuss issues, in this way everyone knew what was going on. i have even heard stories that the mexica had something to do with the cherokee mound builders, so interactions is a yes. in the current pow-wow setting the aztec dancers tend to stick to their “performances” they are keepers of some teachings and traditions that may have otherwise been lost, not all mexica enjoy the performances of traditional dances, but they are an integral aspect of the living culture.
one difference is that the mexica are not recognized by the united states gov’ment but that does not take away from their existence.
Customs range from the way we recieve guests into our home to the understanding of the use of sacrifice. the mexica use the temazcal in the same way others use the sweat lodge, (they’re the same just different names) mexica are also conducting sundances in mexico, there are annual sun ceremonies at the ancient sun temples, and other ceremonies still carried out in the holy places of our people.
He forgot to address the political correctness issue, it just depends on the person, Juan would say he is Indigenous to the Americas and or Mexica, some tend to say Chicano/Xicano but some people dont like that term. It just depends on the individual really.
There were Aztec dancers at the Monacan pow wow last year. They were very good. Stunning regalia.
Thanks for the info, Juan, and welcome.
Really AUntie thats cool! They come to the Pow Wows here to Juan and I laugh becuase we ok ehemmm sssshshshshshs this is a secret LOL we have tried to do his peoples dances like in the privacy of our own home and we just fall to pieces laughing because it is really hard and very intricate steps, Juan can do the drumming though, he’s good at that part hehehehe. But the dancers are every where, there are a couple of main groups in the states but many of the groups travel from Mexico and back and to the pow wows in the summer and go to schools and do different exhibitions, Juan really doenst like the exhibitions because he feels it makes his people seem like a featured attraction, not much different than the Wild Bill western shows just different tribe now I guess. Does that make sence? He likes it but he doesnt like it… LOL
Even the Mexican flag refrences to the Mexica, The Eagle sitting on the cactus is one of their major stories ahh Juan would know, he’s out right now lol It was a sign for the Mexica to settle in the spot where they would see the Eagle upon the Cactus. I’ll find that out and clarify a little more. Juan had more to say but Joaquin dropped a toy on the key board and lost a bunch of info. He also wanted to mention the story keepers speak of the Federation of the Eagle and the Federation of the Condor. Mexico and North is the Federation of the Eagle, South of Mexico into South America is the Federation of the Condor. It’s all facinating really. I’ll have to get him back on at some point and tell the Mexica Creation story.
You know Auntie while we are on this topic, i have thought about this on many silent occasions on how this might have at one time effected our Migration. We being part of the Lakota and we being out east and the Mexica in the Lands where the Lakota are now, I think it paints a very interesting picture for the last 1000 Years. dont you. Even the Tsalagi/Cherokee have stories of the Mexica. The migrations were vast as were the trade lines, even the Maya ruins in Cancun, have articales found from the north as trade piececes. Mexico City/ Tenotchitlan and Chichenitza were huge cities and Trade centers, of the Indigenous world! It’s crazy, I wish someone would invent backword time travel LOL
Sooo um Erica did we help you out LOL, sorry I get started and it’s hard for me to sttop:D
I went to a Native American Art exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute last year. The relationship of the Cahokia (some mounds near St. Louis) art exhibits, the pots, statues, etc. to what I have seen of the Mexican art and archeology was really evident.
Techteach
Thanks so much for sharing this information about Mexica. It is quite interesting and I’ve been exposed to this information in past history classes:) I love this forum because I’ve learned so much about so many Native American cultures!!!
Erica Lewis
Thanks so much for sharing this information about Mexica. It is quite interesting and I’ve never been exposed to this information in past history classes:) I love this forum because I’ve learned so much about so many Native American cultures!!!
Erica Lewis
The mound culture made it all the way to the Pee Dee near present day Charlotte, NC. I visited the recreated village/mound and museum there the same time I was reading the book describing the Tutelo Spirit Adoption Ceremony. The ceremony goes on all night long, and ends at dawn. I pictured it being done atop one of those mounds, catching those early rays above the treetops. The ceremony is said to be very ancient, so that’s not unlikely.
Hi, All of you, the Aztec did a presentation in Salt Lake City 3 years ago and it was beautiful. There were a lot of Indians from different tribes there, the whole affair was very enlightening they expained a lot of their culture.
I think this is such an interesting topic because really, the Mexica, just like any other tribe is put into the history books, many dont understand that the culture is still thriving today and the seperation of a border limits our interaction in many ways, but yet they are our brothers and sisters as all the tribes here are. Actually just remembered when Juan and I visited Cancun one year we talked to this Mayan brother and he was saying that dont neccesarily have pow wows but that they have gatherings and festivals. Which Im sure exstend all over Mexico with the Mechica and not just limited to the Maya. There are so many factors of the puzzle, Any person you see of Mexican origin it’s clear you can look at them and see they are indigenous however, many dont want to label them selves that way, because it was beaten out of them, even one of Juans Grandmothers says Indians are dirty, why do you want to say your indian but the messed up part is that you can cleeearly see the woman IS indian, Thank Creator that his other Grandma remembers what their tribes are and loves that Juan is apart of his original peoples ways and reaclimating him self to the language and teachings of his people… A very difficult undertaking, I might add when you live all the way up in Michigan.
Im so glad that everyone is having good experiences with our Bros and Sisters from the south, it’s important that we embrace that and not seperate ourselves from them. Thanks everyone for posting on this topic! I still want to get Juan on here to tell their Creation story. All have a blessed Weekend!
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