Information AboutHuitzilopochtli |
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In Aztec Mythology , Huitzilopochtli, also spelled '''Uitzilopochtli''', (pronounced ''wee-tsee-loh-poch'-tlee'') ("Hummingbird of the South", "He of the South", "Hummingbird on the Left (South)", or "Left-Handed Humming Bird" – ''huitzil'' is the Nahuatl word for Hummingbird ), was a god of war and a Sun God and the patron of the city of Tenochtitlan . He was also the national god of the Aztec s. As well as being a god of war and a sun god, he was also a god of death, young men, warriors, storms, and a guide for journeys. In the Nahua culture, many names have an esoteric meaning, known only to some. According Laurette Sejourne , in his book "Burning water" (sacred war) in Nahua maps, the South is at the left, and in the South is the paradise of the sun. Also, the souls of the dead warriors return to the earth as butterflies and hummingbirds, so the esoteric meaning of Huitzilopochtli is "the warrior soul from the paradise." GENEALOGY His mother was Coatlicue , his father a ball of feathers (or, alternatively, Mixcoatl ). His sister was Malinalxochi , a beautiful sorceress, who was also his rival. His messenger or impersonator was Paynal . The legend of Huitzilopochtli is recorded in the Mexicayotl Chronicle. His sister, Coyolxauhqui , tried to kill their mother because she became pregnant in a shameful way (by a ball of Feather s). Her fetus, Huitzilopochtli, sprang from her womb and killed Coyolxauhqui, along with many of his 400 brothers and sisters. He then tossed her head into the sky, where it became the moon, so that his mother would be comforted in seeing her daughter in the sky every night. HISTORY AND MYTH Huitzilopochtli was a tribal god, and a legendary wizard of the Aztecs, and originally was of little importance to the Nahua s, but after the rise of the Aztecs, Tlacaelel reformed their religion and put Huitzilopochtli at the same level as Quetzalcoatl , Tlaloc , and Tezcatlipoca , making him a solar god. So he replaced Nanahuatzin , the solar god from the Nahua legend, with Huitzilopochtli. Huitzilopochtli was said to be in a constant struggle with the darkness, and he needed to replace his blood, hence the major sacrifices. The Nahuas believed the world would end like the other previous four creations. Every fifty-two years, they feared the world would end. Under Tlacaelel , Aztecs believed that they could give strength to Huitzilopochtli with human blood and thereby postpone the end of the world, at least for another fifty-two years. Ironically, the Aztec empire fell at the end of this cycle. The Great Temple of Tenochtitlan was dedicated to Huitzlilopochtli and Tlaloc because they were considered equals in power. Father Durán wrote, "These two gods were always meant to be together, since they were considered companions of equal power." (Diego Duran, Book of Gods and Rites) The Templo Mayor actually consisted of a pyramidal platform on top of which were twin temples. The left one was Huitzilopochtli's and the right one was Tlaloc's. According to Leon Portilla , in this new vision from Tlacaelel, the warriors that died in battle and women who died in childbirth would go to serve Huitzilopochtli in his palace (in the south, or left). From a description in the Florentine Codex, Huitzilopochtli was so bright that the warrior souls had to use their shields to protect their eyes. They could only see the god through the arrow holes in their shields, so it was the bravest warrior who could see him best. From time to time, those warriors could return to earth as butterflies. ART In art, Huitzilopochtli was represented as a Hummingbird (or with just the feathers of such on his head and left leg), a black face, and holding a Snake and a mirror. In the great temple his statue was decorated with cloths and feathers, gold and jewels, and was hidden behind a curtain to give it more reverence and veneration. According to legend, the statue was supposed to be destroyed by the soldier Gil González De Benavides , but it was rescued by a man called Tlatolatl . The statue appeared some years later, during an investigation by Bishop Zummáraga during the 1530s, only to be lost again. There is speculation that the statue still exists in a cave somewhere in the Anahuac valley. CALENDAR Father Duran gave us the description of the festivities for Huitzilopochtli. Panquetzaliztli ( 7 to 26 December ) was the Aztec month dedicated to Huitzilopochtli. People decorated their homes and trees with paper flags; there were a ritual races, processions, dances, songs, prayers and finally human sacrifices. According the Ramirez Codex , in Tenochtitlan up to 60 prisioners were sacrificed at the end of the festivities. Sacrifices were also made in other Aztec cities, including Tlatelolco , Xochimilco and Texcoco . This was one of the more important Aztec festivals, for which the people prepared for the whole month. People fasted, or ate very little; a statue of the god was made with Amaranth ''(huatli)'' seeds and honey, and at the end of the month, it was cut into small pieces so everybody could eat a little piece of the god. The similarity with Christian rituals prompted the Spanish authorities to forbid the cultivation of amaranth. After the conquest, some aspects of these festivities were incorporated into the traditions of the Nativity . EXTERNAL LINKS |
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